Nuggets president: ‘Everything’s on the table’ — except trading Nikola Jokić – CBS Sports

Denver Nuggets President Josh Kroenke has announced that the organization is open to significant roster changes following a first-round playoff exit. During a press conference held on May 8, 2026, Kroenke indicated that nearly all player assets are available for trade, with the sole exception of Nikola Jokić.

The admission comes as the Nuggets evaluate their strategic direction after losing their first-round series to the Minnesota Timberwolves in six games. While the team entered the season as championship contenders, the early exit has prompted a review of the core roster.

Kroenke stated on May 8, 2026, that I think everything’s on the table, outside of trading Nikola, signaling that the team’s front office is prepared to move high-value players to improve the team’s competitive standing.

Roster Evaluation and Asset Management

The potential for trades extends to key contributors, including Aaron Gordon and Jamal Murray. Murray is coming off his first All-Star season and is considered a likely candidate for All-NBA honors, yet he remains a theoretical trade piece under the current organizational stance.

This openness to restructuring the core follows a previous major transaction in the summer of 2025, when the Nuggets traded Michael Porter Jr.

The organizational pivot was supported by other members of the team’s leadership. Coach David Adelman and executives Ben Tenzer and Jonathan Wallace joined Kroenke on May 8, 2026, to acknowledge that the team must improve during the offseason.

Performance and Injury Analysis

Despite the playoff failure, the Nuggets maintained a strong regular-season record, finishing 54-28. This performance earned the team the No. 3 seed in the Western Conference.

Kroenke suggested that the team’s ceiling was higher had they avoided persistent health issues throughout the year.

I thought that, if this group was healthy, that this could be a 60-, 65-win team

Josh Kroenke

The team’s health struggles were significant across several key rotations during the regular season:

• Aaron Gordon appeared in 36 games.
• Christian Braun appeared in 44 games.
• Peyton Watson appeared in 54 games.
• Cameron Johnson appeared in 54 games.

However, the Nuggets leadership noted that injury luck cannot be used as a primary justification for the first-round loss. The organization pointed to the Minnesota Timberwolves, who were also severely shorthanded during the series. The Timberwolves clinched the series despite missing Anthony Edwards, Donte DiVincenzo, and Ayo Dosunmu.

By comparing their situation to that of the Timberwolves, the Nuggets’ braintrust acknowledged that the team’s failure to advance was not solely a result of poor health, necessitating the current openness to roster shake-ups.