The Nuggets are actively exploring the trade market in search of possible roster upgrades, two sources tell Mike Singer of The Denver Post. According to Singer, Denver is focused on potentially adding another wing and/or a backup center.
Few – if any – teams have been hit harder this season by the injury bug than the Nuggets, who are missing two of their top scorers due to long-term ailments — Jamal Murray is recovering from an ACL tear, while Michael Porter Jr. is expected to miss the rest of the season due to a back problem. Swingman PJ Dozier, guard Markus Howard, and forward Vlatko Cancar are also on the shelf, with Dozier considered likely to miss the rest of the season.
Given that they don’t expect Porter or Dozier back this season, the Nuggets are making it a priority to add another wing, according to Singer, who notes that Will Barton is one of the only real options on the roster at that position. The team has also liked what it’s seen from hardship addition Davon Reed and has interest in retaining him beyond his current 10-day contract, Singer adds.
As for the center spot, Singer observes that the Nuggets traded Isaiah Hartenstein last season and then let JaVale McGee walk in free agency over the summer. Now, with Hartenstein and McGee playing well for other teams in the West (the Clippers and Suns, respectively), Denver is on the lookout for a backup center to match up with opponents who play bigger lineups.
Nikola Jokic is the only true center on Denver’s roster. Most of the players who handle the backup minutes at the five, including JaMychal Green, Jeff Green, Zeke Nnaji, and Bol Bol, are forwards.
The Nuggets have already traded away a pair of future first-round picks and three second-rounders, so they may prefer to offer young players like Nnaji and Bol in trade talks. Their ability to make any meaningful upgrades will be limited, but I wouldn’t expect them to make a major swing at the deadline anyway, since they won’t have Porter available for the postseason and don’t know what they’ll get from Murray — this probably isn’t the year to go all-in.
KPJr & Theis for BolBol & 2nd pick ?
How is Bol Bol not a center? He’s 17ft tall…
He also weighs 68 lbs
The man thinks he is a small forward. He sits in the corner on offense, and get this, last year in 32 games Bol had 0 offensive rebounds total. It’s clear he can’t play center full time on offense or defense (something he doesn’t care too much about).
Thomas Satoransky and Jaxson Hayes for JaMychal Green, Zeke Nnaji and Bol Bol.
Both Satoransky and Green aren’t really getting much minutes or playing much of a role on their respective teams.
Then your basically doing Zeke and Bol Bol for Hayes. 3 bigs which haven’t lived up to the hype so far. Hayes is more productive but Bol has way more potential.
Currently on the Pelicans roster only Zion is listed as a PF which Ingram, Jones and Hernagomez playing the 4 at times. Zions been out all year so adding Green would be a good, plus Bol can play the 4 and he has sky high potential still.
For the Nuggets Satoransky seems like a very easy fit with Jokic and Hayes would be a decent productive back up. You’d also open up an extra roster spot which is handy.
That is a good trade idea. Hayes and Bol Bol both need fresh starts!
If it wasn’t for Jokic, this team is a top 3 lottery one. He should win mvp again but Curry is hands down winner this year with GSW as top 2 team.
Wouldn’t go as far to say hands down but Curry for me is definitely leading the race.
Nurkic is available.
They are going after A backup big and a defensive defender because the nuggets front office didn’t do anything to address that this off-season . Even with porter this team needed a 2 way player. They only
Singed Jeff green. They relied on porter and jokic to
Carry them now they are in scramble mode . I don’t get why the nuggets paid two second round picks for Javahle McGee and let him walk in free agency waste of assets . I trust Tim Connelly and the front office tho
To make this right .
They’ve needed a real 3 forever, but have instead chosen to use trade assets over the years to collect various species of 4’s and call some of them 3’s. They also had the perfect backup C for Jokic in Plumlee, who didn’t command a contract that should have scared them. It’s great they now want a 3 and a backup C, but they don’t have much left in the way of trade assets. Teams that trade away quality players in season generally aren’t in the win now category and thus want draft picks or payroll relief. Denver isn’t in a position to provide either.
K.Knox if buy out