With the NBA trade deadline less than 24 hours away, the clock is ticking on the Denver Nuggets to make a season-altering move.

The Nuggets are at 26-18 and currently sit in fifth place in the Western Conference. With that said, they could really use reinforcements to leap the standings.

After reaching the 2020 West Finals, the Nuggets entered the season with title aspirations. Their roster, however, is not championship-caliber as currently constructed. Even with superstar center Nikola Jokic emerging as a premier MVP candidate, Denver must retool at the deadline to make another deep playoff run.

With that in mind, let’s examine the Nuggets’ single biggest need ahead of the 2021 NBA trade deadline.

Biggest need: Strengthening starting shooting guard

While the Nuggets would be wise to augment their frontcourt depth, their most glaring need comes at the shooting guard slot. The often-injured Gary Harris, who was once considered a cornerstone piece of the franchise, has struggled in 2020-21. In fact, his play has descended for the past few seasons despite his 3-and-D reputation.

The 2014 first-round pick is averaging 9.7 points, 2.5 rebounds and 1.7 assists in 19 games—which would represent his worst figures since his rookie campaign. Harris has missed 24 contests this season due to a variety of ailments, including a right hip injury, hamstring tightness and a right adductor strain. The Nuggets are reportedly open to dealing the 26-year-old:

Harris is signed through the 2021-22 season, the final year of the four-year, $84 million pact he signed with the Nuggets back in 2018. His high salary could be utilized in a trade to make a deal financially possible.

Solution: Trade for Victor Oladipo

With the Nuggets looking to maximize the window of Nikola Jokic and point guard Jamal Murray, they may be willing to roll the dice on two-time All-Star Victor Oladipo, who is a free agent at season’s end. The Houston Rockets guard was traded from the Indiana Pacers in January.

In 29 games combined with the Pacers and Rockets, Oladipo has registered per-game clips of 20.8 points, 5.0 rebounds and 4.7 assists. Also, Oladipo may have already played his final game with the Rockets:

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Acquiring Oladipo entails an obvious risk. The 28-year-old could walk in free agency this summer, making him a potential rental player for any team that lands him via trade. The Rockets will likely demand at least one first-round pick in exchange for Oladipo, in addition to a quality player. However, Houston does not hold the typical leverage a club usually carries when offering a star player in trade discussions, as it’s abundantly clear Oladipo has no plans to re-sign with the rebuilding club.

Enter the Nuggets, who can capitalize on the Rockets’ eagerness to move Oladipo. Denver could package Gary Harris, rookie guard RJ Hampton and a future first-round pick to snatch Oladipo. While Dipo could leave town after a mere few months in Denver, the franchise will likely try to sell the guard on the long-term outlook of the team.

Oladipo’s arrival could reinsert the Nuggets back into title conversation. At the very least, it puts them back on the map to return to the West Finals—something that seems unlikely if their roster remains status quo. The West appears wide open, something the Denver front office should recognize when debating pulling the trigger on an Oladipo deal.

A trio of Jokic, Murray and Oladipo is a tantalizing proposition the Nuggets could make a reality if they play their cards right before Thursday’s 3 p.m. trade deadline.