Peanut butter and jelly are both okay on their own. But put them together in a sandwich, and they become a legendary pairing that shouldn't be split up. And neither should the legendary duo of Denver Nuggets stars Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray. Just because the Nuggets will be knee-deep in a salary cap mess for the next three years doesn't mean the Nuggets should trade Murray to rebuild.
However, that's the "bold prediction" that ESPN has for what will transpire over the next couple of years in their latest three-year power rankings. ESPN analyst Ben Golliver wrote the opinion because he's got the feeling the Nuggets could "backslide further" and go down a path that's just been taken by the Milwaukee Bucks, who have lost not only their franchise cornerstone Giannis Antetokounmpo, but also all of his All-Star running mates.
The Nuggets shouldn't have to split up Jokic and Murray
Splitting up Jokic and Murray would be a mistake. We know the Nuggets won't trade away Jokic, so this comes down to Murray. And if the front office wasn't going to trade Murray this offseason, they probably won't. And they shouldn't. The 29-year-old Murray is in his prime, and his value has never been higher, coming off of his first All-Star appearance and his first All-NBA Third Team selection. That value would likely only decrease as he ages.
Yes, the legendary Nuggets duo's salaries trending upward is a problem for the front office, and it's what led to the split of Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum of the Boston Celtics this offseason. The Celtics duo had been together for nine years. But the Celtics have been in a salary mess just like the Nuggets for the same reason: two superstars on max contracts. This season, they decided to try something else.
However, the Nuggets' salary situation gets a little better for 2027-28, when they can make some savvy money moves like declining the team option on DaRon Holmes II and waiving and stretching Zeke Nnaji's final year to bring in more mid-level talent.
And it could greatly improve in 2028-29, when expansion drafts happen. The Nuggets could let Christian Braun and the $25 million he would be owed for that season go in the expansion draft if he doesn't turn things around by then. You can dump the bass player of the band, but don't split up the lead guitarist and lead singer.
The Nuggets would have a hard time replacing Murray's offense
Sure, Murray hasn't been "playoff Murray" for the past few years, but he's only getting better during the regular season, as evidenced by his accolades this year. He just had a career year, averaging 25.4 points (12th in the NBA) and 7.1 assists (10th), and he set career highs in FG% and 3P%, while also setting the Nuggets team record for made threes with 245. He also finished second in the Clutch Player of the Year voting. There's no replacing that with draft picks from a trade.
The solution for the Nuggets is to take a little load off his plate at the end of the season so he's well-rested going into the playoffs. Because let's face it. As long as the Nuggets have Jokic and Murray on the court together, they're going to be a playoff team. Sprinkle in a little magic and savviness from the front office, and they could orchestrate another title led by the peanut butter and jelly duo.
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