The Denver Nuggets, featuring three-time NBA MVP Nikola Jokić, are fighting to win their second NBA title after beating the Miami Heat in the 2023 championship. However, they are off to a 2-2 start, and their star-studded core is very conscious This is their last chance to turn back the clock.

“If we don’t win this year, we all know they might have to break up,” forward Michael Porter Jr. told ESPN on Friday.

The Nuggets all signed massive deals with Jokić, Porter Jr., Aaron Gordon and Jamal Murray. On top of that, the only draft pick they can trade is a distant 2031 first rounder. They don’t even have a second round pick to trade.

With Jokić serving as a passer, Murray serving as an on-ball creator, and Porter Jr. and Gordon somewhat limited on both sides of the ball, the Nuggets would have done well to add a defensive-minded wing who can launch shots from anywhere on the ground. According to recent reports, they almost landed Paul George, but balked at the asking price.

“League sources said the Nuggets inquired about Paul George this offseason, but discussions never escalated because Denver refused to discuss (Christian) Braun, (Payton) Watson or (Julian) Strawther , and the Clippers weren’t interested in just picking up future salary,” Ramona Shelburne wrote for ESPN.

The Nuggets likely offered Porter Jr. in the hopes that George, a nine-time All-Star and four-time All-Defensive, would have given their team additional versatility. Instead, the Nuggets had no interest in giving up any of their young role players. Watson, Strawhter and Braun are all solid contributors, but none of them would even be the second or third option on a playoff-caliber team.

In 2020, after winning a title, the Los Angeles Lakers made promising rookie Talen Horton-Tucker untouchable in trade talks. They would do the same with Austin Reaves and Alex Caruso before letting Caruso enter free agency for nothing and dealing Horton-Tucker to the Utah Jazz for what was left of 34-year-old Patrick Beverly.

In three years with the Lakers, Horton-Tucker averaged 9.3 points and shot just 27.6 percent from 3-point range. The Lakers, like the Nuggets now are, overvalued their young players and failed to add a complementary piece to their championship-winning core.

As Denver looks to find its footing this season, swirling thoughts of “what if?” will likely haunt them unless they can put together several winning efforts.

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