The NBA season is less than a month away, and training camps are here to determine the final roster battles. That means some teams still have time to make moves that can turn them into real contenders. The Denver Nuggets are one of those teams that might still need some pieces to finally make it to the NBA Finals.
In 2021-22, Despite having back-to-back NBA MVP Nikola Jokić, the Nuggets were not a match for the eventual champions Golden State Warriors. Denver lost 4-1 in the first round. After a couple of moves, the team returns with hopes of a better postseason campaign. They also are hopeful to get Michael Porter Jr. and Jamal Murray back this season. This might mean some players could be on the move.
With that being said, here are two potential trade candidates for the Nuggets entering the 2022-23 NBA training camp.
Ish Smith
A journeyman in the NBA, Ish Smith will break the record of most teams played for a single player with 13 if he appears at least once for Denver. However, this indicates that Smith has been an expendable piece for most of his career.
With 12 seasons in the NBA under his belt, the guard averages 7.6 points on 43-33-68 shooting splits. He also adds 3.9 assists and 2.5 rebounds a night. For his career, he has been mostly a playmaker and defender off the bench.
The main thing is that in the deal involving Smith, Denver traded away Monté Morris and Will Barton. Both are known for their scoring abilities, which is perhaps Smith's weakest feature. Although they got back Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, they lost a big part of their scoring backcourt in Morris.
Because of that, if the Nuggets want more scoring off their bench, they might consider moving away from Smith. He is on an expiring deal worth just $4.73 million, so it would not be a big problem to include in a trade. He most certainly won't be the centerpiece, but his salary can be used to match whatever Denver is getting back.
Aaron Gordon
After being traded by the Orlando Magic, Aaron Gordon seems to be finally finding his place in the league. He has started in every game he played for the Nuggets. His best season was 2021-22, where he averaged 15.0 points and 5.9 rebounds. He also shot career-bests in field goals (52.0%) and free throws (74.3%).
Gordon is also now a reliable piece on Denver's defensive scheme. He is able to guard multiple positions, which could be useful if the Nuggets play small ball whenever Jokić is resting.
The problem is that, if the team decides to pull out a massive trade and acquire another All-star or at least starting caliber player, Gordon is very likely to be involved. After Jokić, Murray and Porter Jr., the power forward had the fourth-highest salary on the team. The trio is likely part of the Nuggets' future, so Gordon would probably be the big salary player in the trade.
Making almost $20 million, his salary is similar to what OG Anunoby makes in Toronto. The Raptor forward has been involved in trade rumors for the past year, and every time Toronto is in the mix, his name comes up.
All things considered, Gordon is the best “available piece” the Nuggets have. He is young and can produce very well on the court. However, if Denver really wants an upgrade, it is difficult to leave him out of the deal. So, his age, contract and the franchise's immediate goals make Gordon a potential trade candidate in Denver.
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