The Athletic’s Shams Charania is reporting today that the Nuggets are expected to offer Jamal Murray a max extension of four years and $209 million – and that Jamal Murray is expected to sign it. The second part is not a huge shock, since it’s more money than other teams can offer Jamal, but it means that the Nuggets are locked in around making Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray the core of this team for the next 4 years as they try to hoist another banner.

The salary cap for the league is at $141 million for this coming year but is expected to rise at about 10% a year for every year the rest of this decade with the new media rights deal that the NBA has signed that goes into effect in 2025-26. Having two max contracts doesn’t make cap life any easier for Denver, but the rising cap should help them fit in other salaries and manage the second tax apron – something that definitely seems to be on their mind with Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and his impending free agency.

But in the meantime, having their two best players locked in long-term is a definite plus for the Mile High and the title pursuit in Denver!