The Denver Nuggets need help on the wing and it’s looking like the team will be making some calls at this season’s trade deadline.
The Aaron Gordon trade paired Nikola Jokic with one of the better defensive forwards in the league, but he’s better off guarding the bigger scorers in the league and giving Michael Malone a consistent switching option.
When at full strength, the Nuggets will have a position to fill alongside Jamal Murray and Michael Porter Jr. and given the offensive firepower of those two players, it’d make sense to bring in a 3-and-D role player.
Unfortunately for Denver, elite 3-and-D role players go for a pretty penny. Tim Connelly will have to hunt for undervalued options that both fix his team’s needs as well as salary sheet. Since the team is paying Jokic, MPJ, and Murray their maxes, trying to squeeze in higher salary players becomes difficult.
Mike Singer, The Denver Post recently reported that the Denver Nuggets will be looking for a wing at the deadline and that they’re willing to move on from JaMychal Green’s salary:
"“The Denver Nuggets are actively looking for a wing to help replace [P.J.] Dozier and Porter, two league sources told The Denver Post. As of right now, they don’t have any traditional wings on the roster. Will Barton played the three last year, but he’s more a shooting guard. Aaron Gordon is a power forward moonlighting as a three in a bigger starting lineup. On the bench, there’s no one you could reasonably deem a ‘wing’.”"
Singer mentioned names like Terrence Ross and Eric Gordon, two veterans that have publicly been available for a long time. He adds that fans should keep an eye out for wings on non-contending teams like Portland, Indiana, Orlando, or Oklahoma City.
Let’s get into the list of players that could be targetted by the Denver Nuggets this trade deadline:
Denver Nuggets wing trade targets: Terrence Ross
Terrence Ross has had a very interesting career but since being traded to the Orlando Magic, has been part of two rebuilds and found little-to-no postseason success.
The wing is currently under contract for this season and next, due $12.5 million and $11.5 million this season and the next and is as serviceable as ever. This season, he’s averaging 12.8 points while shooting 31 percent from behind the arc and 42 percent from the floor.
Those aren’t incredible numbers, but they’re also coming as one of the lone veterans in a rebuilding Orlando team that doesn’t have elite playmaking or spacing.
When trading for Ross, a team would hope to get an earlier version of him in Orlando, one that takes and makes plenty of 3-pointers and can act as a catch-and-shoot specialist.
If you read my under-the-radar trade targets piece, you’ll know I’m a proponent of the ‘Jokic bump’, the idea that taking a player out of a bad situation and putting them next to the MVP will give them more open looks and thus an increase in shooting efficiency.
We’ve seen some players make a living while playing next to Jokic and career-highs across the board for Aaron Gordon this season is more proof of the bump. Ross would even be coming from the same team as AG.
Being under contract for a season after this one, Ross would help the Nuggets for the remainder of this season, adding spacing to a team that needs it badly but also sliding right in as the starting small forward both this season and next.
The above trade sends out enough salary to match Ross’ number (after the Bol Bol trade) and gives Orlando another first-round pick for their rebuild (it’s starting to look like Denver is just picking apart the Magic and funding their rebuild).
Since Ross is on the wrong side of 30, it’s unlikely there’s another team out there offering a premium first-round pick and since he’s not part of their young core, swapping an ageing player for salary and a pick that will likely be in the 20s isn’t a bad piece of business for the Magic.
But while in the market for a wing and this being the price, could Denver get a better player?
Denver Nuggets wing trade targets: Kentavious Caldwell-Pope
I might not be putting Kentavious Caldwell-Pope on this list 24 hours ago. He’s an ideal, low-usage 3-and-D wing and the Washington Wizards need what he brings.
During halftime of the Wizards’ win over OKC, KCP and Montrezl Harrell got into a physical altercation and the two needed to be separated according to Shams Charania, The Athletic.
"“Sources said Harrell became upset with Caldwell-Pope for not passing him the basketball on a play before the first half concluded, and the two started jawing during the walk to the locker room. As the two exchanged words, Harrell and Caldwell-Pope took swings toward each other — with neither connecting — and became entangled before teammates separated them, sources said.”"
One fight doesn’t warrant immediately trading a player. This is also one of the only reported fights between teammates, I’m sure there are plenty that go unmentioned across the league.
If the Wizards did want to move on from the wing, Caldwell-Pope would fit like a glove in Denver. His versatility lets him guard one through three and it was on full display in the 2020 bubble when he played for the LA Lakers.
KCP could play the wing for the remainder of this season while fitting in and around MPJ and Murray when they’re back to full strength. He could even act in the Klay Thompson role that he plays with Stephen Curry, guarding the more talented wing player, letting them hide Steph on the weaker option but for Jamal.
On top of his defensive impact, KCP is shooting 39 percent on 3-pointers while taking 5.5 a night. He isn’t asked to put the ball on the floor much with the creators around him like Spencer Dinwiddie, Bradley Beal, and Kyle Kuzma and it’s working.
In terms of asking price, Denver might have to bowl over Washington to convince them of a trade. Would the Nuggets be happy parting ways with Bones Hyland and possibly even a first-round pick to get KCP on their roster? Maybe, but if those two assets are on the table, could Denver dream bigger?
Denver Nuggets wing trade targets: Robert Covington
Robert Covington used to be the poster child for 3-and-D wings in the NBA but right now, he’s playing for a deteriorating Portland Trail Blazers team that could be sellers at this year’s trade deadline.
The 31-year-old is currently averaging just over seven points a night and shooting 35 percent from the 3-point line. He’s less of a point of attack defender and now used in Chauncey Billups system as a key help defender, helping off shooters, and getting his hands in passing lanes.
It’s because of the falling role that he’d be a great piece in the Denver Nuggets’ rotation. If a trade were to happen, Aaron Gordon would still be the main defender on the team but either in a switching system or just helping around Jokic, RoCo would add to Michael Malone’s defense.
I’ll say it again: the Jokic bump will help RoCo. At the moment, he’s playing without Damian Lillard and C.J. McCollum and his shot profile is harder than usual. Throw him in Denver, especially at full strength, and he’ll likely be the fifth option on offense, a much easier role.
His $12.9 million deal expires this season so Denver would have to re-sign him in the upcoming offseason but it doesn’t look like he’ll be signing a similar deal given his decline so the Nuggets could afford an extension.
Trading away two key players in Denver’s frontcourt rotation hurts in the regular season but RoCo can play either big position in small lineups and when the playoffs come, Jokic will be playing 40-plus minutes anyway so there’s less need for depth.