None of those players help them win a championship. I just decided to highlight Jrue Holiday and Chris Paul.
This is year one you are assuming team chemistry can’t improve and he can’t improve and you’re assuming he can’t be a star in Denver and want to stay. MPJ is a no nonsense, intense dude who wants to be a star he felt a way about being snubbed for playing time all season. He’s hungry and made a P.R. blunder let’s not indict him based off that.
The Nuggets are not on the verge of being title contenders. They were down 3-1 in every single series they played in. There’s a good chance they never get this far again with this core.
In my opinion you let Jamal and MPJ handle the offense and Jokic focuses on distributing and rebounding and exerts more energy on the defensive end. Jokic can score and is clutch but he doesn’t have that scoring motor, fouls can get him out the game, and at the end of the day he’s a big man who needs someone to get him the rock. Do you know how deadly MPJ can be off-ball as a cutter and spot up shooter with Jokic. He’s also one of the only guys who can create his shot. He’s what they need a forward who can flat out score.
Jokic and Murray are still young what’s the rush? Give Bol Bol and MPJ time to develop.
Nuggets made it to the WCF with Will Barton out and Gary Harris hurt, so claiming this is their peak doesn't make sense to me, especially when they have cap space and the opportunity to add a 3rd star.
MPJ is a poor fit on this team both offensively and defensively. You assume that he can become a better fit. But what's the downside in trading him for someone who is already a better fit? If MPJ has as much potential as you say he does, then won't other teams recognize this too and be willing to offer equal value?
And bytching to the media wasn't just a PR blunder. His coach was already upset at his inability to play within the team's offensive and defensive schemes and that's why he wasn't getting minutes. His teammates were already upset at his failure to pass the ball and that's why they were freezing him out. Straight stats show that he was the least likely guy in the league to pass the ball once it touched his hands. All those issues were already true BEFORE he went to the press and demanded the ball more. And he did it twice. And he was straight wrong - the Nuggets beat the Clippers without giving him the ball more.
Coach doesn't like him, he doesn't like coach, teammates don't like him, he doesn't like teammates, he doesn't provide what they need defensively and he isn't going to get the chance in Denver to reach his potential offensively. And he's just a year away from his first option year. That's too many reasons to trade him for someone of equal value but a better fit.
