The Denver Nuggets secured more than an established backup point guard when the front office and Monte Morris agreed to a contract extension this week.

For a deal that reportedly extends Morris’s contract three years for $27 million, the Nuggets are also getting an example to follow and a developing leader.

“It meant a lot,” Morris said of the deal. “Just from where I started, I just want to be a role model for someone else either undrafted or was drafted late and had the same journey. It just shows you, you know, just keep working hard and the sky’s the limit.”

As the 51st pick in the 2017 draft, Morris was guaranteed little more than a spot on Denver’s NBA Summer League team. He turned that chance into a two-way contract that saw him spend most of his first professional season in the G League. Then, he got, and hit, his shot with the Nuggets.

“Let’s be honest, Monte’s second season, he wasn’t slated to be our backup point guard; that was going to be Isaiah Thomas,” Nuggets coach Michael Malone said Thursday. “Unfortunately, IT’s hip injury didn’t allow him to get back to playing until February, and Monte took full advantage like Lou Gehrig did to Wally Pipp back in the day and said, ‘You know what, I can handle this role. I can be a backup point guard on a really good basketball team.’”

Last season, Morris started 12 of 73 games and averaged 9 points and 3.5 assists while shooting 37.8% from deep. Over the last two years, his 5.29 assist-to-turnover ratio is second in the NBA. After establishing his spot in the Nuggets’ rotation the last two seasons, Malone has challenged Morris to speak up and take more ownership of the team.

“That’s something I think he’s really taking on and not afraid to try and become better in those areas, but the contract shows our belief in him,” Malone said. “I think there’s not many better backup point guards in the NBA, and he even started games for us this year in the playoffs. Thrilled that he got this out of the way, now he can just focus on playing basketball and helping this team.”

Others in Morris’ situation may have looked for a larger role elsewhere with the Nuggets also committed to starting point guard Jamal Murray for the foreseeable future. Morris didn’t sound interested in such a move Thursday.

“This organization, you know, has opened their arms to me from Day 1. They’re all about winning, and I’ve won at every level I was at,” Morris said. “I really just didn’t want to start over. With me being only 25, I still got a lot of basketball that I can play. Why not try to finish something with the guys that you started with? I’m a culture guy, and we’ve got a great culture around here. It was a no brainer to me to want to stick around.

“It was good for me, man. I got a little emotional, you know, talking to Tim just knowing how hard I worked for this opportunity. I’m grateful for them wanting to have me around longer.”

And it seemed like a no brainer for the team to make sure he’s not going anywhere else anytime soon.

“Monte Morris is one of those guys that has the complete respect of the entire locker room, the complete respect of the entire coaching staff as well as the front office,” Malone said.