The Reckless Pursuit of Perfection: Why Denver Is the Dark Horse for a Trey Murphy III Blockbuster

The Denver Nuggets have largely positioned themselves as a team focused on stability, continuity, and internal development around their core of Nikola Jokic, Jamal Murray, and Aaron Gordon. General Manager Calvin Booth has preached a philosophy of avoiding overlap and prioritizing players with high basketball IQ and positional size. Yet, with the trade deadline looming and the team facing injury challenges and a growing need for a long-term third star, there is mounting speculation that the Nuggets could execute a shocking, all-in trade for a young future star.

The most compelling—and arguably perfect—target being whispered in league circles is Trey Murphy III of the New Orleans Pelicans.

While Denver is notoriously short on the kind of first-round draft capital needed to acquire a player of Murphy’s caliber, the current dynamics of the Western Conference and Murphy’s unique contract situation create a rare window of opportunity that the championship-focused Nuggets cannot ignore.

The Target: Trey Murphy III – The Perfect Fit

Trey Murphy III (TMIII) is not merely a rotation player; he represents the ideal modern two-way wing who perfectly embodies the four pillars of Calvin Booth’s team-building philosophy:

1. Positional Size: At 6-foot-8 with a massive wingspan, Murphy has the size and length to guard elite wings, an absolute necessity in the Western Conference against players like Luka Dončić and Anthony Edwards.

2. Shooting Prowess: He is a career 40%+ three-point shooter on high volume. This elite spacing is the ultimate complement to Jokic’s interior passing and Murray’s drive-and-kick game.

3. Youth and Contract: At just 25 years old and under contract for a total of approximately $112 million through 2029, Murphy is a long-term asset whose deal is incredibly team-friendly. Acquiring him would solidify Denver’s core for the next four years, extending the championship window well into the post-prime years of Jokic.

4. Offensive Development: Murphy has shown continuous growth in his ability to create off the dribble, adding an element of self-creation that the Nuggets currently lack outside of their core two.

In short, landing Murphy would give Denver a “3-and-D-and-Drive” wing who could serve as the long-term successor to the high-usage scorer Michael Porter Jr. (who was traded in the 2025 offseason for Cam Johnson).

The Trade Scenario: The Asset Scramble

The central problem for Denver is their lack of readily available, high-value draft capital. They owe their 2027 and 2029 first-round picks (due to the Stepien Rule), and the only tradable picks are in 2031 and 2032. This means the trade must be built around a combination of players and a multi-team structure.

The rumored framework for a deal centered on Murphy would look something like this:

Nuggets Send	Pelicans Receive
Cam Johnson ($21.1M salary)	Trey Murphy III ($12.0M salary)
Peyton Watson (Young Wing)	Future First-Round Picks (from a 3rd team)
Julian Strawther/DaRon Holmes (Young Prospects)	Young Role Player (from a 3rd team)
2031 First-Round Pick (Denver’s best asset)

The Strategic Rationale for Denver:

• Salary Matching: The newly acquired Cam Johnson ($21.1M) is the primary salary ballast, allowing Denver to absorb Murphy’s $12.0M salary, as well as take on another player to make the salaries balance.

• The Player Package: The Nuggets would have to aggressively include young players like Peyton Watson and Julian Strawther. Watson is a fan favorite, but if he is the cost of acquiring a proven, 25-year-old high-volume shooter like Murphy, the decision becomes easier for the front office.

• The Gamble: This move is a recognition that the young talent on the end of the Nuggets’ bench might never develop into a player as good as Trey Murphy III already is.

The Pelicans’ Motivation for Trading a Future Star

Why would a team with championship aspirations trade away a player like Trey Murphy? Because, as analyst Bill Simmons has suggested, the Pelicans may be attempting to rebuild their core around their new, high-potential rookies Derik Queen and Jeremiah Fears.

• Roster Overlap: The Pelicans may view Murphy as slightly redundant with other long-term commitments and see an opportunity to cash in his value for a mix of solid young players (Watson, Strawther) and the much-needed draft capital that Denver is scraping together.

• Controlling the Clock: New Orleans may feel their window to build a contender around their current stars is closing, and a pivot to stockpiling assets and acquiring reliable young talent (like Cam Johnson, a high-level 3-and-D player himself) is a more stable path forward than waiting for a star to emerge from their own draft picks.

The All-In Cost: The Championship Imperative

For the Nuggets, the willingness to aggressively pursue a talent like Murphy represents a fundamental shift in their approach to team building under the current luxury tax environment. The new CBA makes it prohibitively expensive to maintain a deep bench of high-priced veterans. The Nuggets must focus on surrounding Jokic with players who are either max-level, cheap and young, or locked into value contracts. Trey Murphy III is the latter.

This trade would be a declaration that the Nuggets are not content with just contending—they are pursuing a dynasty. It’s the most impactful move General Manager Calvin Booth could make to guarantee the team’s ability to remain the top threat in the West for the foreseeable future.