The deal that landed Mason Plumlee may not be the last one the Nuggets make this month, suggests Steve Kyler of Basketball Insiders. The reporter relays that his sources believe Denver could still move names like Wilson Chandler, Danilo Gallinari and even second-year point guard Emmanuel Mudiay.
After years of stock piling assets, the Nuggets have emerged as a playoff contender in 2016/17. Leading the charge for the franchise has been sophomore center Nikola Jokic. With Jokic at the helm and the club finally focused on building around him, the the team is in a position to deal some valuable building blocks in an effort to fortify their new core.
Kyler suggests that the emergence of Juan Hernangomez, too, could expedite a formal regime change in Denver. The Nuggets currently sit eighth in the Western Conference.
There’s more out of the Northwest Division:
- Newly acquired Trail Blazers big man Jusuf Nurkic spoke with the media about his new home. “I think it’s the perfect place for me,” he told the media. “They need me, and I need them.” The 22-year-old also mentioned that he didn’t mind whether head coach Terry Stotts slotted him into the starting lineup or brought him off the bench.
- The Nuggets don’t anticipate having any issues working Mason Plumlee into their rotation, writes Chris Dempsey of the Denver Post. Head coach Mike Malone expects to seamlessly integrate the new big man, adding that Plumlee’s playmaking abilities should help the team’s offense continue to flow well when Nikola Jokic is on the bench.
- The Trail Blazers will send $2.85MM to the Nuggets as part of the Nurkic/Plumlee swap, tweets Eric Pincus of Basketball Insiders. That, Pincus says, explains why Denver included a first-round pick in their outgoing package. For more details of the trade, consider Mark Deeks of Give Me Sport‘s break down of the deal.
- A Utah-based analytics firm will sponsor Jazz jerseys in 2017/18, but rather than plug the company’s own logo, they’ll promote that of a charitable organization generating funds for cancer research. The 5 For The Fight patch will be on Jazz jerseys for at least the first year of the organization’s three-year commitment with the team, writes Jeff Zillgitt of USA Today.
Nurkic is going to flourish in Portland.
Still really trying to wrap my head around why Denver gave up a first round pick. I don’t think Plumlee is worth that at this stage of his career.
Plumlee is still pretty young and really versatile, he gets a consistent jumper and he will be a borderline all-star. Portland needed a low post scorer to compliment CJ and Dame’s perimeter game, Nurkic can get buckets and rebound pretty good. Denver has plenty of assets to get themselves a piece to pair with Jokic and take off in the West.
He’s not developing a consistent jumper at this point in his career. For better or worse, this is who he is.
Looks like the Trailblazers got $3 million as well, that’s why the first was added. Plus add in Plumlee’s youth and it makes sense
Gallinari to the thunder that would be a nice trade piece for the thunder to have so more outside shooting
Given the option of Chandler or Gallinari, I’m taking Chandler every day and twice on Sunday’s.
here is a few trade ideas 1) den trades k.faried to lakers for l.deng 2)faried and j.murray to pelicans for asik,t.frazier and b.hield