New Blockbuster Three-Team Trade Proposal Sends Jamal Murray to Miami Heat, Nuggets Put Hopes on Herro

Could the Nuggets decide to trade away their longtime point guard - and could Atlanta derive some benefit from being involved?

Apr 6, 2024; Denver, Colorado, USA; Denver Nuggets guard Jamal Murray (27) celebrates after making a three-point shot against the Atlanta Hawks in the first half at Ball Arena. Mandatory Credit: Michael Ciaglo-USA TODAY Sports / Michael Ciaglo-USA TODAY Sports

While the 2024 NBA off-season is all but finished, there is always potential for one big move to shake up the projected standings. Just last off-season, the Milwaukee Bucks acquired Damian Lillard in late September in hopes of forming a new dynamic duo in the Eastern Conference. The 2024 NBA champions, the Boston Celtics, didn't acquire starting point guard Jrue Holiday until October.

The Miami Heat are a team that could be interested in making such a move. It is well-known that they were deep in talks to acquire Lillard before he was traded to Milwaukee. They have been looking for a third star to put around Jimmy Butler and Bam Adebayo for multiple seasons. However, their best trade asset - guard Tyler Herro - has not received the interest they expected.

The Denver Nuggets are in an interesting situation of their own. After winning the 2023 Finals, the Nuggets fell short in the second round of the 2024 playoffs. Point guard Jamal Murray struggled with injuries throughout the season, which undoubtedly played a factor in his up-and-down playoff run. His effective field goal % of 44.8% was the lowest among all postseason players who attempted over 200 shots. He did have several nice games throughout the playoffs, but he did not look like the same player who was a critical part of the Nuggets' 2023 title.

His struggles also continued in the Olympics. It is fair to wonder whether the Nuggets would trade Murray to avoid giving him a big contract extension. His injury history and recent struggles have to make the Nuggets at least somewhat hesistant about giving him a new extension. It seems like they have been. Even though Murray was eligible to sign a four-year, $209 million dollar extension, that offer has not happened yet.

What if the Heat were to push all their chips in to get a third star next to Butler and Adebayo? Both the Nuggets and the Heat have expensive rosters, so a third team would need to be involved. That is where the Hawks come in.

Here is what the three-team deal could look like:

It should be noted that this is just a speculative and fun exercise to see what kind of moves can be made, not what I think the Hawks should do or will do. That is all.

Atlanta Hawks get: Terry Rozier, Josh Richardson, Nikola Jovic, Peyton Watson, 2026 2nd round pick (via Miami Heat), 2031 1st round pick (top-5 protected, via Denver Nuggets)

Miami Heat get: Jamal Murray, DeAndre Hunter, Garrison Mathews, 2025 1st round pick (protected 1-12, via Sacramento)

Denver Nuggets get: Tyler Herro, Kobe Bufkin, Cody Zeller, Pelle Larsson, 2026 1st round pick (unprotected, via Miami Heat), 2031 1st round pick (unprotected, via Miami Heat)

Why the Hawks would do this deal: Atlanta gets off of the DeAndre Hunter contract and re-tools their rotational depth. Rozier is a solid backup point guard who can run bench lineups and mitigates the loss of Bufkin. Richardson struggled with injury last season, but is a solid defender and ball-handler when healthy. The real highlights of this deal are Jovic, Watson and the 2031 1st-round pick. Jovic showed growth on the defensive end that belied his impressive tools on offense. He shot nearly 40% from three-point range on 3.5 attempts per game and took strides as a playmaker in his second season. Watson is more defensively-oriented, leading the Nuggets in blocks last season. At 6'8 with a 7'0 wingspan, he can hold his own against most forwards and big men. Trae Young obviously has his struggles on defense, but a lineup of Young - Daniels - Jovic - Johnson - Okongwu has enough size to counter any matchup.

Why the Hawks would not do this deal: Rozier's salary is fairly expensive for a backup point guard/seventh man ($24.9 million dollar salary next season). His defense is also questionable at times, which would make him a difficult fit next to Young.

Why the Heat would do this deal: When healthy, Murray is a far more dynamic scorer and a better playmaker than Herro. He can also take defensive attention off of Butler and Adebayo, freeing them up to focus on defense. The prospect of a Murray-Adebayo two-man game is certainly interesting and would instantly become a staple of Miami's offense. It is also a good insurance plan for Miami in case Butler decides to decline his player option and walk after this season. They also get a talented forward in DeAndre Hunter, who gives them another capable wing in conjunction with Jamie Jaquez Jr. and Duncan Robinson. Furthermore, they also re-coup a first-round pick with a good chance of conveying after sending out two first-rounders in this deal. The Heat currently appear to be behind the premier teams of the Eastern Conference, but a lineup of Murray - Butler - Hunter - Jaquez - Adebayo would certainly be a threat for the conference's top seed.

Why the Heat would not do this deal: The Heat would be taking a big risk on Murray's health and discount his recent struggles as part of his injury. Butler is not the most durable player either, so there is a good chance both him and Murray will miss some time throughout the season. They would also be short on backup ball-handlers, which is difficult to fix until the trade deadline/buyout market.

Why the Nuggets would do this deal: Outside of getting two first-round picks, they get a solid replacement in Herro. The former Sixth Man of the Year is not a perfect replacement for Murray, but he has a similar skillset to Murray and can benefit from Jokic's gravity as an offensive hub. Most importantly, he gives the Nuggets more future flexibility under the salary cap. They also get a promising young guard in Kobe Bufkin, a backup center with postseason experience in Cody Zeller and two first-round picks to further tweak their roster.

Why the Nuggets would not do this deal: Despite his struggles, the Murray-Jokic partnership is still one of the NBA's best. It would be difficult to seperate that core for a player with as many questions as Herro. He is also not very durable (missed 40 games last season) and his defensive struggles have somewhat capped his upside. He also struggled throughout the Celtics series during the 2024 playoffs as the primary offensive option for the Heat. Even though he will be the clear second option behind Jokic (or even third depending on Porter Jr's production), Herro's teams have routinely been better in the post-season without him.

Who says no? Ultimately, I think the Nuggets would say no. Even though Herro is one of the better replacements available for Jamal Murray, his flaws as a player might make the deal unappealing for Denver. The picks they are getting from Miami are also unlikely to be premium assets.