The defending champion Denver Nuggets find themselves in a tight race in the upper echelon of the Western Conference standings. As it stands, the Nuggets are in a triple-tie for first with the Oklahoma City Thunder and the Minnesota Timberwolves with a 35-16 record, while the Los Angeles Clippers are just behind them at 34-16.
With the best player in the world Nikola Jokic leading a championship-caliber core of Jamal Murray, Michael Porter Jr., Aaron Gordon, and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, the Nuggets should remain favorites to come out of the West and potentially repeat as NBA champions. However, as they are seeing now, the road to repeat is going to be tough. And roster-wise, the Nuggets may be a bit thin after their starting five.
Losing Bruce Brown and Jeff Green in the offseason was huge and Denver has so far relied on its young guys to fill in the shoes of those two veterans. With that, the Nuggets are focusing on the trade deadline to address their lack of depth ahead of their title defense in a couple of months.
The Nuggets have so far been quiet with just a few remaining before the NBA trade deadline. But anything could go down anytime soon. Let's lay out the dream scenario for the Nuggets at the 2024 NBA trade deadline.
Nuggets get a backup center
It's no secret that the Denver Nuggets are miles better with Nikola Jokic on the floor. Advanced stats don't need to be laid out to suggest that claim. But if we insist, Denver has an efficiency differential of +10.7 when Jokic is on the floor, which is +21.0 points better than when he sits down.
So far, the Nuggets have relied on Deandre Jordan and Zeke Nnaji as their backup center. Jordan is far from his days as an All-Star, and has only appeared in 26 games while logging nearly 12 minutes a night. Meanwhile, Nnaji functions more as a small-ball big, and hasn't really made the leap. He is seeing less than 10 minutes a night in his 37 appearances so far.
One player the Nuggets can target is Charlotte Hornets big man Nick Richards. Richards, 26, is earning just $5 million, which makes him an attainable piece for the defending NBA champs. On the season, the 7-footer is averaging 9.3 points and 7.9 rebounds while shooting 67.7 percent from the field. Nick Richards would give Denver an athletic big man who can finish around the rim and be a lob threat. If they manage to get him, he'll be a more than serviceable backup to Jokic.
Moreover, Denver could also target Daniel Theis from the Los Angeles Clippers. They could ideally look to trade for Mason Plumlee, but the Clippers would probably look to keep him as their backup instead. Theis may get lost in the shuffle, now that he and Ivica Zubac are both healthy. As such, the Nuggets could get Theis, who is a serviceable big man who can finish around the rim and provide some floor spacing as well.
Regardless, the Nuggets still have time to work a deal to add more depth to their lineup. But if they can't, there is another way they can make upgrades.
Buyout candidates emerge as a result of trades
If the Nuggets can't make significant improvements via the trade market, they will likely look towards the buyout market to make improvements to their roster. In every NBA trade deadline, it seems like there are veterans who get lost amidst the madness and land in situations where they don't get utilized.
The Nuggets will have to hope that when the dust settles at 3PM ET, there are some viable buyout candidates that they can target to beef up their bench and provide just enough secondary support for their formidable starting five.
Kyle Lowry could emerge as one of the top players in the buyout market should the Hornets fail to find a trade destination for him. He could be another solid backup PG who can provide veteran leadership and hustle in the backcourt.
PJ Tucker has long been asking for a trade out of the Clippers since he lost his spot in Tyronn Lue's rotation. If the Clippers are unable to trade him, he will likely enter the buyout market.
Tucker makes sense as a target for the Nuggets since he could essentially fill in that Bruce Brown role they've been trying to fill. The NBA champion is obviously much older and less athletic, but he can still provide hustle, tenacity, and energy on the defensive end. Likewise, he can also space the floor with his outside shooting.
The Nuggets will obviously have a ton of competition for these buyout players. But being the defending champs gives them an advantage for veterans seeking an opportunity to win championship.
Follow Us
Subscribe