After a turbulent regular season in which the Nuggets flirted with the play-in, few believed they could be a legitimate threat to be a championship contender before the start of the postseason. Some analysts even predicted a first-round exit against a red-hot Clippers squad. But Denver defied expectations. They emerged victorious in a hard-fought first-round series and pushed the title-favorite Thunder to seven games. The outcome could have even been different had the Nuggets core of Michael Porter Jr., Aaron Gordon, or Jamal Murray been at full strength. Even marginal enhancements to the bench might have shifted the power dynamic in that series.
Looking ahead, there’s real hope that young players like Julian Strawther and Peyton Watson can take meaningful steps forward and contribute in high-pressure playoff situations. Their development could help restore the depth Denver needs for future title runs. But banking entirely on internal growth is risky, and it was one of the key reasons the Nuggets lacked reliable depth this season.
The Western Conference is only going to get better. Denver faced a young Thunder team this year, with Jalen Williams and Chet Holmgren still lacking experience, which led to several underwhelming playoff performances. That is not something you can rely on in the future. Even if those two don’t fully blossom into reliable postseason performers, Oklahoma City has the assets to trade for any disgruntled superstar that becomes available. In addition, teams like the Lakers, Rockets, and Spurs are improving and, without a doubt, will turn an already brutal Western Conference into an even greater challenge.
If the Nuggets want to stay among the contending teams, they’ll need to act decisively. And that starts with accepting a hard truth: Murray and MPJ are no longer good enough to be dependable parts of Denver’s future.
Unfortunately It’s Time to Break Up the Nuggets Core
It’s a tough conclusion to accept, especially for basketball romantics who believe in building through the draft. We also shouldn’t overlook how much Jamal Murray and Michael Porter Jr. have sacrificed to complement Nikola Jokic in the best way possible.
It would also be sad to break up the iconic duo of Jokic and Murray, whose chemistry is one of the league’s most recognizable partnerships. Meanwhile, Porter Jr. has evolved from a one-dimensional scorer into a capable two-way player who uses his length effectively to thrive in Denver’s defensive system.
But the harsh reality is this: Both have now turned in back-to-back underwhelming postseason performances. And when you have the best player in the world on your roster, every year is a “championship or bust” season. If the Nuggets want to stay competitive, they will have to move on from these two key players.
Jamal Murray’s Fall from Greatness
Jamal Murray’s 2023 playoff run was nothing short of spectacular. Coming off a torn ACL that kept him out for nearly two seasons, he rewarded the Nuggets’ patience with him by playing at a level that made him arguably the best second option in the league—and at times, even looked like Denver’s top performer. But, that version of Murray feels increasingly distant after two straight underwhelming postseasons.
Offensive inconsistency—always part of the Jamal Murray experience—has become more pronounced. Explosive outings like his Game 5 against the Clippers or his Game 3 against the Thunder have turned into rare flashes rather than reliable trends.
The bigger concern, though, is on defense. Murray has clearly been Denver’s weakest link on that end of the floor in this year’s postseason, being consistently targeted by opposing stars like Kawhi Leonard, James Harden, and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander with devastating results for the Nuggets.
Add that to the fact that Murray hasn’t carried enough of the regular-season load to ease Jokić’s burden—a big reason he’s never made an All-Star team—and his expensive contract becomes almost impossible to justify. At this point, he looks more like an obstacle to Denver’s title hopes than a solution. Upgrading at point guard won’t be easy, but even just freeing up the cap space from his salary to strengthen the roster elsewhere might give the Nuggets a clearer path back to the Finals than continuing to rely on him.
MPJ is Not a Reliable Playoff Starter
While there might still be hope for some that Jamal Murray can bounce back, optimism around Michael Porter Jr. is almost impossible to find. MPJ without a doubt deserves credit for his commitment and sacrifice to this organization—he fought through a clearly injured shoulder during the playoffs and heavily adjusted his game to fit alongside Jokic. But despite that, he still hasn’t proven himself as a dependable playoff performer six years into his NBA career.
Even during the Nuggets’ title run, MPJ struggled in several games, leading to Bruce Brown often closing games instead of him. This year, the same thing happened—Russell Westbrook, playing on a vet minimum deal, closed several games instead of Porter Jr., the max-contract forward earning nearly $180 million over five years.
Offensively, Porter Jr. has also taken some steps back. In the past, he wasn’t just lingering on the three-point line, he was an effective cutter and a postup threat, using his size effectively to be dangerous under the basket. Injuries may explain part of his decline, but at the end of the day, MPJ has not had one postseason campaign where he was able to establish himself as a consistent playoff performer.
The defensive drop-off is even more troubling. His length used to be an asset in Denver’s high pick-and-roll coverage, but over the years, he has become less reliable in that role. Add in the fact that, against OKC, the Nuggets found success with the implementation of a zone defense that didn’t depend on Porter Jr.’s presence, and the sad conclusion is that he simply is an expensive player who is unreliable on offense and one opposing stars can easily target on defense.
The Difficulty of Trading Jamal Murray and MPJ
This idea isn’t revolutionary, and the front office is well aware of it. Moving these players with those salaries will more than likely have to be done with some incentives. But unlike previous years, the Nuggets no longer have the luxury of waiting to get the perfect deal or to keep the status quo, hoping that “Playoff Murray” will return or that MPJ will finally take the next step. After back-to-back second-round exits, the team can’t afford to stand still. Drastic changes are no longer optional—they’re necessary. Otherwise, problems may start with Nikola Jokic himself, and that’s one scenario the Nuggets cannot afford to find themselves in.
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