A high-stakes hypothetical centers on the Denver Nuggets trading All-Star guard Jamal Murray to the Dallas Mavericks for Kyrie Irving, plus Max Christie and the Mavericks’ No. 9 pick in the 2026 NBA Draft—an option driven by Denver’s health-and-salary concerns
The Denver Nuggets don’t sound desperate when they talk about the future—at least not yet. But inside the roster math, one reality keeps showing up: Nikola Jokic is the only player the franchise can truly treat as fully safe. Everywhere else, the question gets sharper.
Jamal Murray—an All-Star guard and a centerpiece of Denver’s recent identity—sits at the center of the most dramatic offseason idea being floated: what if the Nuggets finally decide that change is needed, and they trade Murray to the Dallas Mavericks in a straight swap for Kyrie Irving?
In this possible framework, the Nuggets would be trying to do more than simply replace a player. They would be trying to replace a long-term financial commitment, upgrade immediate shot-making around Jokic, and still keep the team pushing toward contention.
The part that decides everything is health.
Irving is a nine-time All-Star, but he hasn’t played over 60 games in a season since 2018-19. Worse for a team betting on him as a centerpiece. he did not play at all in the 2025-26 season due to a torn ACL. That’s the kind of injury history that turns any trade proposal into an offseason gamble—one the Nuggets would have to accept if they believed the upside was worth it.
When Irving has been healthy, he’s been one of the league’s best point guards. The hypothetical assumes his fit would still make sense in Denver. Irving is slightly declining at age 34. but he has remained elite when on the floor. especially as a guard who can play off a dominant center without demanding the ball nonstop.
In 2024-25, Irving averaged 24.7 points, 4.8 rebounds, 4.6 assists, and 1.3 steals per game. He shot 47.3% from the field, 40.1% from three-point range, and 91.6% from the charity stripe.
The financial logic is where the swap becomes more than just basketball fit.
Irving’s contract is presented as friendlier to the Nuggets’ cap situation: he is owed $39.5 million next season. which is $11 million less than Murray. Irving also has a player option worth $42.4 million in 2027-28. Murray, by contrast, is described as a much heavier financial burden, with $57.5 million guaranteed in the 2028-29 season.
To make the deal more palatable, Denver would also receive Max Christie. Christie is 23 years old and is described as a productive guard on an affordable contract. He is owed $8.3 million next season, with an $8.9 million player option the following year. The idea is that he slots into Denver’s bench unit, adding backcourt depth with Tim Hardaway Jr. and Bruce Brown both set to hit free agency.
Denver would also gain the No. 9 pick in the 2026 NBA Draft. With a top-ten selection, the Nuggets could target an “instant-impact prospect” such as Yaxel Lendeborg, Brayden Burries, or Aday Mara, depending on how the board falls.
Put together, the deal described here is built like a three-part solution: a star-caliber replacement for Murray around Jokic, a younger guard with a manageable salary, and a high-end draft asset that could help the Nuggets keep building their next wave of contributors.
But there’s a reason Denver would hesitate.
The same proposal that looks clean on paper hinges on the risk of moving their All-Star guard and the possibility that injury concerns could define the outcome. Still. the pitch for Denver is that this would be a chance to cut costs without taking a huge hit to the roster—if Irving stays healthy enough to deliver.
Dallas, meanwhile, has its own set of incentives.
From the Mavericks’ perspective, trading for Murray is framed as a star-caliber upgrade, even if it costs them the No. 9 pick. Murray might be more expensive than Irving, the plan suggests, but he is also described as more reliable and arguably better at this stage of their careers.
The hypothetical points to Murray coming off the best year of his career: at age 29. he averaged 25.4 points and career-high 7.1 assists. He also hit career highs in 3PM with 3.3 and shot 43.5% from three, with a career-high 62.2 TS%. The summary even frames it with direct output markers: led the Nuggets in points and led the Nuggets in threes. He was also an All-Star.
The fit matters for Dallas too. If the Mavericks want to capitalize on Cooper Flagg while Flagg is still on his rookie contract, bringing in Murray is described as a way to build an immediate contender.
It’s also tied to who is running the show.
The Mavericks’ new president of basketball operations, Masai Ujiri, is named as the person overseeing these decisions. The underlying idea is that Ujiri could be looking to take a swing in his first offseason.
For Dallas, the biggest downside in the scenario is the draft capital—giving up the No. 9 pick they could have used for long-term planning alongside Cooper Flagg. Still, the logic is that using the pick as a win-now trade piece may align with how Dallas wants to move.
Getting rid of an “injury-prone guard” to bring in a star “at the height of his career” is presented as low-risk for Dallas, especially because the scenario claims the Mavericks would have the cap space to take on Murray’s contract with minimal concern.
For Denver, it’s the opposite kind of risk: Murray would go, but the Nuggets would be banking on Irving’s ceiling while hoping his health history doesn’t turn the trade into regret.
The tension in this hypothetical isn’t just talent or money. It’s timing.
Denver would have to believe that replacing Murray with Irving won’t cost them too much—while also making room for what Christie and the No. 9 pick could add. Dallas would have to believe the price of the No. 9 pick is worth it if Murray helps them press now.
In a single swap, the Nuggets would cut costs and reshape the guard rotation around Nikola Jokic. The Mavericks would sacrifice future flexibility to strengthen their present. And the whole idea lives or dies on whether Kyrie Irving can stay on the floor often enough for Denver’s offseason gamble to feel like a plan—not a prayer.
Denver Nuggets Dallas Mavericks Jamal Murray Kyrie Irving Nikola Jokic Max Christie 2026 NBA Draft Masai Ujiri Cooper Flagg trade proposal