The Denver Nuggets need help in the paint, athleticism, and youth. The Cleveland Cavaliers just fell apart and were swept by the New York Knicks in four games, potentially setting them up to make some changes in the offseason. Those changes could involve shopping Evan Mobley, and the Nuggets need to take a home-run swing and see what a trade for the former Defensive Player of the Year would require if the Cavs did shop him around.
ESPN's Brian Windhorst thinks the Cavs should "seriously consider if they want to make Evan Mobley available." Nothing more concrete than that. However, Mobley has also been linked to trade speculation involving Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Milwaukee Bucks.
The Nuggets have to make a move on Mobley if they can
If Mobley truly lands on the market, the Nuggets have got to see if they can bring Mobley in. He could be a perfect swap for Jamal Murray from a salary standpoint next season, as they're both set to make the same amount on their max deals.
Mobley is a home run for the Nuggets in the paint. The former Defensive Player of the Year is a rim protector, averaging 1.6 blocks per game for his career. He's quick to help out, and he'd handle the tough defensive assignments as he did on Karl-Anthony Towns against the Knicks. Mobley kept Towns to under 20 points in each of the Knicks four wins, limiting him to just 13 points in two of the games. It was James Harden, who couldn't get a stop on defense, who did the Cavs in.
One of the biggest issues the Nuggets had in their first-round playoff exit against the Minnesota Timberwolves was their struggles in the paint. The athleticism to help out was missing. Mobley solves both of those, and at 25, under contract for four more years, he would give the Nuggets future flexibility and help against the San Antonio Spurs and Oklahoma City Thunder.
What about the Nuggets offense?
Mobley is exactly what the Nuggets need defensively. But what happens to their offense without Jamal Murray if that were to happen? How does Mobley play on offense?
Mobley obviously isn't Nikola Jokic or Murray, but the Nuggets don't need Mobley for that. He's a fine low-post player who shoots around 55% from the floor and can hit a three. Mobley averaged 18.2 points and 9.0 rebounds for the Cavs this season. He can help stretch opposing defenses, and the Nuggets can still be the Nuggets, shooting from the perimeter with Jokic facilitating.
The Nuggets would need a point guard, but some of the mock drafts have been pointing the Nuggets in that direction for their first-round pick in this year's draft.
It would create a new-look Nuggets, one with a more balanced look than offense, offense, offense. They'll need to make changes to get closer to the Spurs and Thunder, and a Mobley-for-Murray swap would do just that.
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