Denver Nuggets: Constructing the dream offseason

Denver Nuggets dream offseason: Add perimeter defense

If these playoffs showed us anything, it was that the Denver Nuggets are in desperate need of a perimeter stopper.

This role has been Gary Harris’ in the past and Jerami Grant in a pinch (or against bigger wings) but with Grant leaving and Harris with the Orlando Magic after the Aaron Gordon trade, the Nuggets need a new 3-and-D role player.

Unfortunately for Denver, all 30 teams need more 3-and-D role players and the pool of players is few and far between.

AG was able to help in the Portland series, switching out against Damian Lillard and sometimes being the primary defensive option. It worked against Portland but didn’t in the Phoenix series where they had lethal shooters around their pick-and-roll action.

Some of the best defensive wings in this year’s free agency class who might be in Denver’s price range are alright fits. There’s Wesley Matthews, Trevor Ariza, Avery Bradley (Team Option), Kent Bazemore, Otto Porter, and Abdel Nader.

None of those players are true difference-makers on that end, just solid role players, but if Will Barton picks up his option or declines and extends with Denver, those are the kind of names the Nuggets will be looking at.

That, unfortunately, is the problem with committing so much money to poor defensive players like Nikola Jokic and possibly Michael Porter Jr (more on that in the next slide).

If the Nuggets want to jump a tier and sign one of the better defensive wings on the market while keeping their core intact, the best way to do that is to trade Will Barton. I wrote about a potential Kelly Oubre Jr sign-and-trade a few weeks ago and maybe Denver can get in the conversation with a Justise Winslow (Team Option) or Jae’Sean Tate (potential non-guarantee) but it’s difficult.

Premium wing defenders don’t grow on trees. This will be the hardest piece of the puzzle for Tim Connelly but with Jamal’s injury, the team will have two seasons to try and find a good fit.