Jamal Murray, Denver Nuggets
At the beginning of the season, the noise surrounding the Denver Nuggets possibly blowing up the season was at an all-time high. Even though the Nuggets didn't act on any of those whispers, it's hard to forget all of that happened just a few months ago. If the Nuggets have another disappointing or premature end to the season, I don't think anything could be on the table for the team heading into the offseason. While all the previous trade noise revolved around the possibility of trading Michael Porter Jr., I can't help but wonder if there may be another big-name Nugget in jeopardy of hitting the block.
Murray has been a staple for the Nuggets over the last few years and was a big part of their championship run. However, Murray is in the midst of one of the least efficient seasons of his career and has to be at the center of the team's overall regression over the past couple of seasons. I wouldn't play the entire blame on his shoulders but he certainly shouldn't be absolved of some of the blame.
What are the odds Murray hits the trade block?
Unless this season ends in complete disaster, I don't think there's a great chance the Nuggets will end up making that bold of a move. If I had to put a number on it, I'd say there's probably a 20-30 percent chance the Nuggets end up trading Murray. If the Nuggets wanted to completely shake up their roster, this is probably the best path toward accomplishing that. With all due respect to Michael Porter Jr., I'm not sure he'd bring the return that the Nuggets would be looking for.
Of course, that's under the assumption that the Nuggets are looking for a completely new co-star to feature next to Nikola Jokic. With how the rest of the Western Conference has improved over the last year, it may be time for the Nuggets to shake up their roster. However, it's hard to blame them for giving this core one more shot together. If this season does end in disaster or even in mere disappointment, I'd say there's a strong chance the Nuggets are looking to make a big move at some point in the next 12 months. It could come at the expense of Murray.