Adrian Wojnarowski remains busy as the trade deadline is less than 24 hours away. The Yahoo! Sports NBA expert has reported that the Minnesota Timberwolves have contacted the Denver Nuggets about their reserve big man Timofey Mozgov. The reported deal would have shipped Mozgov to Minnesota for Brandon Roy and a first-round pick according to Wojnarowski.
As the Nuggets have said all year, they won’t trade Mozgov unless they are blown away by a deal. Apparently the deal for Roy and the pick isn’t enough as the Nuggets have declined the Timberwolves offer.
If the deal were to go through, the pick that the Nuggets would receive would be the first round pick from the Memphis Grizzlies that they owe the T’Wolves.
Essentially, the deal would be for the pick and financial relief. The T’Wolves signed Roy to a non-guaranteed deal in the off-season after Roy had originally retired after chronic knee problems.
If I’m the Nuggets, I take this deal with Mozgov’s contract expiring at the end of the year and no chance of re-signing him. The emergence of Kosta Koufos and JaVale McGee’s four-year, $44 million contract has pushed Mozgov to the bench and limited playing time.
As of now, it looks like the Nuggets are standing true to their word that Mozgov won’t be moved.
While it’s unlikely that the T’Wolves will be able to pry Mozgov from the Nuggets, look for them to make a run at him when free agency starts this off-season.