Jason Burgos
On Thursday night, the Denver Nuggets saw their 2025-26 season come to a frustrating end. Despite playing very well at the end of the year and being viewed as a dark horse contender to reach the NBA Finals, the Nuggets fell in six games to a Minnesota Timberwolves team that didn’t even have top star Anthony Edwards in the last two matchups of the series.
Since winning the franchise’s first championship three years ago, Denver hasn’t even reached the Conference Finals. It’s why The Athletic NBA insiders Jason Quick and Sam Amick claimed on Friday it would be “natural to wonder” if the Nuggets will have discussions about Jamal Murray’s future in Denver after he underperformed in the playoffs following a career-best regular season.
However, the pair of insiders note that while Murray disappointed in the postseason, “there is always a robust market for elite scorers and playmakers.” If the Nuggets decided to break up the one-two punch of Nikola Jokic and Murray, let’s look at six teams that could target the one-time All-Star in a trade.
Memphis Grizzlies
One team that has the draft assets and potential salary space to take on the $160 left on Murray’s contract is the Memphis Grizzlies. They are in the middle of a total rebuild and have two picks in the top 16 of next month’s NBA Draft.
Could a trade package that includes one of those selections and talented but troubled guard Ja Morant intrigue Denver? It is an offer that the Nuggets should ponder if it were made.
Miami Heat
The Miami Heat are sure to shake up the roster this summer. The team was in the play-in for the fourth straight year and couldn’t advance to the round of 16 last month. The organization has been linked to blockbuster trades for years. Sooner or later, they are going to pull the trigger on one.
Reports suggested late last year that they were open to a trade for Ja Morant. If they were willing to take on a player like that who can be a PR headache, why not go after Murray? Plus, the cost of a swap would be far lower than a rumored deal for Giannis Antetokounmpo.
Brooklyn Nets
The Brooklyn Nets are in serious need of a face of the franchise. They would prefer to build a competitive team from within instead of making deals for veterans from other clubs. However, in recent years, a lot of those blockbuster deals were for stars in their 30s. Murray is only 29 and right in the prime of his career.
The biggest hindrance would be the money Murray is still owed. However, if the Nets feel Murray can get them back to being competitive, alongside former Nuggets teammate Michael Porter Jr., they can’t be ruled out from making a trade.
Atlanta Hawks
Despite a historic blowout in Game 6 of their series against the New York Knicks, the Atlanta Hawks seem on the cusp of being a pretty good team for the next five years. Jalen Johnson is one of the brightest young stars in the game, but he needs a proven veteran to help carry the load.
Murray could be that and form a dangerous combo with the talented forward. In return, the Nuggets could get one of the Hawks’ two-first round picks next month and Dyson Daniels. A young defensive stopper on the perimeter that they badly need. Former No. 1 overall pick Zaccharie Risacher could also be added to the deal.
Toronto Raptors
Murray is one of Canada’s greatest NBA exports. So, the idea of the Toronto Raptors trading for a native son who is an All-Star would be a public relations dream. The big issue is that, along with a first-round pick or two, Denver would want a player in return that can make a difference in 2026-27. Would RJ Barrett and/or Immanuel Quickley be enough? That could quickly end the dream of Murray playing for his country’s lone NBA team.
Los Angeles Clippers
The Los Angeles Clippers are in a weird place heading into the offseason. They clearly began a rebuild before this year’s trade deadline. Furthermore, a huge penalty and Kawhi Leonard’s contract being voided because of the Aspiration scandal are hanging over the franchise.
If they get to keep Leonard, swapping the seven-time All-Star for Murray would make sense. Sure, there is a big risk in a deal for the Nuggets. But the future Hall of Famer showed this past season that he is still among the game’s best after playing in 65 games.
In the deal, the Nuggets get a player who has proven many times he comes up big in the playoffs, and the Clippers get a 29-year-old star to build around.
