4. Jamal Murray, Denver Nuggets
Playing on a high-octane offense that already has to feed Nikola Jokic, Gary Harris and Paul Millsap, it’d be easy for Jamal Murray to get lost in the shuffle. He’s not a traditional point guard either, and with so much of the Denver Nuggets‘ offense running through the Joker, it’s unlikely the third-year guard will see a huge leap in the playmaking department either.
However, there’s no question Murray’s name needs to be mentioned in the same breath as on-the-rise guards like Devin Booker and Donovan Mitchell for his scoring ability. After averaging 16.7 points, 3.7 rebounds and 3.4 assists per game on 37.8 percent shooting from 3 in just his second season, it won’t be long before Murray becomes one of Denver’s go-to scorers.
If this 21-year-old can become the Nuggets’ leading scorer, slightly increase his assist numbers and bump up his efficiency, he could very well emerge as a legitimate MIP candidate. His rise on the offensive end is inevitable, so even though Mile High basketball stills run through Jokic, Murray might wind up seeing the statistical leap this award calls for.