Nuggets coach Michael Malone isn’t concerned about point guard Emmanuel Mudiay’s sore back, Christopher Dempsey of the Denver Post reports. Mudiay has missed three consecutive games but Malone doesn’t believe Mudiay will be sidelined much longer. “The treatment he’s been getting has been helping him, and all of the results from the testing coming back don’t show that there’s anything serious,” he told Dempsey. “So, that allows you to take a deep breath and say it’s not a long-term thing.”
In other developments regarding the Nuggets:
- Forward Johnny O’Bryant received a 10-day contract on Thursday because the club needs frontcourt depth in the short term, Dempsey adds in the same story. Darrell Arthur, who has a knee issue, is among the big men who are nursing injuries, Dempsey adds. “I was talking to [Nuggets GM] Tim Connelly that it would be great to have another big here, ready, insurance,” Malone said to Dempsey. “If we have to play him and suit him up, he’s played in an NBA game, he has a skill – he can step out and shoot the ball.”
- Guard Mo Williams has cleared waivers, Marc Stein of ESPN.com tweets. The Nuggets claimed him for the second time on Monday because of salary floor implications. Denver will save over $1MM through its latest Williams transaction (Twitter links).
- The Nuggets are trying to move center Jusuf Nurkic and could package him with Kenneth Faried to upgrade their backcourt, Sean Deveney of the Sporting News reports. Nurkic has drawn interest, in part because of his rookie contract, Deveney continues. But the Nuggets would either have to make it a multi-player swap, find a team below the cap, or involve a third team to make a trade work, Deveney adds.
There wasn’t mention of upgrading the backcourt. They could look for a more versatile 4 in moving Faried and Nurkic.
They have chandler and gallinari at the 4, as well as Arthur, and they just signed a combo forward to a 10 day. Hernangomez is also arguably more of a combo forward than a wing. If anything, they need a wing player
Will they still trade Nurkic if Jokic is significantly injured? Plus, I’d assume they’d be targeting a true wing player, or picks, which they’ve lacked for a few years, though everyone is looking for that
I’m not sure what Deveney means by the Nuggets having trouble finding a trade match due to Nurkic’s low salary… Since they’re so far under the cap they could easily flip him for a player with a MUCH larger salary.