Five Trades the Denver Nuggets Should Consider

Dec 10, 2014; Denver, CO, USA; Miami Heat forward Luol Deng (9) drives to the basket past Denver Nuggets forward Wilson Chandler (21) during the second half at Pepsi Center. Mandatory Credit: Chris Humphreys-USA TODAY Sports

The Solid Veteran: Luol Deng

Luol Deng is a great player who teams don’t seem to know exactly what to do with. He’s a big, physical small forward who can light it up on offense and shut dudes down on the defensive end. At 29 years old, he’s struggled with some injuries and, over the last five seasons, has played for four different teams, including two separate stops in Chicago. Currently playing for the Miami Heat, Deng is averaging more than 31 minutes per game, during which he’s putting up 14.3 points and 5 boards per contest.

In case you haven’t figured it out yet, all of the players I’ve mentioned so far are solid defenders. Deng is no different. He would provide the Nuggets with a physical presence at the small forward position, without sacrificing much of the scoring they’d probably lose if Chandler was part of the package to bring Deng to Denver.

Deng is another player who has a player option coming up in 2015-2016, but I can live with that. He’s a guy who could come in, help the Nuggets fight their way back into playoff contention, and then both parties could sort out their future after the season. If the Nuggets are looking for short-term help versus longer-term gains, Deng might be one of the best options available (but not THE best; hit the next slide to see the short-term savior).

Likelihood of Luol Deng Joining the Nuggets: Slightly Above Average

Next: The Short-Term Savior