The ultimate problem of the Nuggets offseason: Will Murray Porter change his blood, or wait for them to come back?

Dear old friends, let's talk about the Nuggets who dragged the Thunder into the tiebreak in the playoffs, this offseason may be more difficult than winning the championship. Why? Look at them starting with the four giants: Jokic, Gordon, Murray, and Porter Jr. The contracts of the four people are completely locked until 2027. Murray and Gordon will even have to wait until 2029 to "freedom". What's even more heartbreaking is that the annual salary of these four people is above 30 million, which is almost up to the salary cap of a team.

Teacher I guess now scratched my head in the locker room: "I took these brothers to the tiebreak, but in the offseason, I didn't even have money to adjust the lineup?" But we have to be fair. The management locked these four giants back then, which was really not a decision. Murray averaged 26 points and 7 assists in the 2023 playoffs, Porter Jr. averaged 19 points in the 2022 Western Conference Finals, and Gordon even had his own "tough guy attributes". Jokic just won the MVP at the time, and this lineup was all about tycoon configurations. Who would have thought that Murray and Porter Jr., two stars who are in their years of playing, would degenerate if they say they are degenerated?

Look at Porter Jr. First: I played 77 games in the regular season this year, averaging 18.2 points and 7 rebounds per game, shooting percentage of 50.4%, and three-pointers of 39.5%. Is this data perfectly qualified as the third leader? As a result, the playoffs were out of reach, averaging 9 points per game, and the shooting percentage dropped to 39%. But they were beaten with injuries! The shoulder bandage is even more exaggerated than Anuno. In this "lame" state, you can also protect the basket and make weak jump shots. You can find 6-foot-10 wings, average 15 points per game and 38%+ three-pointers in the league, and you can count them with one hand. You said he has a premium? Indeed, but is it wrong to say that he is purely indebted?

Look at Murray again: Last season's playoffs, he averaged 26 points and 7 assists per game, and this year's playoffs dropped to 21.8 points and 5.2 assists, and his three-pointers fell from 39.6% to 35.4%. But how many people can replace his ability to hold the ball without the ball? If you can take out a "Murray substitute" in a team, can the team let people go easily?

Now the question is: Or not to tear it down?

The fans shouted "Sell Porter! Sell Murray!", but the reality is - what can you get when you take these two premium contracts to the market? Which buyer is not worried about Porter Jr.’s back injury and Murray’s condition decline? Just like you sell a second-hand car, but you have had an accident, and the price is still expensive, who is willing to accept it?

Then what is the most practical operation of the Nuggets? I see, it is likely that the "four giants are all retained" and then use the middle class and basic salary to find the bargain. Last year they gambled "Turtle". Can you bet on the fight again this year? Of course, they still have rookies that need to be trained well! Last year's second round pick Braun saved the game many times in the playoffs, so this kind of "lottery" has given more opportunities; rookie Holmes has been lying for a year and may be able to play in the double tower next year; Pickett, who was only reused at the end of the season, has also been worth exploring the potential of a backcourt scorer.

Of course, if the boss is anxious and insists on undergoing major surgery, we have to think of possible transaction plans. For example, Powell and Derek Jones Jr. who exchanged Porter Jr. for the Clippers: Powell performed as the "Boss of Los Angeles" in the first half of the season. Although the defensive shortcomings in the second half of the season were exposed, everyone remembers that the Clippers' forward height was not enough to be defeated by Gordon's rebounds, right? Porter Jr.'s height of 208 cm and ability to protect the basket just fill the Clippers' forward hole. For the Nuggets, Powell's unball running and "do it when the ball comes" are perfectly adapted to Jokic; although Derek Jones Jr.'s scoring ability is poor, it can increase the rotation depth, and 6 players rotate to 7 players, so it is not a loss.

Another solution is to exchange Murray, Najib and Braun for Murphy and C.J. McCollum for the Pelicans: Murphy has 203 cm and 36% of three-pointers, and has a full static dynamic talent. He averages 21 points per game this year. He can definitely win the All-Star with Jokic; although CJ has deteriorated, he can still do both pick-and-roll and no-ball, so it is no problem to fill in Murray's function. On the Pelicans, Murray is younger than CJ, Braun can strengthen the backcourt 3D, and the most important thing is that he can deal with Najib's contract. This wave is considered "exchange luck" - the Nuggets bet on Murphy to become a star, and the Pelicans bet on Murray to bet on Murray to bet on him.

But to be honest, the probability of these two transactions being completed is not high. The NBA is not a game, and transactions must be "win-win". No one can do the business that loses a lot. The Nuggets are more like a "rich man locked in a golden house" - they have money in their pockets, but they all have fixed deposits, and they have to wait if they want to spend them.

But from another perspective, isn't this a microcosm of the alliance? This year, the Pacers did not make it to the Eastern Conference Finals, and the Magic 1 exchanged for 7 bets on Bain, Antetokounmpo and Durant may be traded. The 2025 offseason is destined to be a crazy season for "competing for the heroes". The Nuggets’ choice is actually a problem for all championship teams: is it a bet on the core to rejuvenate, or is it a risk of breaking up the team? Should I take a steady step or give it a try?

For the Nuggets, perhaps the answer is very simple - since it cannot be dismantled, then play the existing cards to the extreme. Jokic is still at the peak, Gordon is still the "Iron Man", Murray and Porter Jr. still have the possibility of rejuvenation, and coupled with the surprises of the rookies, who can say that the Nuggets will not be the "counterattack dark horse" next season?