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The Denver Nuggets fell short of advancing to the Western Conference Finals. The Nuggets lost to the Oklahoma City Thunder in Game 7 of their second-round matchup. Injuries hobbled the team as Michael Porter Jr. and Aaron Gordon played through serious injuries. Still, it was far from the prettiest season for Denver despite the greatness of Nikola Jokic.
The 2023 NBA champions struggled late in the regular season, and it led to the Nuggets firing head coach Michael Malone with just three games left before the postseason started. The Nuggets also sent general manager Calvin Booth packing, so some expect big changes to be made to the roster this offseason.
The problem is that the Nuggets don't have a lot of trading power right now because of their financial state as a team, as they are nearly over the second apron and because of their lack of draft capital going forward.
Even so, it is fun to dream, and Giannis Antetokounmpo would be the perfect fit alongside Jokic. Giannis is open to a trade away from the Milwaukee Bucks, so what can the Nuggets offer in a trade?
Nuggets trade proposal for Giannis Antetokounmpo
Nuggets receive: Giannis Antetokounmpo
Bucks receive: Michael Porter Jr., Peyton Watson, Hunter Tyson, DaRon Holmes, Zeke Nnaji, 2031 first-round pick, 2026 first-round swap option, 2028 first-round swap option, 2030 first-round swap option
With Antetokounmpo's itch to contend for a championship and Porter's postseason struggles, both players will frequently appear in trade rumors throughout the offseason.
Jokic does everything for the Nuggets, but if he has a flaw of any sorts, it is his defense. While Jokic has sneaky quick hands and gets a lot of deflections and steals, he is far from an elite rim protector, so teams often try to attack him and get him into foul trouble.
Antetokounmpo just so happens to have a Defensive Player of the Year award to his name. The Greek Freak is incredibly strong and unbelievably athletic. He can guard both inside and outside, and when paired up with Jokic and Gordon, the Nuggets would be arguably the strongest and most physical team in the league.
Antetokounmpo is also a dream fit on offense alongside the three-time MVP who is in the running to win the league's most prestigious award for a fourth time this year. Jokic is the best passing big man of all time, so he thrives having players who can finish at the rim off of his dimes around him.
Antetokounmpo would work wonders as a lob threat who could play out of the dunker spot. He'd also take some of the creation pressure off of Jokic and Jamal Murray, as Antetokounmpo can get downhill with the ball in his hand and penetrate defenses.
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Russell Westbrook has that skill set as well. Between Westbrook, Jokic, and Antetokounmpo, the Nuggets would have players totaling six and maybe even seven MVPs on their roster, assuming Westbrook picks up his player option.
By swapping out Porter for Antetokounmpo, the Nuggets would immediately become the biggest threats in the NBA. While Antetokounmpo isn't much of a shooter, that would be less worrisome in Denver now that Gordon has improved so drastically with his jumper.
Is a Giannis Antetokounmpo trade to the Nuggets realistic?
The Nuggets would obviously trade for Antetokounmpo in a heartbeat if they could, especially in a deal where they don't give up any of Jokic, Murray, Braun, or Gordon.
However, they should be cautious about sacrificing even more depth, considering their thin rotation was a big reason for their late-season collapse and postseason demise. That factor, combined with Denver's limited supply of assets, means that the Nuggets aren't a realistic Antetokounmpo suitor.
Porter is an intriguing trade asset, though, and it was just his shoulder injury that limited him to single-digit scoring averages in the postseason.
Historically, Porter is one of the most efficient shooters in the NBA. He is a career 40.6% shooter from deep, and defenders can't contest his shot because he stands at 6-feet-10. Porter is overpaid, though, and the Nuggets don't have many other assets to include in a trade.
Peyton Watson plays great defense, and DaRon Holmes was a first-round pick last year who missed his rookie season, so both of them are intriguing pieces. Antetokounmpo is one of the best players in the NBA, though, so the Nuggets' package wouldn't be nearly enough.
Antetokounmpo is arguably the best player in Bucks history, and they might do right by him and trade him to a spot where he wants to be at because of how much he has done for the franchise. The power forward recently posted on X that his first-ever NBA jersey was a Carmelo Anthony Nuggets jersey. That likely doesn't mean anything, but it was enough to get Nuggets fans excited.
The Greek Freak has at least some level of compassion for the Nuggets, even if it is very small. Unfortunately for Denver fans, other teams, such as the Houston Rockets and San Antonio Spurs, can simply outbid the Nuggets for Antetokounmpo's services if the Bucks do decide to move him.
