Cannot afford to trade: Jamal Murray
Murray may be the best player in the league that has never made an All-Star appearance. He was playing the best basketball of his career when he tore his ACL in April of 2021. It cost him a season and a half, but Murray was outstanding when he returned in 2022. He averaged 20.0 points, 6.2 assists, 4.0 rebounds, and 1.0 steal and helped Denver win it all.
Murray has outstanding chemistry with Jokic, and their two-man game (subscription required) is the best in the league. So far this season, the Nuggets have a 124.4 offensive rating and a 13.1 net rating with their two stars on the floor. Good luck getting a stop when the duo plays together.
The Nuggets need Jamal Murray. They were 6-1 before he was injured on Nov. 4. Denver is 7-6 in games he has missed this season, and fans haven’t seen the best version of the 26-year-old point guard yet. He is still working his way back from injury and getting his legs under him.
The Denver Nuggets will be title contenders as long as Jokic and Murray are healthy. In their last two playoff runs with Murray, the franchise won the championship and lost to the eventual champ in the conference finals. There is no questioning their success.