The Cavaliers and Nuggets are among the teams expected to peruse the trade market for help on the wing in the coming weeks, according to a pair of reports.
ESPN’s Zach Lowe (insider link) says league sources expect Cleveland to seek another short-term option on the wing, while Sam Amick of The Athletic cites sources who say the Nuggets will be looking for at least one wing to help bolster their bench.
Lowe’s report on the Cavaliers comes as no surprise, given that the club has long been thought to be in the market for a wing. With Jarrett Allen and Evan Mobley in the frontcourt and Donovan Mitchell and Darius Garland in the backcourt, a three-and-D wing who can make shots on offense and lock down opposing perimeter threats would be an ideal fit for the Cavs.
Cleveland has some solid defensive wings on the roster, but players like Isaac Okoro and Lamar Stevens don’t offer much offensively. Caris LeVert, meanwhile, is a career 33.4% three-point shooter who isn’t an especially stout defender.
As for the Nuggets, Amick says the goal is to get “longer, more athletic, versatile, defensive-minded, and bigger” on the wing. The “dream scenario,” he adds, would be to find another player with a similar skill set to Aaron Gordon, who is enjoying the best year of his career in Denver.
While it doesn’t hurt to aim high, it seems unlikely that the Nuggets will be able to land that sort of impact player, given their relative lack of trade assets. They’ve already moved three future first-round picks and don’t have many logical salary-matching pieces — only six players on the roster are earning more than $5MM (Nikola Jokic, Jamal Murray, Michael Porter Jr., Gordon, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, and Bruce Brown) and none of them are good bets to be moved this season.
Denver could potentially acquire a mid-level type player by building a package around Ish Smith and his $4.7MM expiring salary.
Let the OG Anunoby bidding begin!
Cam Reddish on Line 1
Might be the first time a player begging to get out gets hung up on by multiple gms
Oshae Brissett and Derrick Jones Jr should be easy to get. Easy cheap fits that should only take a 2nd or 2.
DJJr is a perfect fit for Denver
I’d trade Derrick Jones for a second rounder. Bulls aren’t doing anything this season and maybe they’ll actually play Dalen Terry
Jones shoots 30 percent career from 3. There is no 3 with his D.
It’s more complicated than that. Last 2 years, which is what matters DJJr has shot basically 33% and 34% this year. He has 39% and 40% from the corners the last 2 years.
All of them matter,
Brook Lopez took like 6 3s his first 6 seasons and now takes 6 a game. What he did as a unready young NBA player isn’t relevant to what he would bring to the table this year.
It’s almost like they are suppressing Terry to keep him out of trade scenarios. Developing Terry should be a priority.
Terry was considered very raw coming out of college. They’re not “suppressing” him, he’s just not ready.
Two playoff teams are looking for the league’s scarcest commodity. Problem is neither has any tradable 1st round draft picks, nor much in the way of other obvious trade assets. DEN could be a real player in the area by trading MPJ. CLE looks to relegated to mixing and matching.
I’m curious if there’s even an owner willing to take Mpj today for free ( expirings essentially no picks )
Good point. If his contract were valued in isolation based solely likely added production per $$, then there probably wouldn’t be any takers for expirings (particularly since, even when healthy, his top line has never really translated to real W/L production). But NBA player markets can often inspire very different valuation models, particularly for high beta players like MPJ.
I doubt he’ll ever be worth close to what he was before his extension and subsequent back re-injury, but, under the right set of circumstances (a bunch of teams delusional enough to believe they’re one player away, but not delusional enough to believe there’s a risk free path to get that player), I could see DEN having an opportunity or two to get a return that betters their team. They’d be wise to move quickly on any.
Feasible
My best suggestion
Herd Jones from pelicans
Bey from pistons
K Johnson from Spurs
No way the Pelicans move Jones unless it’s part of a deal that gets them a really significant piece in return.
Kelly Oubre
Makes way too much for either team to trade for.
Josh Jackson and Ben McLemore are playing in the GLeague …. if they don’t want to give up an Asset, just sign one of them.
Denver already has Brown, and Levert looks alright. I’d expect 3rd tier wing help before a major trade for either of these teams.
I saw a potential Harrison Barnes for caris levert trade. I’d rather give up the 5th overall Okuro.
Nuggets:
1. MPJ, Ish Smith and a protected first for Harrison Barnes, Richaun Holmes and Daivon Mitchell.
Barnes at SF is what they are after. Long, athletic, versatile, defensive minded and bigger.
Also has championship experience and can give you 15 points per night with ease.
They line up
Murray KCP Barnes Gordon Jokic
Mitchell Bones Brown Green Jordan/Holmes
This is a roster built to win. 3 good defenders in KCP Barnes and Gordon who can all give you buckets aswell. Jokic is obviously a top 5 players and Murray is a great second option and proven to be huge in the playoffs. That bench is so solid, Mitchell’s defence with Bones scoring. Brown a do it all SF, Green the kinda vet leader and Jordan as the glue guy. Behind these guy you have reserves hungry for minutes in Braun Zeke and Holmes.
Kings have been rumoured to Tobias Harris and Kyle Kuzma so I think they have interest in MPJ. They would be putting faith in MPJ and buying into the long term potential of this side. Fox Hueter MPJ Murray Sabonis that’s a lot of talent especially on offence. I think it would be a step back for them but it’s the kings and it’s what they seem to do….
As for the Cavs:
Cedi Osman and Dylan Windler for Doug McDermott
Not sure how good he is defensively but last I checked it was better than Caris LeVert.
He’s a absolute sharpshooter (career 41% from 3) He’s not a huge difference maker but the Cavs don’t need a big injection. He’ll take 7 shots in 20 minutes basically all three point attempts and will make 3/4 a game. If you want more defence then play Okoro is tough defensively, you want more shooting then play McDermott.
Starters
Garland Spida McDermott Mobley Allen
Bench
Rubio LeVert Okoro Wade KLove
Reserves
Neto Stevens Lopez
Also frees up an extra roster spot and you can grab another wing to cover injures, I’d also go for a vet. I’d suggest Avery Bradley
What’s the long term potential for mpj ? I’ve heard this over and over and still dont understand it
Why would the kings want to rock the boat rn ?
I mean yea Kangz , but outside that I can’t see any of this
Yeah 50% kings being the kings and 50% thinking MPJ has a lot of upside and Barnes is getting older and them wanting to take MPJ and hope for the best and build this young team that’ll be a playoff lock for years…. Idk as I said kings being kings would have to be a big part of it
Nuggs and Kings have a bit of a thing going. Kings play Denver super hard and have for years, and now they’re good, too. Don’t think Denver deals with Sacto.