The Golden State Warriors are entering one of the most critical offseasons in franchise history. Stephen Curry is 38. Draymond Green is 36. The dynasty window isn’t just closing – it’s being held open by sheer force of will and a few remaining threads of championship DNA.
But here’s the good news: the trade market is about to be loaded. High-profile, win-now talent will be available. And according to Heavy’s Sean Deveney, one name should be at the top of the Warriors’ wish list: Jamal Murray.
Yes, that Jamal Murray. The Denver Nuggets’ All-Star point guard. The same Murray who just averaged a career-high 25.4 points, shot 48% from the field and 43.5% from three, and made his first All-Star team at age 29.
And here’s the kicker: Deveney argues that no team is better positioned to acquire Murray than the Warriors.
“No one is in a better position to help the Nuggets make that seismic move than the Warriors. They have the draft picks to put into a deal – they can trade three of them this offseason, including a lottery pick in the upcoming draft – and young talent to put into a package, most notably Brandin Podziemski.”
Let that sink in. The Warriors – a team that many assumed would be quiet this offseason, content to run it back with Curry, Green, and whatever healthy bodies they can find – could be the surprise suitor for one of the most dynamic guards in the Western Conference.
But would the Nuggets actually trade Murray? And if they would, should the Warriors pull the trigger?
Let’s break down why this deal makes sense for both sides, what the actual trade package might look like, and whether Jamal Murray in a Golden State uniform is a championship-level move or a desperate swing from a fading dynasty.
The Murray Career Year: Why His Value Has Never Been Higher
Before we get into the trade mechanics, let’s appreciate what Jamal Murray just accomplished.
The 2025-26 season was the best of Murray’s career. Not “best since the ACL tear.” Not “best for his age.” The best, period.
25.4 points per game (career-high)
48.1% field goal percentage (career-best efficiency)
43.5% from three-point range (elite, top-10 in the league)
All-Star selection (his first)
Age 29 (entering his prime)
Murray has always been a playoff riser – remember the 2023 playoffs when he averaged 26 points and helped the Nuggets win their first championship? But last season, he finally put together a full regular season that matched his postseason pedigree.
He’s a polished pick-and-roll maestro. He’s an elite perimeter shooter, both off the dribble and off the catch. He’s one of the best closers in the league – a guy who wants the ball in his hands when the game is on the line.
And he’s exactly what the Warriors need.
The Warriors’ Backcourt Problem: Age, Injuries, and Uncertainty
Let’s be honest about Golden State’s current situation.
Stephen Curry is still elite. He averaged 26 points last season. He shot 40% from three. He remains a gravity-defying force who makes everyone around him better.
But he’s 38. He can’t do it alone anymore. And the Warriors’ backcourt behind him is a collection of question marks:
Brandin Podziemski: Talented, young, but still developing. Not ready to be a primary playmaker on a contender.
De’Anthony Melton: Solid defender, streaky shooter, not a star.
Pat Spencer: A nice story, but not a championship-level rotation piece.
The Warriors need another high-level guard. Not a project. Not a role player. A legitimate co-star who can take pressure off Curry, run the offense when Curry sits, and close games when the defense sells out to stop No. 30.
Jamal Murray is that player.
The Fit: Why Murray to Golden State Is Seamless
Let’s imagine Murray in Steve Kerr’s offense.
Kerr’s system is built on movement, spacing, and read-and-react decision-making. It’s not a heliocentric offense where one player dominates the ball. It’s a flowing, dynamic system that rewards players who can shoot, pass, and cut.
Murray has played his entire career in a similar system in Denver. Nikola Jokic is the ultimate passing hub, but the Nuggets’ offense has always required Murray to play off the ball, relocate, and hit shots off screens.
In Golden State, Murray would step into the role that Jordan Poole briefly occupied during the 2022 championship run – but at a much higher level.
Here’s what the Warriors’ backcourt would look like:
Starters: Curry at point guard, Murray at shooting guard
Rotation: Murray runs the second unit when Curry sits
Clutch: Both on the floor, forcing defenses to choose who to double
Murray is an elite pick-and-roll ball-handler. Imagine him running two-man games with Draymond Green while Curry spaces the floor. Defenses would have to choose: drop coverage and give Murray his mid-range jumper? Switch and leave Curry open? Trap and leave Green in a 4-on-3?
There’s no good answer. That’s the point.
The Trade Package: What Would Golden State Have to Give Up?
Now for the cold, hard reality. Jamal Murray isn’t free. And the Warriors, despite their dynasty pedigree, don’t have unlimited assets.
Here’s what Deveney proposes:
The core of the deal:
Brandin Podziemski (young talent, cost-controlled, future starter potential)
Three first-round picks (including a lottery pick in the upcoming draft)
Salary matching:
Jimmy Butler’s contract – Butler is rehabbing from an ACL tear and is owed $56.8 million next season. Including him makes the money work.
Optional sweetener:
The Warriors could also absorb Cam Johnson’s contract – a move the Nuggets would reportedly welcome, as they’re eager to move his salary.
That’s a significant haul. Podziemski is a future starter. Three first-round picks is a treasure chest. And taking on Johnson’s contract is a financial commitment.
But here’s the question: is Jamal Murray worth that price?
The Jimmy Butler Complication: Trading a Beloved Player While He Rehabs
Let’s address the elephant in the room.
Jimmy Butler tore his ACL in January. He’s currently rehabbing, with a possible return around November at the earliest. He’s beloved in the Warriors’ locker room. He’s a competitor. A warrior.
Trading a player while he’s recovering from major surgery is not a good look. It sends a message to the rest of the league – and to future free agents – about how the organization treats its players.
But here’s the counterargument: the NBA is a business. The Warriors have a limited window with Stephen Curry. They cannot afford to be sentimental. If moving Butler’s contract is the price of acquiring a 29-year-old All-Star point guard who fits perfectly next to Curry, they have to at least consider it.
It’s a cold calculus. But championship windows are cold.
Why Denver Would Actually Consider This Deal
Now let’s flip the perspective. Why would the Nuggets trade Jamal Murray?
On the surface, it seems crazy. Murray and Nikola Jokic have one of the best two-man games in NBA history. They won a championship together. They’re both in their primes.
But the Nuggets are in a weird place. They’ve been good, not great, since their 2023 title. They lost in the first round of the playoffs this season. Their roster is expensive. And they have limited flexibility to make changes.
As one NBA executive told Heavy:
“The Nuggets are in a no-man’s land and they need a seismic kind of move to get them out.”
That’s the key. The Nuggets need a seismic move. Not a tweak. Not a role-player swap. A seismic move.
Trading Murray would be seismic. It would bring back a young talent (Podziemski), a treasure chest of picks, and salary relief. It would allow the Nuggets to reset around Jokic, adding younger, cheaper pieces while remaining competitive.
The alternative? Run it back with the same core, hope Murray stays healthy, and pray the Western Conference gets easier. That’s not a plan. That’s a wish.
The Cam Johnson Sweetener: Why Denver Wants to Move Him
One detail in Deveney’s proposal is worth exploring: the inclusion of Cam Johnson.
Johnson is a talented wing – a career 39% three-point shooter who can defend multiple positions. But he’s also expensive. He’s owed significant money over the next two seasons, and the Nuggets reportedly want to move his contract to create flexibility.
If the Warriors are willing to absorb Johnson’s deal – either by including him in the trade or taking him on as a separate transaction – it would make the Nuggets more willing to part with Murray.
For Golden State, adding Johnson would be a bonus. He’s a perfect 3-and-D wing who could start at small forward or come off the bench. He’s 29 years old. He fits the Warriors’ system.
The question is whether the Warriors want to take on that much salary. But if they’re serious about contending, Johnson is exactly the kind of player they should target.
What the Warriors Would Look Like After a Murray Trade
Let’s dream for a moment.
If the Warriors pull this off, here’s a potential starting five for the 2026-27 season:
PG: Stephen Curry (still elite)
SG: Jamal Murray (All-Star scorer)
SF: Cam Johnson (3-and-D wing)
PF: Draymond Green (defensive anchor)
C: Trayce Jackson-Davis or a veteran minimum signing
The bench would be thin – that’s the cost of acquiring two high-salaried players – but the top six would be terrifying. Curry and Murray together is a backcourt that no team in the Western Conference can match.
Not Oklahoma City with Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. Not Dallas with Luka Doncic. Not Denver with Jamal Murray (wait, he’d be gone). Not Minnesota with Anthony Edwards.
And in the playoffs, when the game slows down and half-court execution matters most, having two guards who can create their own shot, play off each other, and knock down threes from anywhere is a cheat code.
The Risk Factor: Murray’s Health and Contract
Of course, there are risks.
Murray tore his ACL in 2021. He missed the entire 2021-22 season. He’s been relatively healthy since, but knee injuries have a way of resurfacing. And his playoff resume, while brilliant in 2023, also includes moments where he’s been less than 100%.
The Warriors would be trading for a player whose contract is massive. Murray is in the second year of a 208millionextensionthatrunsthrough2029.He′sowedmorethan208millionextensionthatrunsthrough2029.He′sowedmorethan50 million in each of the next three seasons.
That’s a lot for a player who has struggled to stay healthy. And it’s a lot for a team that already has Curry’s supermax on the books.
But here’s the flip side: when healthy, Murray is a top-15 player in the league. He just proved it by making an All-Star team and posting career-best numbers. And playing alongside Curry would only make his life easier. Defenses can’t load up on Murray when they’re terrified of Curry.
The risk is real. But so is the reward.
The Golden State Warriors have a decision to make. They can stay pat, hope that a 38-year-old Curry can carry them one more time, and watch the Western Conference pass them by. Or they can be aggressive.
Jamal Murray is the kind of aggressive move that changes a franchise.
He’s an All-Star. He’s a champion. He’s 29 years old. He’s a perfect fit next to Stephen Curry. And according to Sean Deveney, the Warriors are in the best position of any team to acquire him.
The cost would be significant: Brandin Podziemski, three first-round picks, and the complicated contract of a rehabbing Jimmy Butler. Maybe Cam Johnson too.
But championship windows don’t stay open forever. The Warriors’ window is held open by a 38-year-old Curry and a fading Draymond Green. If they’re going to make one more run, they need to make it count.
Jamal Murray in a Golden State uniform might be the difference between a first-round exit and a parade.
So here’s the question for Mike Dunleavy Jr. and the Warriors’ front office: do you want to be remembered as the GM who made one last bold move to give Curry a chance at another ring? Or do you want to be remembered as the GM who watched the dynasty fade quietly into the night?
The Nuggets are listening. The price is high. But the reward?
A backcourt of Stephen Curry and Jamal Murray.
That’s a championship contender. That’s a nightmare for the rest of the league. And that might be exactly what the Warriors need.