Nuggets Will Not Make Jamal Murray Available To Land James Harden

According to The Denver Post's Mike Singer, the Denver Nuggets will NOT make Jamal Murray available to land James Harden. After Murray's breakout playoff performance against the Clippers last season, who can blame them?

James Harden is a great player, but he has proven to be a lesser player when it matters most. Since Jamal Murray has just shown the team he can deliver under the bright lights of the playoffs, why would the Nuggets trade him for a player who hasn't?

Murray averaged 26.5 points per game in the playoffs and showed he's a franchise cornerstone. He's also just 23 years old. It doesn't really make sense to trade a player who'll be great in a decade for a former MVP who turns 32 this season.

Harden has also shown poor leadership skills. He seems more interested in partying with rapper Lil Baby than making it to practice with the Houston Rockets, which puts his leadership at least in doubt.

The Denver Nuggets have everything they need to compete for an NBA championship in the next two or three years. Like the Splash Brothers of Golden State had to do to win their titles, the Nuggets just have to get better.