As the hours tick away and the NBA trade deadline grows nearer, rumors and reports continue to circulate around every corner of the league. Blockbuster trades are happening left and right, big dominoes are falling, and this has already been the wildest trade deadline we’ve ever seen with Luka Doncic, Anthony Davis, De’Aaron Fox, Jimmy Butler, Zach LaVine, and many others changing teams.
Beyond the stars, there have been a number of key role players changing teams and going to hopeful contenders to improve their depth and margins. That’s exactly the position the Nuggets are in, but they’re so far lacking the assets to get a deal done.
We’ve seen the team swing and miss at guys that could have been very helpful and were dealt for relatively low prices like Dorian Finney-Smith, Nick Richards, and Jonas Valanciunas. All of those players went for multiple second-round picks - something Denver doesn’t have.
But the Nuggets still badly need an upgrade to the roster, especially with recent injuries to Peyton Watson and Russell Westbrook. They may have to set their sights even lower or hope that with every trade that gets done, the market dries up, the deadline gets closer, and teams will soften up on their price tags.
Nuggets interested in trading for Cody Martin and Guerschon Yabusele
Two players that would be great fits in Denver and are on the Nuggets' wishlist according to Michael Scotto of Hoops Hype, are Cody Martin of the Hornets and Guerschon Yabusele of the 76ers. Both teams are heading nowhere this year and those players have no future with their current teams; they’d be best suited to trade them now for whatever assets they can get back.
Martin, the twin brother of Caleb Martin, is a good wing defender who can shoot threes and has played point guard and run an NBA offense at times. He’d be a very solid veteran bench player who could thrive in a limited offensive role alongside Nikola Jokic and would immediately bolster the team’s dismal perimeter defense.
He’s making $8.12 million this season and his salary for next season is non-guaranteed. The Nuggets have very little to offer the Hornets here other than a future-protected pick swap and Zeke Nnaji. Hopefully, they are high on the young big man who has been out of the Nuggets rotation until the last few games where he’s looked solid.
It’s not much, but perhaps the Hornets would be happy to take the player who’s six years younger and see if Nnaji can blossom with a little more freedom and a bigger role. It’s not the craziest thing that’s ever happened and Martin would make a big difference in Denver.
Yabusele is another story. He has been great for a disappointing 76ers team this season that has finally embraced its fate as a seller. Yabu is on a one-year, minimum contract so Philly will lose him for nothing if they don’t deal him at the deadline.
He has been exceptional as a massive stretch big man who can play power forward or center. He has been great on both ends, inside and outside. He can bang under the basket with anyone but moves surprisingly well for a guy who’s built like a tank.
He has a smooth stroke from three and even has an impressive above-the-rim game. Yabu has been an awesome story, making his return to the NBA this year and he’d be a dream come true coming off the Nuggets’ bench.
But the sad reality is that if Philly does decide to pull the trigger on a Yabusele deal, they’ll likely just sell to the highest bidder, and that almost certainly won’t be the Nuggets. They shouldn’t put their lone remaining first-round pick on the table for a bench rental and they have no seconds to spare.
I can’t imagine a package like Jalen Pickett and pick swaps is going to make this happen, but it’s certainly worth a call. The Nuggets need to do something and this would be an insane coup for Calvin Booth and company.