Has Jamal Murray played his final game as a Denver Nugget?

The deep dive into the Denver Nuggets continues after the team’s embarrassing first‑round exit from the NBA playoffs. And before any offseason moves begin, one question towers above the rest:

Can the Denver Nuggets still help Nikola Jokic win another NBA championship?

On Tuesday’s edition of “The Drive with Zach Bye and Phillip Lindsay,” Bye suggested the unthinkable for Nuggets Nation. He believe the team needs to move on from Jamal Murray.

“It’s going to come down to two things,” the host said. “Either Jamal Murray gets traded, or you’re doing a full‑scale run‑it‑back.”

His explanation was matter of fact.

“(Denver) isn’t getting anything for the likes of Christian Braun or Aaron Gordon without including picks,” Bye added.

And that’s the problem. The Nuggets don’t have a first‑round pick until 2032. Despite Gordon being a valuable and sought‑after player, his age and injury history may not return the kind of package Denver needs to retool with “younger, defensive‑minded players.” Braun’s five‑year, $125 million contract extension begins next season, making him difficult to move, as well.

So, who can Denver trade while still getting meaningful value back? The answer, uncomfortable as it may be, is simple: Jamal Murray.

Drafted seventh overall in 2016, Murray just posted career highs across the board and earned his first All‑Star appearance. Even with the season ending in disappointment, his stock may never be higher. And as painful as it is for fans to hear, no player on the roster can yield more in return than Murray.

As the championship window tightens, Bye believes Nuggets fans should prepare for a very different roster next season. When you look at Denver’s assets, it’s not hard to reach the same conclusion.

The Nuggets cannot afford to waste another year of Jokic’s prime, and no one — outside of The Joker — is exempt from being moved. If the Nuggets are serious about retooling, the path with the most upside begins with trading Jamal Murray. If the franchise wants to secure Jokic’s legacy, the time to act is now.

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