New Trade Scenario Could Give Nikola Jokic the Help He Needs..
To remain competitive, the Denver Nuggets may need to make a roster upgrade via trade this offseason.
Despite taking the Western Conference Champion Oklahoma City Thunder to a full seven-game series in the NBA Playoffs, the Nuggets fell short in the final game, revealing the limits of their current roster.
It’s becoming increasingly evident that Nikola Jokic requires more consistent support from his teammates. While Jokic is widely regarded as one of the league’s most impactful and versatile stars, even he can’t carry the team alone.
One of the most concerning performances came from Michael Porter Jr., whose play significantly declined during the series. He managed just 7.4 points per game while shooting only 32.2% from the field and 25% from three-point range.
Porter Jr. is set to earn $38.3 million next season, which hampers Denver’s financial flexibility and limits their ability to make other key roster moves. A new trade proposal could help resolve that issue.
According to Andy Bailey of Bleacher Report, the Nuggets could explore a trade with the New Orleans Pelicans to offload Porter Jr.’s hefty contract and strengthen their roster. The proposed trade would look like this:
Denver Nuggets receive:
- Trey Murphy III
- Kelly Olynyk
New Orleans Pelicans receive:
- Michael Porter Jr.
- Peyton Watson
- 2031 first-round pick swap
- 2032 first-round pick
To convince another team to take on Porter Jr.’s sizable contract, Denver would need to offer future draft assets. For the Pelicans, who are in the midst of a rebuild, the trade creates long-term salary cap space since Porter Jr.’s deal ends after the 2026–27 season.
In return, the Nuggets would acquire a consistent scorer in Trey Murphy III, who posted an average of 21.2 points per game during the 2024–25 season, while shooting 45.4% from the field and 36.1% from three-point range.
Kelly Olynyk would also provide valuable depth in the frontcourt as a dependable backup for Jokic, helping to stabilize the team’s rotation.
