Following a disappointing playoff exit, the Denver Nuggets are widely expected to make significant changes this summer. That could mean trading players such as Christian Braun, Aaron Gordon, Cam Johnson, and even star Jamal Murray.
Moving on from Braun could be especially difficult, given his poor play in the postseason and his $125 million extension kicking in next season. As a result, the Nuggets may be forced to make a bigger move to try and shake things up.
One potential option the Nuggets could broach this summer is trading Murray for Utah Jazz star Lauri Markkanen.
Trading for Markkanen would mark a dramatic shift in strategy for Denver, who spent years honing their offensive attack around the Murray and Nikola Jokic pick-and-roll. However, it may be time to shake things up.
The Denver Nuggets are in desperate need of a summer shakeup
The Jazz are hoping that they will get lucky in the NBA Draft and end up with a top-3 pick to pair with Jaren Jackson Jr., Markkanen, and Ace Bailey. However, if they end up with, say, Cam Boozer or AJ Dybantsa, they would have a crowded frontcourt.
That might make the possibility of them trading Markkanen more likely. A straight-up trade for Murray would make sense under that scenario, though they already have Keyonte George at point guard.
Shifting some of their depth from the front court to the back court could make them a more balanced roster. It could also make them a more likely playoff team next season.
For the Nuggets' part, they'd be retooling around Jokic after hitting a brick wall. They'd have a hole at point guard but could find a stopgap option and would beef up their front court by pairing Jokic and Gordon with Markkanen.
Would the Nuggets and Jazz agree to the trade?
The Nuggets would probably prefer to keep Murray, so trading him wouldn't be their first option. Nevertheless, they are probably stuck with Braun, while Johnson may have some value as a shooter on an expiring contract.
Still, neither trade is likely to move the needle much. If Denver wants to shake things up, moving Murray may be the most realistic option, outside of perhaps landing Kevin Durant in a trade.
For the Jazz, they have had a high asking price for Markkanen. Depending on how they view Murray, he may not be enough in a straight-up swap for Markkanen, at least in their eyes. While tempting for both sides, I think the Jazz would be more likely to decline a potential trade.
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