When December 15th hits, almost every player in the NBA will be eligible to be traded, including players signed in the offseason. For the Nuggets, that means Bruce Brown and Tim Hardaway Jr. will become eligible on the 15th, and Denver can include them in any deal between then and the trade deadline, should they choose to do so.
Of course, most of the rest of the players on the roster have been trade eligible, and that will continue to be the case. Christian Braun was extended, so he won’t be dealt, and nobody is expecting the Nuggets to move any of their Big 3 of Nikola Jokic, Jamal Murray, and Aaron Gordon. But anything else feels like fair game.
Denver’s roster isn’t perfect, but it’s much improved, and the depth may be better than ever. They could certainly use an upgrade at backup point guard, but beyond the starters, they don’t have many big, tradable contracts, and almost every player with potential trade value is contributing to this year’s team.
Brown and Hardaway Jr. extremely unlikely to be traded
While they’re about to become trade-eligible, I wouldn’t expect any deal for Brown or Hardaway Jr. Both players were targeted specifically and sought out in free agency. They came in on minimum deals and have made an instant impact, helping to drastically improve the Nuggets’ bench unit.
Brown had a great stint in Denver his first time around, helping the team win a title before leaving for a monster deal in free agency. But he has toiled around the league, seemingly biding his time before being able to return to the Nuggets in a long-anticipated homecoming.
Both sides seem thrilled with the reunion, and Brown is a fan-favorite who fits in perfectly with almost any lineup. It’s almost impossible to imagine him getting traded, especially being on such a cheap deal and being a proven playoff commodity.
The vibes aren’t quite as strong with THJ, but he similarly came in for a specific reason, to boost the shooting, and has been a godsend. He’s also on a minimum deal and has more value to the Nuggets than any other team. His scoring punch off the bench has already made an impact, and he may end up being the best three-point shooter on the team.
Ultimately, if things start to go south, the Nuggets may need to shake things up. And if the perfect player, or a no-brainer star, becomes available, the Nuggets may do something drastic. But unless something falls into their laps, the Nuggets are in good shape right now, and they’re more likely than not to keep things steady and consistent for as long as possible.