Although Andre Iguodala, Corey Brewer, and Timofey Mozgov are among the players the Nuggets could lose via free agency this summer, Denver isn't necessarily interested in adding a first-round prospect to shore up its rotation. According to Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports (via Twitter), the Nuggets are happy with their young core and have made the No. 27 pick available. The team is interested in either landing a future first-rounder or moving back into the second round, says Wojnarowski.
With over $52MM in guaranteed salaries on their books for 2013/14, the Nuggets will be approaching tax territory if they're able to re-sign Iguodala and bring back Brewer and/or Mozgov, or add an outside free agent. Shedding the guaranteed salary that 27th overall pick would earn (likely $1.08MM) in favor of a non-guaranted contract for a second-rounder could give the club just a little more wiggle room.
One potential trade partner for the Nuggets could be the Cavs, who have been linked to a number of teams already this offseason. Joe Kotoch of SheridanHoops.com reported recently that Cleveland would have interest in packaging their two second-round picks (31st and 33rd) for a late first-rounder, if the team sees a player they like slipping.
This isn't the first indication we've had that the Nuggets are open to moving their first-round pick in this week's draft. The team reportedly offered the pick to the Celtics in an effort to land Doc Rivers, but Rivers was uninterested in coaching in Denver.
I think it would be a good idea for the nuggets to trade their 27th pick for the Cavs’ 31st and 33rd pick.
Agreed, Ricardo. If the Cavs would prefer sending two 2nd-rd picks for Pierce, and the latest rumor is Denver is shopping their 1st for a 2nd (with Cleveland interested), why couldn’t a swap of Cleveland’s two 2nd-rd picks for Denver’s 1st be parlayed into landing Pierce?