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NBA Trade Deadline: Nuggets most likely on the move

By Blake Holmes

NEW ORLEANS, LA - DECEMBER 06: Kenneth Faried #35 of the Denver Nuggets reacts during the first half of a game against the New Orleans Pelicans at the Smoothie King Center on December 6, 2017 in New Orleans, Louisiana. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Jonathan Bachman/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Kenneth Faried
NEW ORLEANS, LA - DECEMBER 06: Kenneth Faried #35 of the Denver Nuggets reacts during the first half of a game against the New Orleans Pelicans at the Smoothie King Center on December 6, 2017 in New Orleans, Louisiana. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Jonathan Bachman/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Kenneth Faried /
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INDIANAPOLIS, IN – DECEMBER 10: Emmanuel Mudiay #0 of the Denver Nuggets dribbles the ball against the Indiana Pacers at Bankers Life Fieldhouse on December 10, 2017 in Indianapolis, Indiana. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Michael Hickey/Getty Images)
INDIANAPOLIS, IN – DECEMBER 10: Emmanuel Mudiay #0 of the Denver Nuggets dribbles the ball against the Indiana Pacers at Bankers Life Fieldhouse on December 10, 2017 in Indianapolis, Indiana. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Michael Hickey/Getty Images) /

There are a couple of players that will most likely be moved before the trade deadline to me.

With Torrey Craig starting to play well for the team, he may be a target to bring to the NBA roster. As of right now, he is on a two-way contract, and a member of the team would have to be traded or waived to make room for him if the front office wanted him on the all-time roster.

Emmanuel Mudiay:

The Nuggets have looked at moving Emmanuel Mudiay for the right price for a while now. Don’t get me wrong, I am a Mudiay fan, as I think he has plenty of potential in the NBA. I mean, we’ve seen him drop 24 in a single quarter, and play a great role in the point guard position. He’s a better three-point shooter than he was before.

Denver Nuggets
Denver Nuggets /

Denver Nuggets

In fact, he’s shooting eight percent higher from deep than last season, 39 percent in fact. He’s only averaging about a point and a half less than last season, with less minutes played as well.

Mudiay would be a good target for a younger team that is looking for young talent. He has both the potential and the work ethic to be a great player in this league, but the Nuggets could get some valuable assets for him. I don’t necessarily know of a specific example of a team like this, but Mudiay’s age and potential could be an attractive aspect that leads a team to offer a deal beneficial to both sides.

Stats: basketball-reference

Kenneth Faried:

At last, an obvious choice for the trade deadline, Kenneth Faried. He is not an obvious choice because he is a bad player by any means, and it’s not like he’s done bad for the organization. Instead, Faried is a player that has a relatively useful skill-set on the wrong team. He’s spent his entire career in Denver, but there hasn’t been this much competition for his spot either.

Faried is having the worst stat-line of his career, but he has not gotten a ton of chances to prove himself this year either. To sum it up, he is averaging around 16 minutes per game this season, while the second lowest of his career is 22.5. I love Faried, and I wish he could do more with this team, but the impact that he has right now is not helping the team a ton. His plus-minus per 100 possessions with him on the court is at a -7.3, an all-time low for him.

The Nuggets have plenty of power forwards in the rotation, and with the emergence of Trey Lyles, Faried could be the odd man out. Like I stated before, the team has plenty of respect for a veteran like him, but at times it comes down to business. Would the Nuggets rather keep a younger player who can stretch the floor and is playing well, or a vet that is mostly an inside presence?

I’ll let you be the judge.

Stats: basketball-reference

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