Now that the Nuggets have come to terms on a long-term contract extension with Jamal Murray, it feels like the roster is set to enter the 2024-25 NBA season. But we all know, in the modern NBA, the opening night roster can look awfully different by the end of the season.
The league has more player movement than ever and that’s not exclusive to the offseason. There are a number of massive trades throughout the season leading up to the trade deadline every year. Teams may feel good about their rosters today, but things can change in a hurry.
Players who seem off-limit can come available, injuries can arise that necessitate deals, and teams can simply change their minds about the direction of their franchise. The point is, things feel set for now, but this Nuggets team may look completely different a few months from now.
But one thing won’t change and that’s the contract situation for Denver. Now Nikola Jokic and Murray are virtual locks to remain on the team. Aaron Gordon is likely staying put and that will become definite if the team can work out an extension with AG.
That really leaves only one trade chip with a meaningful salary for the Nuggets to play with; Michael Porter Jr. It seems like all roads lead back to MPJ as we began the offseason speculating about trades involving the 26-year-old sharpshooter and now we’re back where we started.
This likely isn’t going to change as MPJ is locked into a max contract that is taking up a massive chunk of the Nuggets’ cap room for a fourth option. He’s young enough and a good enough player that he could still be desirable to other teams, but he’s certainly not going to return a marquee superstar.
If the season doesn’t get off to the best start it would behoove the Nuggets to shop around and see what they can get for Porter Jr. It’s their clearest path to meaningfully upgrading the roster and his salary could bring back a pseudo-star whose current team may be willing to part ways. Here are 5 star players that could become available and could end up coming back to Denver in an MPJ trade before this February’s trade deadline.
5.) Zach Lavine, Chicago Bulls
LaVine has been a very polarizing player over the years. At his best, he’s looked like one of the best shot-creators and scorers in the league with true star potential. But the problem is that he has struggled mightily to stay healthy and on the court and it’s not clear if he’ll ever reach his full potential.
The Bulls have been trying to deal LaVine seemingly forever but they have had no luck. His contract and injury history have been largely disqualifying but the potential is through the roof. If Zach can prove that he’s healthy, he could be an upgrade over MPJ, and playing with the best teammates of his career could truly unlock his offensive potential.
4.) Brandon Ingram, New Orleans Pelicans
Ingram is another player who has been on the trade block as he’s entering the final year of his contract with no new deal in sight. The fit between Ingram and Zion Williamson has been clunky at best as there’s too much overlap between their skill sets and the space they want to occupy on the court.
The biggest issue in moving Ingram for the Pels has been a lack of teams that are willing to pay him his next contract. But with no takers, the price tag may be dropping steadily as he creeps closer to free agency.
The Nuggets could buy in on Ingram and since they’ll likely be well over the second apron next season anyway, they might as well extend their own guys. So if they can add Ingram via trade, they can afford to keep him and add him to the core of Jokic, Murray, and Gordon.
Ingram would add a good amount of offensive creation and scoring in the midrange. If the Nuggets and Jokic could actually get him to shoot more threes, this deal could turn into a massive upgrade and they could unlock Ingram as a third star (he’s currently overtasked as the second guy in NOLA).
3.) LaMelo Ball, Charlotte Hornets
This one would be a bit of a shocker and not something we’ve heard many rumors about but don’t rule this one out. Ball has shown glimpses of stardom but has also been hampered by injuries constantly.
Meanwhile, the Hornets have stumbled into another young star in Brandon Miller and the new ownership group may be less attached to Ball. They may be willing to sell high on Ball if they don’t believe in his long-term feasibility. They may want to get off of Ball’s deal and truly rebuild around Miller, Mark Williams, and their other young talent.
Ball’s fit in Denver may be a bit awkward, but the talent would be hard to pass up. If he can stay on the court, he could get more on-ball reps and allow Murray to play off the ball and look for more shots off of movement.
A move like this could give Denver one of the most talented lineups in the entire league. Ball wouldn’t have to do as much with Murray and Jokic around, but his size would work alongside Murray on the defensive end as well.
This trade would be out of left field, but it’s the kind of all-in move that would show that the Nuggets are firmly committed to Jokic and contending for titles in the next few years at any cost.
2.) Jerami Grant, Portland Trail Blazers
The former Nugget, Grant could be due for a return at some point. He’s a bit out of place in Portland, the veteran star on a young, rebuilding team. The Blazers may finally be ready to move on from Grant and see what they can get in return for their most desirable asset.
We already know how Grant would fit in Denver and he’d give them another long rangy wing who can play inside and out. He’d bring much more defense than Porter Jr., but would likely sacrifice a bit on the offensive end - he’s nowhere near the shooter that MPJ is.
But some could argue that would be a wise trade-off for the Nuggets. The offense will be close to elite as long as Jokic and Murray are on the court. If they can bring in another plus defender and get their defense up to top 5-10 levels in the league, they could have a well-rounded juggernaut type of team.
Dealing for Grant would hurt the Nuggets even more as a three-point shooting team, but they could really lean into what they do best and bludgeon teams with their size and skill. It’s not a perfect fit, but it could improve the team’s overall ceiling and help them get off of the MPJ contract without making the team worse in the interim.
1.) Julius Randle, New York Knicks
Add one more polarizing star to the list as Randle - mostly due to injury - has become the odd man out in New York. He is still a useful player for the Knicks, but they may be looking to move his contract for depth and better roster fit.
Randle hasn’t exactly meshed perfectly with Brunson and some of the Knicks' other core players. Will he be content with a smaller role on offense and playing without the ball frequently? That remains to be seen, but with major tax bills looming, the Knicks will likely need to move one of their “stars” and Randle seems to be the obvious candidate.
Randle would be an offensive dynamo in Denver and would make for a fascinating frontcourt grouping with Jokic and Gordon. The team would be massive and should be able to smother people with size. Randle isn’t the skilled offensive player that Jokic is, but his skills are pretty spectacular.
Between Jokic, Murray, and Randle, the Nuggets would always be able to have a true star on the floor for the offense to run through - and usually two. This would be another weird move in terms of roster fit, but it would be a bet on talent, and if anyone can make it work it’s the Joker.