The Nuggets had grand plans in the offseason to rebuild the roster, emphasizing functional depth and a bench that can hold its own, especially when Nikola Jokic has to rest. They made a lot of big moves and brought in a lot of new players, but it wasn’t perfect. The idea was to see what the team looked like for a few months, then address any needs ahead of the trade deadline.
Unfortunately, those plans have been complicated by injuries. Things were going great for a few weeks, but then players quickly started dropping like flies. First, it was Christian Braun who went down for at least a month, then a few days later, it was Aaron Gordon. Peyton Watson is the latest Nugget to go down, and suddenly, the team is extremely shorthanded.
They’ve been making it work and patching things together, but with three key rotation players missing, it’s hard to get a hold on what the rotation might look like fully healthy. And the issue for Denver is that they may not have time to find out.
Things are taking shape quickly, and somehow, we’re just about six weeks away from the NBA trade deadline. There are going to be some very difficult decisions to be made, and the front office may not have as much information as they’d like.
Nuggets must decide how to approach trade deadline
This Nuggets team is in win-now mode for the foreseeable future. They’re squarely in the heart of their championship window, and there is no time to spare with Jokic on the verge of turning 31 and Jamal Murray and Gordon not far behind.
Some young, up-and-coming teams can afford to wait on the Thunder for a few years, but the Nuggets are not one. They need to strike while the iron’s hot, and that means maximizing the roster right now.
They still have an open roster spot, and they’re under the luxury tax, but they only have about $400K of wiggle room, and that last spot should go to two-way ace Spencer Jones. If there’s a clear need on the roster, it’s a backup point guard, and ideally another shooter.
But without seeing the whole picture, it’s hard to tell just how great those needs are, and which ones should be prioritized. With any luck, all three injured players will be able to return shortly after Christmas, and the front office will at least get a few weeks to look at the finished product before making any decisions, but that’s far from a guarantee.