Five Trades the Denver Nuggets Should Consider

November 13, 2014; Oakland, CA, USA; Golden State Warriors guard Andre Iguodala (9) celebrates during the second quarter against the Brooklyn Nets at Oracle Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports

The Reluctant Returner: Andre Iguodala

I know, I know. Andre Iguodala already dissed our city and showed he had no interest in being here. He played one season for the Nuggets before making a mad dash for what he perceived as greener pastures in Golden State. But that one season he played in Denver remains his best statistically since the 2010-2011 season. Golden State is one of the best teams in the NBA so far this season, and given the choice, I’m  sure Iguodala would prefer to play for a contender at this point in his career. But you also have to consider the fact that the Warriors have a lot of talent, which means two things: Iguodala is playing the fewest minutes per game of his entire career and the team is going to have to make cap room to sign some of their younger players in the next season or two.

Iguodala is in the second year of a 4-year deal he signed with Golden State in 2013, and he’s scheduled to make $12.2 million this season, and around $11 million each of the next two seasons. That’s a big contract number for a 30-year old shooting guard/small forward tweener. If Golden State decides he’s expendable, the Nuggets could bring him back to Denver where he likely would immediately slide into the starting lineup. And this time around, his contract would prevent him from skipping town for at least the next two years.

I know it sounds crazy to covet a player who made a decision to leave once before, but I always thought Iguodala was a nice fit for this team and I still think he could contribute solid minutes while improving the Nuggets performance on both ends of the court. His arrival would likely mean parting ways with Wilson Chandler, and that would be a tough loss since Ill Will is playing so well this season.

Likelihood of Andre Iguodala Joining the Nuggets: Below Average

Next: The New Identity