The Denver Nuggets, anchored by the generational talent of Nikola Jokic, face a familiar NBA crossroads. While the San Antonio Spurs’ patient, draft-heavy rebuild offers one blueprint for contention, it’s largely incompatible with a roster built around a 30-something MVP who is entering his prime. Instead, Denver may have found a more viable — and faster — alternative by studying the New York Knicks, even if it requires swallowing some difficult medicine.
The Knicks’ dramatic comeback victory in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals, overcoming a 22-point fourth-quarter deficit against the Cleveland Cavaliers, underscored a larger truth. New York is not just competitive — they are constructed for sustained success. And much of that construction happened through shrewd trades rather than lottery luck.
How the Knicks Built a Contender Around Brunson
Jalen Brunson arrived as a free agent signing, but the supporting cast that has propelled the Knicks to the Conference Finals was assembled piece by piece via the trade market. Over the past few seasons, New York executed a series of calculated moves that steadily upgraded the roster around their star guard:
- Josh Hart was acquired in a four-team trade from the Portland Trail Blazers during the 2022-23 season and later extended.
- OG Anunoby came over from the Toronto Raptors in 2023-24 and received an extension the following summer.
- Mikal Bridges was added in the summer of 2024-25 and promptly locked in with a new deal.
- Karl-Anthony Towns arrived in a blockbuster trade that sent Donte DiVincenzo and Julius Randle to the Minnesota Timberwolves.
Each acquisition proved better than the last, creating a versatile, two-way starting lineup that complements Brunson’s elite playmaking and scoring. The core is now locked in for at least two more seasons, giving New York both present contention and future flexibility. Knicks fans may have winced at some outgoing pieces at the time, but the results speak for themselves.
Denver’s Available Trade Capital
The Nuggets cannot copy the Spurs’ patient draft-and-develop approach without wasting Jokic’s championship window. What they can do is replicate the Knicks’ aggressive, trade-centric model. Denver possesses tradable assets that, while painful to move, could net high-upside players who better fit alongside Jokic.
Jamal Murray’s value remains strong following a solid All-Star-level season, even accounting for fluctuating playoff performances. Aaron Gordon’s availability and contract also represent significant trade chips, despite lingering injury concerns. Moving either player would undoubtedly sting for Denver fans who have grown attached to them through memorable playoff runs. Yet, as the Knicks have demonstrated, the short-term emotional cost can yield long-term glory.
The “Mistake” That Proved a Point
The irony is hard to miss. The very path the Knicks took — trading established rotation players and future assets to surround a star with winning talent — was once viewed skeptically by some as risky overpaying or mortgaging the future. Yet that supposed “mistake” has delivered New York to the Eastern Conference Finals with a cohesive, battle-tested group. For the Nuggets, this serves as compelling proof that a reset doesn’t have to mean tanking for years. It can mean a surgical reshaping of the supporting cast.
Of course, executing this vision requires front-office precision: identifying the right targets, timing deals effectively, and ensuring new pieces mesh with Jokic’s unique skill set as a facilitator and closer. The Nuggets have the financial flexibility and appealing contracts to make serious offers. The question is whether they — and their fanbase — have the stomach for it.
In sports, nostalgia rarely wins championships. Knicks fans aren’t mourning the departed pieces while watching their team compete deep into May. Nuggets supporters may soon face a similar choice: cling to familiar names or embrace the uncomfortable trades necessary to keep Nikola Jokic in title contention.
The blueprint exists. The assets are in place. The only remaining variable is Denver’s willingness to follow New York’s proven — if once-controversial — path.