3 Nuggets at risk of being traded this offseason

For the most part, things have been hunky-dory for the Denver Nuggets this season. The team is in the thick of the hunt for the number one seed in the Western Conference after winning their first NBA title last June.

The starting unit has been humming, and the bench players are slowly coming along, showing promise for the future while being able to contribute when needed. It’s hard to imagine major changes being made to this roster any time soon.

But the reality of the NBA is that great responsibilities truly do go along with great expectations. Like it or not, after winning the title last year and following the lead of the best player alive, Nikola Jokic, the Nuggets are now expected to win the championship.

And if they don’t live up to those absurdly high expectations, there will likely be changes on some level. And the more disappointingly the season ends may well have some impact on the level of change.

Sure, if the Nuggets vow out valiantly to the Celtics in Game 7 of the finals in Boston, I don’t think Calvin Booth and company are going to completely overhaul the roster. But if things should go awry in the first round or two of the playoffs, and a potential flaw is exposed, some reflection may be needed.

That could lead to difficult and uncomfortable, but necessary changes, and specifically trades, being made in the offseason. The other uncomfortable truth is that even if the team should perform to their best and win another title, the roster is going to get too expensive at some point.

Kentavious Caldwell-Pope could easily opt out of his player option and become a free agent at the end of the season. Jamal Murray has one year left on his contract and Aaron Gordon can opt out after next season as well.

Those guys are all going to get paid handsomely, and hopefully by Denver. That means that sooner or later there are going to be casualties on this roster. Here’s a look at three players that could be traded this summer depending on how the season ends.