Report: Nuggets considered Davis trade, didn't want to deal Murray

Anthony Davis could have been suiting up next season in the Mile High City.

The Denver Nuggets discussed a trade for the superstar with the Pelicans but balked at the cost when New Orleans required any talks to include guard Jamal Murray, sources told Mike Singer of the Denver Post.

Denver's reluctance was reportedly due to the uncertainty surrounding Davis' future. The 26-year-old is a free agent next summer and made it well-known that his preference was to play for the Lakers.

Davis' agent, Rich Paul, even went as far as to warn the Boston Celtics against viewing a potential trade for the forward as anything more than a one-year rental. As a result, the Celtics were reportedly hesitant to include their own young guard, Jayson Tatum, in talks. That allowed the Los Angeles Lakers to swoop in with their reported offer of Lonzo Ball, Josh Hart, Brandon Ingram, and three first-round picks.

If the Nuggets were certain Davis would stay in Denver beyond the 2019-20 season, they would have been more aggressive in trying to work out a trade, Singer adds.

Murray is coming off his third and best NBA season, during which he averaged 18.2 points, 4.8 assists, and 4.2 rebounds in 75 games. Along with center Nikola Jokic, he helped lead the Nuggets to the second-best record in the Western Conference this past season at 54-28, though they fell in seven games to the Portland Trail Blazers in the second round.