From veteran depth to young talent, here are three Denver Nuggets players who could be trade candidates in the 2025-26 season.

DeAndre Jordan, Russell Westbrook, and Peyton Watson in the Nuggets jersey with a single question mark in the middle.

The Denver Nuggets have been playing the long game for years, and for the most part, it’s paying off this offseason. Even though they fell in the second round of the 2025 NBA Playoffs, Denver took the eventual champion Oklahoma City Thunder to a grueling seven-game battle. That exit wasn’t a failure; it was a reminder of just how razor-thin the margin for error is at the top of the NBA. Now, with new head coach David Adelman at the helm, the Nuggets have retooled smartly. They shed Michael Porter Jr.’s massive contract in exchange for Cam Johnson, a better two-way fit and floor spacer at a fraction of the cost. Jonas Valanciunas arrived to fix the long-standing backup center problem.

At the same time, veterans Bruce Brown Jr. and Tim Hardaway Jr. were brought in to solidify depth and give Nikola Jokić and Jamal Murray a deeper supporting cast.

However, NBA seasons are long, unpredictable, and often fraught with tough roster decisions. Injuries, matchups, and financial realities can force a contender to pivot midseason, even when things are going well. With that in mind, it’s worth examining three way-too-early trade candidates for Denver in the 2025-26 season. Players who may not finish the year in Nuggets colors but could help the team make a strategic in-season move.

DeAndre Jordan’s place in Denver is more symbolic than strategic at this stage of his career. At 37 years old, Jordan isn’t here to give the Nuggets 20 productive minutes a night: he’s here to mentor, keep the locker room light, and step in for a spot shift when necessary. In past seasons, that veteran leadership role had value, particularly when the Nuggets’ backup center spot was a revolving door of uncertainty.

But that was before Jonas Valanciunas arrived. The addition of Valanciunas gives Denver a legitimate, physical backup big who can log consistent minutes without the team’s defense crumbling. It also allows David Adelman to lean on small-ball looks with Aaron Gordon or even Zeke Nnaji at the five. The reality is that DeAndre Jordan could spend most of this season as an emergency-only option, rarely touching the floor unless games are already decided.

From a front-office perspective, that makes Jordan’s expiring minimum contract a potentially useful trade chip. In the right package, he could be combined with another salary to match money for a mid-tier rotation upgrade, the kind of move a contender might make before the trade deadline to get over the hump.

When Russell Westbrook joined the Nuggets last season, it felt like a bold, “why not?” experiment. The former MVP still has bursts of downhill speed, relentless energy, and playmaking instincts that can jolt a stagnant offense. In theory, he could give Denver’s second unit a pace-pushing dynamic they’ve often lacked when Jamal Murray sits.

But there’s a thin line between a helpful spark and an awkward fit. Westbrook’s shooting limitations are well-known, and Denver’s offense thrives on spacing, ball movement, and precision. If Adelman struggles to find lineups where Westbrook’s strengths shine without clogging driving lanes for Murray, Jokić, and cutters like Gordon, this experiment could fizzle.

Westbrook is also on a short-term, affordable deal, a contract type that tends to get moved midseason if the fit isn’t perfect. For a front office as opportunistic as Denver’s, the decision could be pragmatic: if Westbrook’s minutes are better served by Bruce Brown Jr., Tim Hardaway Jr., or even rookie Julian Strawther taking on more ball-handling duties, then flipping Westbrook for a cleaner stylistic match is not unthinkable.