Under-the-radar trade targets for the Denver Nuggets
By Sean Carroll
Denver Nuggets under-the-radar trade candidates: Aaron Nesmith
Aaron Nesmith was the 14th pick in the 2020 draft for the Boston Celtics and has failed to live up to his billing as a 3-and-D wing in today’s NBA.
This season, he’s averaging 3.2 points per contest while shooting 24 percent from the 3-point line on 2.3 attempts per night and despite a rather clear route to playing time, he has failed to make a serious impact on Ime Udoka’s lineup.
Additionally, the new front office, lead by former head coach Brad Stevens, wasn’t the front office that drafted Nesmith so they have fewer ties and emotional investment in the wing.
Former Nugg Love site expert and current CelticsBlog contributor Adam Taylor, wrote about Nesmith’s promising performance against the New York Knicks in late December. Taylor believes that it’s only a matter of time before Nesmith can break into the rotation with his solid defense:
"“Detractors will point to Nesmith’s 0-of-5 shooting as a reason why he failed to seize his opportunity in the starting lineup. And while the lack of scoring certainly didn’t do Nesmith any favors, his showing on defense will undoubtedly have seen his stock rise with Ime Udoka and the coaching staff. “We all know that given time and opportunity, Nesmith will begin hitting his shots. He showed as much last season when he broke into the rotation under Brad Stevens. It takes time for players to find their rhythm, especially within a new system, and figure out where their shots will come from.”"
If the Nuggets are able to buy-low on Nesmith, he might be able to find easier scoring opportunities next to Nikola Jokic while also slotting in as the lead wing defender for a team that needs it in a bad way.
Would the Celtics be happy parting ways with the prospect for a future first-round pick (likely in the 20s given Denver’s position) or one of Denver’s young players?