Nuggets' dream trade target scooped up by conference rival in mini blockbuster trade

It’s no secret that the Nuggets need to find some creative ways to bolster their roster this offseason. The goal, of course, is getting back to and winning another NBA title but that will be easier said than done. The stacked Western Conference is getting better and better, while the Nuggets roster is getting more and more expensive and harder to keep together.

Beyond worrying about retaining their own players - Kentavious Caldwell-Pope being the most pressing concern - Denver needs to find ways to improve, especially with their bench depth. Financial restrictions will make this goal very difficult and whether they retain KCP or not they’ll be limited to offering minimum contracts, small exceptions, late-round draft picks, and the trade market.

One player who has been in trade rumors for years and would have been an amazing fit on the Nuggets for a (somewhat) reasonable price was Alex Caruso. Caruso has spent the past three seasons with the Bulls where he has become one of the very best defensive players in the entire league. He’s been highly coveted by contenders as a “missing piece” as he makes under $10 million per season.

Alex Caruso traded to the Thunder for Josh Giddey

But that dream is officially dead for the Nuggets as Caruso was finally traded on Friday. To make matters worse, he was traded to the only team that finished ahead of Denver in the Western Conference standings this season, the Oklahoma City Thunder.

The Thunder swooped in and acquired Caruso in exchange for much-maligned Australian guard/forward Josh Giddey. Giddey has been on the outs in OKC, but he still has untapped potential that could be useful on a team like the Bulls. He needs to start and play with the ball as much as possible, something that wasn’t going to be possible with the Thunder.

But now, without even surrendering a draft pick, the Thunder have added one of the best defenders in the league to a team that just won 57 games and gained the top seed in the West. They are still flush with assets as well and they likely have another trick or two up their sleeve this offseason.

Could the Nuggets have beaten this offer?

Realistically, there’s not much the Nuggets could have done here, and adding Caruso (or any player of that caliber) was always little more than a pipedream. But it’s still painful seeing one of the team’s main competitors adding such a good player for that price. 

It’s just a reminder of how hard winning and sustaining success in the NBA can be. A month ago we were talking about a potential dynasty in Denver and now we are watching rivals improve while the Nuggets wait to see how things play out for them.