Nuggets Might Be One Bad Season Away From a Roster Overhaul

Is the 2026-27 season the Denver Nuggets' last chance with their current core? Since winning it all in 2023, the Nuggets have fallen well short of expectations, suffering consecutive second-round exits in 2024 and 2025 before a bigger disappointment this year: losing in the first round.

The Nuggets have a big 2026 offseason ahead of them, with executive Josh Kroenke saying, "everything is on the table, outside of trading Nikola [Jokic]." Of course, though, that does not mean they will be blowing up their roster. In fact, it would be shocking if they made any drastic moves this summer.

We should expect the Nuggets to retain their trio of Nikola Jokic, Jamal Murray, and Aaron Gordon heading into the 2026-27 season, but what happens if they fall short of expectations again?

Could Nuggets blow it up in 2027?

Apr 30, 2026; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Denver Nuggets guard Jamal Murray (27) looks on against the Minnesota Timberwolves in the first half during game six of the first round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs at Target Center. | Jesse Johnson-Imagn Images

Once Jokic signs his contract extension this offseason, the Nuggets will have their entire core under contract through the 2028-29 season. The only way the Nuggets' core gets shaken up is if they make a drastic trade, and there is really only one scenario where that is the outcome.

With three-time MVP Nikola Jokic playing the best basketball of his career, the Nuggets have no time to waste. If they fall short of the Western Conference Finals again next season, which is plausible with contenders like the Oklahoma City Thunder, San Antonio Spurs, Houston Rockets, Los Angeles Lakers, and Minnesota Timberwolves around them, the 2027 offseason could get hectic.

Jamal Murray, coming off his first career All-Star and All-NBA appearances, is the immediate trade candidate that comes to mind if the Nuggets decide to blow up their core. The 29-year-old is at the peak of his career, and there should be a handful of franchises across the league looking for a point guard of his caliber to lead their team.

REPORT: The Nuggets could potentially explore Jamal Murray and Aaron Gordon trade scenarios this offseason.

“The entire league will be watching to see if [Jokic] signs the extension. If he does, it’s only natural to wonder whether the Nuggets might have some internal discussion… pic.twitter.com/B8rRsJ8T76
— Legion Hoops (@LegionHoops) May 1, 2026

Aaron Gordon, who has struggled to stay healthy recently, is also a valuable trade candidate as a do-it-all forward and premium "glue guy." The only safe player on the roster is Jokic, and until they can get back to championship contention, things will stay that way. Murray and Gordon should not be untouchable for Denver, especially if things get to that point in the 2027 offseason.

Denver's nightmare scenario

Despite some speculation this offseason that the Nuggets could move on from Murray and Gordon, that likely will not happen. So what could actually lead them to make that change next summer?

Obviously, the worst-case scenario would be another injury-plagued season that derails Denver's playoff chances. However, more realistically, the Nuggets could lose in the first or second round of the playoffs again. Simply put, the only outcome that would be viewed as a "win" for Denver is making the Western Conference Finals.

Jokic is arguably still the best player in the world, as the first NBA player since Larry Bird to finish in the top two in MVP voting for six consecutive years. However, in this dominant six-year run, Jokic has led the Nuggets to one championship and two Western Conference Finals appearances. It is time for the three-time MVP to take his team back to the WCF, if not further.

Does that mean it would be time to consider moving on from Jokic? Not quite. However, they need to make sure they surround him with enough talent to make his time in Denver worth it. He has already cemented himself as the greatest player in franchise history, and by the 2027 offseason, it could be time to shake up his supporting cast to make the most of his tenure.

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