NBA trade rumors continue to heat up and as the clock strikes midnight on Saturday, almost every player in the league will be eligible to be traded, including free agents who signed in the offseason. The most smoke seems to be rising around the names Jimmy Butler and Brandon Ingram.
But the Denver Nuggets keep lurking right on the periphery, continually being mentioned as suitors in possible talks. On the one hand, this makes sense as the Nuggets have the best player in the world, Nikola Jokic, surrounded by a supporting cast that has been disappointing, to say the least; the team certainly should want to make a move.
On the other hand, most of the Nuggets’ salary is tied up in four key players - two that can’t be dealt (Jamal Murray and Aaron Gordon recently signed extensions and can’t be moved this season) and one is Nikola Jokic. Outside of that, the team doesn’t have many appealing assets or matching salaries; any meaningful trade will be extremely difficult to pull off.
Marc Stein and Jake Fischer: Nuggets determined to make changes to roster
On Saturday, Marc Stein and Jake Fischer reported that they “continue to hear that Denver is determined to make changes to a roster that has provided little support for a better-than-ever Nikola Jokić.”
But then Stein and Fischer stumbled down the same path we’ve been over so many times; the only possible trade chip with any value is Michael Porter Jr. MPJ makes about $36 million this year and over $40 million next year. He has been the Nuggets’ second-best offensive (and maybe overall) player this season and their most reliable and consistent outside of the Joker.
He’s also still just 26 years old, the youngest of any of Denver’s core four players. Stein and Fischer also mention how Ingram is a player similar in age, contract, and position to MPJ, except better. The market for Ingram has been virtually nonexistent which doesn’t exactly bode well for Porter’s trade value around the league.
Major trade for Nuggets still unlikely
Porter Jr. is far from the Nuggets’ biggest worries this year. It sounds like it won’t be easy to find a clear upgrade for MPJ in this economy, so why bother? Moving a player who may not have hit his prime yet, has an elite combo of size and shooting, has a great rapport with Jokic, and is available very night should only be considered if the trade is a no-brainer.
As of now, it doesn’t sound like that trade exists. After the top four, the Nuggets’ next highest salary is just $8.8 million for Zeke Nnaji who currently has negative trade value. Everyone seems to agree that the Nuggets need to make a move and upgrade the roster, but finding a trade to accomplish that goal is not going to be easy.