The Nuggets could emerge as one of the more important teams on the trade landscape this summer once Giannis Antetokounmpo‘s next team is decided, Marc Stein writes in his latest edition of The Stein Line (subscriber link).
Denver has the unenviable task of trying to continue to put the best contender possible around star Nikola Jokic while dealing with a difficult financial situation that will likely cause them to lose at least one of their core players.
Veteran forward Aaron Gordon has emerged as the most sought-after trade target on the roster, Stein writes, despite the injuries that have limited him to just 87 games over the last two regular seasons.
Gordon’s combination of versatile, hard-nosed defense, strong off-ball offensive play, and reliably solid outside shooting makes him an ideal fit for most contenders, but those same traits are exactly why the Nuggets would prefer to retain him.
Gordon has developed a strong two-man game with Jokic over the years and has become one of Jokic’s favorite passing targets due to his great instincts as a cutter. Gordon is starting the first season of a three-year, $103.6MM extension, which has a player option in year three.
The Nuggets would also like to hold onto Jamal Murray, who is coming off the strongest season of his career, and instead would prefer to send out 25-year-old wing Christian Braun in any starting lineup trade.
Braun took a slight step back after signing a five-year, $125MM extension last summer, mostly due to his struggles from deep. He shot 30.1% from three this season after hitting 38.4% over his previous three years. He is a strong defender and transition threat and young enough that there is still interesting upside for a team that needs reliable wing play.
He is so, so important for them on both ends of the floor, but something has to give in that roster crunch. You can make a case that he doesn’t play enough and now is the right time so sell, or you find a taker for cam Johnson and hope that Watson continues to develop. I fear their window may have closed…
I think they move Gordon because, as good as he is, it’s clear that they need to try something different and trading Gordon could fetch a difference-maker
Braun and Watson are the future and Cam Johnson has little trade value right now. Murray fits with Jokic too well to lose.
Denver could
I would trade Muarry because that contract is a over pay and his value is at the highest. There are a few teams in need of a good PG so they could get some good players back.
I hope they keep him. He’s the heartbeat of that team.
Of course Denver wants to trade Braun. They committed to pay him $129 million over the next 5 years, and he didn’t play very well this year.
I’m not sure what the market is for him though. Do you think anyone would take Braun off Denver’s hands for nothing? Lakers, Bulls, Nets and Grizzlies could all absorb him, maybe give back a low 2nd rounder. Atlanta could trade Kuminga for him, and then Denver could just not pick up his option and release him. Would any of those teams do that?
All of those teams have other options and I’m not sure if any of them have Braun high on their want lists. But again I don’t know.