Why Nuggets Need to Keep Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray Together

The Denver Nuggets are projected to make multiple roster moves this offseason after a disappointing playoff run that ended their season. The Nuggets have salary cap issues they will have to solve, and that may involve trading players who played significant minutes for them. 

One constant the franchise has seen in recent seasons has been the duo of Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray. In 2023, the tandem showed they could lead a franchise to a championship, and they executed that by playing off one another well. 

Much of Murray and Jokic's success comes from how well they play next to each other. These are two players who are versatile and can beat teams in many different ways. 

Jamal Murray was considered to be a top point guard in the NBA and can get back to that form if he can sustain his health. Murray can score on all three levels and plays with no fear, especially in high-stakes situations. 

In 2025-2026, Murray averaged over 25 points per game and 7 assists, putting up impressive numbers and proving he can still play at a high level. Numbers like that from a point guard aren't easy to come by in today's league, and the goal for the Nuggets is to build a roster around Murray to compete for a championship again. 

Center Nikola Jokic is still one of the best players in the world and has been a consistent candidate to win the MVP award. Jokic is 31 years old and is still playing the best basketball of his career. In 2025-2026, he averaged over 27 points per game, 12 rebounds, and 10 assists while shooting just under 57 percent from the field. 

Jokic is three years from his Finals MVP run, and he has not dipped in production just yet. He was recently praised by team president Josh Kroenke, who mentioned that he would not consider trading the three-time MVP. 

In terms of what both players could do together on the court, they are one of the NBA's strongest duos. These are two players who have played alongside one another for the majority of their careers and have proven that their connection is good enough to reach the pinnacle. 

Much of the Nuggets' issues in the playoffs have come from other players on the roster who have simply not shown up when it has mattered most in the playoffs. Denver should focus on finding players who complement Murray and Jokic's play styles rather than splitting the two up.