The Denver Nuggets may have just won the 2023 NBA Finals, but that doesn't mean they are done working. After pulling off a trade with the Oklahoma City Thunder midway through their Finals series against the Miami Heat, the Nuggets are back at it again, this time sending the least favorable of their 2024 first-round draft picks and the 40th overall pick of the 2023 NBA Draft to the Indiana Pacers in exchange for the 29th and 32nd picks in the 2023 draft.
The Nuggets are trading the least favorable of its 2024 first-round picks in deal to move into the first-round and early second in Thursday's NBA Draft, per sources. https://t.co/fV40LZCrgk
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) June 21, 2023
The Nuggets have been busy shuffling their picks around ahead of the draft, and have made a move to get themselves into the first-round of the draft after previously not having had a first-round selection this year. This shouldn't be a major surprise, especially after Bruce Brown declined his player option earlier on Wednesday, signifying that he intends to test free agency and could leave Denver after just one season.
Article Continues BelowThe Pacers have four picks on Thursday night: Nos. 7, 26, 40 and 55. They're remaining active in talks elsewhere.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) June 21, 2023
This is a big move for the Nuggets in particular, as they may be looking for impact players with both of these picks they have just added from Indiana. Denver recently brought in Trayce Jackson-Davis, Andre Jackson, Jordan Walsh, Kobe Brown, Drew Timme, and Tyree Appleby for workouts, meaning they are worth keeping an eye on as potential selections for the Nuggets at these spots.
For the Pacers, they still have two more picks in the first round of the draft, so picking up another first rounder next year is just a good bit of business. Adding three first-rounders was never a likely scenario for them, and they traded the worst of their first-round picks here, as they still own the seventh and 26th picks in the draft. This is a fairly interesting pre-draft trade, but chances are it won't be the last big move we see before the 2023 draft gets underway.