The Boston Celtics have been fielding offers for Jaylen Brown, and the Denver Nuggets are expected to make some changes, or we hope, to improve the roster for the 2026-27 season. Naturally, it made sense to theorize what a Brown to the Nuggets trade would like. But those thoughts can be put on the shelf for now, unless the Celtics change their asking price for Brown. However, it raises the question of whether the Nuggets have the capital to acquire any top-tier star to pair with Nikola Jokic.
Jamal Murray may have been an All-NBA Third Team member this year, and he's paid at the max, but he's not a superstar, and his defense was atrocious against the Minnesota Timberwolves in the first round of the playoffs. On his own, he'll only open the door to a conversation for a superstar trade swap. The Nuggets need more. They probably don't have it. And it will probably take them out of the running for any superstar.
The Celtics want what the Nuggets can't offer. So will other teams
Shams Charania reported today what the Celtics have been asking for in return for Brown, and the Nuggets just can't offer this in a deal.
"In some cases, the Celtics have asked for at least four first-round picks for Jaylen Brown."
That takes the Nuggets out right away. Despite having four future round picks available, the Nuggets don't have any tradeable first-round picks, putting them in a category all of their own due to their poor management of draft capital over the years. The best the Nuggets can do is a first-round pick swap in 2031 and 2033.
That leaves the Nuggets with only their newly acquired future second-round picks from the Spurs and a 2033 own second-round pick as the draft capital they can trade. Hardly enough to entice most teams as a sweetener for a superstar. The Miami Heat had to give up the number 13 pick of this year's draft, two future first-round picks, a pick swap, and finally one second-round pick as part of the package to acquire Giannis Antetokounmpo from the Milwaukee Bucks.
The Nuggets would have to hope that players alone are enough
It's not likely for the Nuggets, but if they can package something like Murray, Christian Braun, or a sign-and-trade on Peyton Watson, they could then pry away a superstar like Brown to pair next to Jokic. But that's not very likely for either side.
The Nuggets just lack the flexibility without having the draft capital to make a move for a superstar. At least they made a move to add second-round trade sweeteners via their draft trade-down with the Spurs on draft night.
Add us as a preferred source on Google