The Denver Nuggets’ uneven start has put an uncomfortable idea on the table: if this keeps going, Jamal Murray could end up in trade conversations before February’s deadline.
That possibility comes from NBA insider Zach Lowe, who said on his podcast, “I said Jamal Murray just because if this team isn’t good, I think something is gonna crack here,” said Zach Lowe on his podcast. “If they’re a run-of-the-mill team, I’m not closing the door on anything.”
Denver is 4-3, so this is not full-blown panic territory yet. But the numbers and the eye test have both been rough.
The Nuggets rank 17th in net rating and 24th defensively, and they’re giving up 117.0 points per game. They’ve already taken losses to the Thunder, Warriors, and Trail Blazers, and the group has looked a step slow throughout the opening stretch.
Nikola Jokic has not been at his usual level either. He’s averaging 23.4 points, 9.7 rebounds, and 9.3 assists per game this season, which is still strong by almost any standard, but below the standard he’s set in Denver.
The bigger issue is the direction of the team. After the brutal first-round playoff exit in April, the Nuggets entered this season with questions hanging over them, and those questions have only grown louder.
Jokic has yet to sign an extension, and that adds pressure to keep the roster in a place that keeps him satisfied. With flexibility limited, Denver would have to get creative to shake things up - and that’s where Murray enters the picture.
Murray, 29, has spent his entire career with the Nuggets and has been a key partner for Jokic. His scoring and playmaking on the perimeter have fit neatly with Jokic’s game, helping make Denver one of the West’s most competitive teams in recent years.
He’s also producing this season, with averages of 25.4 points, 5.4 rebounds, 5.9 assists, 1.1 steals, and 0.7 blocks per game. He is not the reason Denver is wobbling. But because he’s an accomplished scorer in his prime with championship experience, he would also be one of the more attractive names on the market, even with three years and $160 million left on his contract.
Among the teams mentioned as a possible fit, Miami stands out as a club looking for a jolt. The Clippers were also floated as a team with little reason to rebuild after losing their picks, and Murray would give them another direction if they chose to make a bold move.
For now, nothing is imminent. But the fact that Murray’s name is even part of this discussion says plenty about where things stand in Denver. A team that sat atop the standings a few years ago is now trying to steady itself, and how it responds could shape the rest of the Nikola Jokic era.
In Other News...
Nikola Jokic Just Entered A Conversation Nuggets Fans Will Hate
The early look at the 2027 draft board already says plenty about where the league thinks the next wave of talent is headed, and it also says something about how unsettled the future may feel around the NBAs biggest names. ESPNs Jeremy Woo put Kansas forward/guard Tyran Stokes at No. 1 on his initial big board, citing the kind of versatility that makes scouts lean in, even as questions remain about efficiency and maturity. With the class viewed as thinner than recent groups and more prospects likely to stay in college because of NIL money and shifting rules, the long-range draft picture is still taking shape.
For Nuggets fans, the more uncomfortable part is the backdrop around it. League personnel are already watching for what could happen with stars who usually seem untouchable, and Nikola Jokic is at least part of that conversation in the broadest sense. No one is suggesting a move is around the corner, but the fact that his name is even floating through future trade speculation is the kind of thing that gets attention in Denver, especially when the league is already bracing for a draft cycle that may not offer the usual quick fixes. [Read more 🡒]
Nuggets Rookies Are Giving Denver A Boost Nobody Saw Coming
The Nuggets have gotten an early-season lift from two rookies who have stepped into meaningful roles sooner than expected. Trevon Brazile has brought energy, defense and rebounding off the bench, giving Denver a steady presence in the frontcourt, while Bryce Hopkins has shown he can handle more than spot duty when the rotation needs a jolt.
Hopkins recently filled in for an injured teammate and responded with efficient scoring, plus work on the glass and at the defensive end. For a team that always needs depth to hold up over the long haul, the encouraging part is not just that the rookies are contributing, but that they are doing it in different ways and making it harder for Denver to ignore them as the season develops. [Read more 🡒]
Nikola Jokic Rumors Just Got More Uncomfortable For Nuggets Fans
The offseason noise around Nikola Jokic is getting louder, and this time it is coming from a team that has spent years trying to stay in the title mix. The Golden State Warriors are reportedly weighing a run at the Nuggets star next summer, a sign they still see themselves as a landing spot for elite talent even as injuries continue to test their current core.
For Denver, the uncomfortable part is not just the interest itself, but the backdrop around Jokics future. Contract extension talks have been delayed, which has only added to the speculation about where things could go from here, and the Warriors believe a player of his caliber could dramatically change their championship outlook. It is the kind of rumor that does not move the standings today, but it can hang over a franchise quickly when the league starts looking ahead. [Read more 🡒]