13 People who turned their backs on the Denver Nuggets

1. Andre Iguodala

Who else would top this list? Iguodala arrived in Denver as part of the massive Dwight Howard trade to the Lakers in 2012. The Nuggets shipped out Arron Afflalo, Al Harrington, and two draft picks to land the All-Star wing. Iggy made an impact on both ends of the floor and had one of the most versatile skill sets in the league. Denver needed a boost after three straight first-round playoff exits, so they went out and acquired one.

The Nuggets had the third-best record in the Western Conference and their 57 wins are the third-most in franchise history. Iggy was the perfect role player, and Denver hoped to re-sign him when he became a free agent in the offseason. The Nuggets were upset by the young Warriors in the first round of the playoffs.

Iguodala turned his back on Denver and went to Golden State in the 2013 offseason. It was a league-altering move. The Nuggets believed they could build something special with Iggy, but had to watch the Warriors dynasty take off. The 6’6 wing won four championships in the Bay Area as Denver had a five-year playoff drought until Nikola Jokic arrived in town.

The Denver Nuggets hope to build the next dynasty, but they must maximize their talent to make that a reality. That means avoiding having anyone turn their back on the franchise.