DeMarcus Cousins (Photo : NBAE via Getty Images)
The Denver Nuggets are involved in NBA trade rumors simply because they have the assets and now, they are ready to make an aggressive move.
According to Zach Lowe of ESPN in his "The Lowe Post" podcast with Marc Stein, the Nuggets are the most active team they are hearing about in trade discussions. At the very least, Denver is trying to trade Kenneth Faried-so far, that was the only specific name that both Lowe and Stein floated.
However, the Nuggets have quietly assembled a talented core that runs two-deep in every position with a combination of young players and veterans. Some players have superstar potential and it could be fun to envision just what kind of team the Nuggets could be if the trade potential was stretched out.
The Denver Nuggets could be a superteam that could rival the Golden State Warriors if that happened. Sports Illustrated team blog Nugg Love featured a blockbuster 4-team deal proposed by Ryan Mccabe.
The deal involves the Nuggets, Minnesota Timberwolves, Sacramento Kings, and LA Clippers. Superstars Blake Griffin and DeMarcus Cousins will go to Denver along with Ricky Rubio.
The Nuggets will send huge assets to the Kings: Centers Nikola Jokic and Jusuf Nurkic, point guard Emmanuel Mudiay and the Nuggets' 2017 first round pick. Not a bad haul for DeMarcus Cousins, but they also send Skal Labissiere and a conditional first round pick.
The LA Clippers will get Kenneth Faried, Will Barton and Wilson Chandler-effectively addressing their wing scoring and Faried helps with the defensive load vacated by Griffin. They also get the 2017 Memphis Grizzlies first rounder which Denver acquired from Cleveland.
The Minnesota Timberwolves will get Skal Labissiere and Sacramento's conditional pick along with Denver's 2018 pick.
It's a dizzying whirl of a trade. To help keep up, let's break it by team.
The Timberwolves lose Rubio so they can get more exposure for Kris Dunn. They address their power forward need with Skal Labissiere and also two future draft picks.
The Kings will finally veer away from the Cousins' drama show. Mccabe called them "the furthest away from having anything resembling a sense of direction."
Nikola Jokic and Emmanuel Mudiay are the Nuggets foundation for the future but Cousins under Coach Mike Malone is a worthy prize to mortgage it all. Nurkic and and the '17 Den. first rounder are add-ons for the other trade pieces that the Nuggets will send to the Minnesota. Now, the Kings will have a foundation to build on with a smart, talented center and a point guard of the future.
The Clippers are likely to lose Blake Griffin in free agency and they need to get something in return. The obvious need is at small forward. Wilson Chandler and Will Barton make up for the scoring needs at the position (Barton can switch at both wing positions). Kenneth Faried gives back the defense and rebounding energy that Griffin brought.
This will give them a real bench as Barton, Jamal Crawford and Luc Mbah a Moute are real options from the bench along with Austin Rivers.
For the Nuggets, they are a superteam with probably the best frontline in the league and a pass-first point guard. They still have Danilo Gallinari (who would likely want to re-sign with a new team like this) and shooters Jamal Murray and Gary Harris.
It's a wild and far-fetched scenario but it gives you the idea of how much potential the Nuggets have in trades. It's unlikely they don't make a move, if not before the season starts, at least until the deadline.
