How should the Denver Nuggets re-tool around Nikola Jokić this summer?
Jokić, a three-time MVP, is still in the heart of his prime, which means the Nuggets are under pressure to maximize their championship window.
Despite a talented starting lineup featuring Jokić, Jamal Murray, Aaron Gordon, Michael Porter Jr., and Christian Braun, Denver’s playoff exit against the Oklahoma City Thunder in 2025 exposed a need for a more dynamic two-way presence in the backcourt.
While Braun has emerged as a reliable starter, averaging 15.4 points and 5.2 rebounds in 2025, the Nuggets may need an upgrade to truly contend for another title.
Bleacher Report’s Grant Hughes recently outlined a bold vision for Denver’s offseason, suggesting a blockbuster trade to address the above. Hughes wrote, “Everybody loves Christian Braun, but the Denver Nuggets need an even more dynamic two-way threat next to Jamal Murray to maximize Nikola Jokić’s prime.”
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“Derrick White is among the best defensive guards in the league and is the kind of three-point shooter whom opponents get yanked off the floor for leaving open,” Hughes continued.
“His value as a spacer is far greater than Braun’s, and his superiority as a playmaker (4.8 assists per game last year) would give the Nuggets never-before-seen levels of offensive savvy and dynamism. A third team would have to get involved, as Denver can’t trade more than one first-round pick (2031 or 2032) and is nearly as inflexible as Boston.”
“Perhaps rerouting Michael Porter Jr. elsewhere would open up some opportunities to get creative in pursuit of White, who’d be an ideal fit.”
White has proven himself as a two-way star for the Celtics, averaging 16.4 points, 4.8 assists, and shooting 38.4 percent from three in 2024-25. His elite perimeter defense would address Denver’s struggles at the point of attack.
Offensively, White’s ability to space the floor and facilitate alongside Jokić and Murray could create a devastating trio. His clutch performances, like his buzzer-beating put-back in the 2023 Eastern Conference Finals, align perfectly with Denver’s need for playoff-tested talent.
However, pulling off this trade would be nearly impossible. Boston, acutely aware of White’s immense value, would likely demand significant assets for the guard, who’s under contract through 2028-29 at a tad under $30 million annually.
Hughes suggests involving a third team and potentially moving Michael Porter Jr., whose bloated salary and inconsistent playoff performances make him a logical trade chip for Denver.
While Hughes’s vision of White in a Nuggets uniform is interesting, there are too many hurdles to that vision becoming a reality, especially with White having nearly untouchable status from the perspective of Boston’s front office.
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