The Denver Nuggets enter this offseason facing tough decisions as they look to retool around Nikola Jokić and chase another championship. Speculation has naturally swirled around potential trades involving players like Aaron Gordon, Cam Johnson, or even Christian Braun. Yet one name should remain firmly off the table: Jamal Murray.
According to Sean Deveney of Heavy Sports, the Golden State Warriors could emerge as a surprise suitor if Murray ever hits the trade market. An NBA executive told the outlet that the point guard carries the highest trade value on the roster besides Jokić himself, and that dealing him away would give Denver the kind of assets needed to “start making real changes.”
To be clear, the Nuggets have not made Murray available, and there is no indication they intend to. Still, the mere suggestion highlights a dangerous line of thinking that the front office must reject outright.
Trading Jamal Murray this offseason would be the exact opposite of what this team needs. While it might deliver a massive return in assets, it would dismantle the core of a franchise that has been built around one of the NBA’s most productive and proven duos.
Jokić is unquestionably the engine of the Nuggets, but Murray has long been the perfect complement. Their chemistry, forged through years of playoff battles—including a championship run—remains special. Murray just wrapped up his best individual season, delivering the kind of scoring, playmaking, and clutch performances that elevate Denver’s ceiling. Moving him now, especially while the stated goal is still to win another title with Jokić at the center, would amount to a premature reset rather than a calculated retool.
Even the idea of sending Murray to the Warriors feels particularly misguided. While draft capital and future flexibility would appeal to a rebuilding team, that is not Denver’s identity. The Nuggets are still contenders. They need complementary pieces around their stars, not a total teardown.
This summer already demands creativity. The Nuggets lack the cap flexibility for major external upgrades, meaning internal moves or targeted trades will be essential. Aaron Gordon’s name has surfaced more realistically in discussions, largely due to injury concerns in recent years. Parting with a well-liked, versatile forward like Gordon would be difficult enough for the organization and fanbase. Trading Murray would cross a far more consequential threshold.
Unless Murray himself expresses a desire to leave—an unlikely scenario given his history in Denver—this conversation should end before it begins. The Nuggets can and should explore ways to improve the supporting cast. They might have to make hard calls on role players or depth pieces. What they should not do is touch the Murray-Jokić foundation while it is still producing at a high level.
Denver’s front office has shown patience and strategic vision in the past. This offseason tests that approach again. The path forward involves smart, incremental improvements—not a headline-grabbing deal that trades away a proven winner at the first sign of roster construction challenges.