The Denver Nuggets need to make significant upgrades to their roster through a trade this offseason. Despite pushing the Oklahoma City Thunder, the eventual Western Conference Champions, to a seventh game in the NBA Playoffs, the Nuggets simply didn’t have enough left in the tank to advance.
It’s become more apparent that even with Nikola Jokic’s elite level of play, he can’t carry the team on his own. He needs a more capable supporting cast around him to fully maximize the Nuggets’ potential.
One key area of concern is Michael Porter Jr., who had a disappointing playoff performance against the Thunder. Porter Jr. managed only 7.4 points per game, shooting a poor 32.2 percent overall and just 25.0 percent from beyond the arc.
With Porter Jr. set to earn $38.3 million next season, the Nuggets have limited financial flexibility to make the needed improvements. To address this challenge, Andy Bailey from Bleacher Report has proposed a trade that would send Porter Jr. to the New Orleans Pelicans—a team in a rebuilding phase.
The proposed deal would require Denver to include draft picks to entice the Pelicans to absorb Porter Jr.’s large contract, which runs through the 2026-27 season. In return, Denver would gain two players who could immediately strengthen their rotation.
The Nuggets would acquire Trey Murphy III, a skilled scorer who averaged 21.2 points per game during the 2024-25 season while shooting 45.4 percent from the field and 36.1 percent from three-point range. Additionally, Kelly Olynyk would join the Nuggets as a valuable backup big man, providing reliable minutes behind Jokic in the frontcourt.
