With the new year now finally upon us, speculation ahead of the 2020 NBA Trade Deadline is in full swing. Whether Denver Nuggets fans are in consensus about what the team ought to do before the Feb. 6, 2020 cut off or not, anticipation mounts across all fanbases that there will be fireworks.
In this post, just one of a series of 30, we’ll break down the reports that have started to trickle out about Nuggets players that may or may not be on the move. While there’s no guarantee when it comes to a league as wild as the modern NBA, it doesn’t hurt to brush up on each squad’s roster as the deadline draws near.
Players Unlikely To Be Traded
- Nikola Jokic
- Jamal Murray
- Michael Porter Jr.
Not many teams have a better franchise cornerstone than Denver does with Nikola Jokic and it’s highly unlikely that the team would let a rival general manager propose an offer for the big man before they hung up the phone. Jokic isn’t going anywhere and neither is Jamal Murray, who just signed a massive extension this past summer. Getting the Nuggets to part with Michael Porter Jr. isn’t going to be an easy feat; the forward has too much potential for Denver to deal him away.
Biggest Name Available On Market
- Malik Beasley
Malik Beasley will be a restricted free agent at the end of the season after turning down a three-year, $30M extension from the Nuggets. Denver may have difficulties bringing him back this summer due to their salary cap situation, as the franchise could be facing luxury tax concerns. The Sixers have expressed interest in Malik Beasley and it may make sense for the Nuggets to get an asset for the shooting guard rather than potentially losing him for nothing.
Logical Trade Pieces
- Juancho Hernangomez
For the same reasons it makes sense to listen to offers for Beasley, the Nuggets would be wise to parse the market for Hernangomez. The Nuggets are a very deep, talented team (albeit injured at the moment) but they don’t have the financial capacity to keep all their pieces long-term. Hernangomez has appeared in 31 games for Denver and while he hasn’t had the best season for the club, he’s only 24 and could fetch an asset in a trade before the deadline.
Trades Are Possible
- Paul Millsap
- Gary Harris
- Mason Plumlee
- Will Barton
- Jerami Grant
- Torrey Craig
- Monte Morris
- Jarred Vanderbilt
- Vlatko Cancar
There remains no timetable for Paul Millsap to return to the court as he’s recovering from a left knee contusion. The power forward is making $30.4M this season and will be a free agent this summer. 🏀 Gary Harris has dealt with minor injuries again this season, appearing in 40 games. He’ll make $19.2M next season and $20.5M during the 2021-22 campaign. 🏀 Mason Plumlee is currently sidelined with a foot injury. He won’t be back until after the trade deadline. 🏀 Will Barton has started 44 games for the club. He’s second on the team in win shares. 🏀 The team gave up a first-round pick for Jerami Grant over the summer. He got off to a slow start but has proved his worth lately, filling in for the team’s injured players. 🏀 Torrey Craig will be a restricted free agent after the season. He’s been a nice contributor for Denver, though his market shouldn’t be extravagant. 🏀 Monte Morris has helped weather the storm while Jamal Murray sits on the sideline. His contract for next season is non-guaranteed. 🏀 Jarred Vanderbilt’s contract for next season is also non-guaranteed. He’s seen just 25 minutes for the team this year. 🏀 Vlatko Cancar checked into the game nine times this year for the Nuggets, seeing a total of 16 minutes. He’s 2-for-5 from the field on the year (also the same percentage as Ben Simmons from three this year).
