The Denver Nuggets' draft future is bleak. Calvin Booth went on the offensive and traded draft capital away for what didn't amount to much, except for perhaps Peyton Watson. But that trade set off a domino effect of first-round picks with conditions that leave the Nuggets without a tradable first-round pick outside of the one they'll have in the draft in a few weeks, and in a class of their own they don't want to be in.
ESPN's Bobby Marks laid out the future draft assets for all 30 teams, and the Nuggets were in the basement, at the bottom of the list in their own class. No other team is alongside them on his list. 30th of 30th.
On top of not having many picks, only four future firsts and two future seconds, the Nuggets don't have a tradeable first-round pick. It seems impossible, but it's not.
That's because Booth made sure to give the Oklahoma City Thunder the 2027 and 2029 first-round picks, with language that could allow the pick to roll over to the following season, thereby taking control of the pick away from the Nuggets. And now the Nuggets are left paying the price while Booth is long gone.
The Nuggets could still acquire assets via trade
Most teams want some sort of draft asset in trades these days, especially when they're giving up a big name, like the Milwaukee Bucks might do with Giannis Antetokounmpo this summer. The rumor is that they want future first-round picks in the deal. That immediately takes the Nuggets out of the running unless they involve another team for those assets.
The trade machines have been in full swing, and one of the things they're building is some future draft assets for the Nuggets. One speculative trade sent Jamal Murray to the Portland Trail Blazers and added two future first-round picks as part of the package in return. It's exactly the kind of trade the Nuggets need to pull off if they trade Murray or Aaron Gordon.
The Nuggets' most talented young player, Watson, may even escape in free agency if the Nuggets aren't able to match the offer he receives. It would add extra sting if Watson did get swooped up by someone else, because it would make it official that Booth traded up, added the future picks, and was left with nothing to show for it only four short years later.
It all boils down to the Nuggets being left with no other option but to trade for a retool. Wheel and deal for upgrades and add future draft assets where they can, because the draft future is pretty bleak.
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