Nick Young (Photo : Scott Halleran | Getty Images Sport)
The LA Lakers have declared their intention to trade Nick Young but there are limited recipients.
Swaggy P has numerous critics and is known as an inefficient scorer or a "chucker." However, the numbers reflect that he is quite a good player this season considering the Lakers dismal record. According to Basketball Reference, Young is averaging a career best 53% from the field including 40% from three point range.
The outspoken Young has been kept in the Lakers freezer allegedly because he called Kobe Bryant's retirement tour "a circus." (h/t LA Daily News)
The Denver Nuggets is a team that's still in limbo at this point. Their playoff chances are slim but they're not brazenly tanking. They have the right to swap picks with the New York Knicks, who can do the tanking for them as they're in lottery range, and the lower pick will be sent to Toronto, so there's no incentive for them to do that.
Thus, team fan site Denver Stiffs recently floated a "silly" trade idea to acquire Nick Young.
They cite that with the spate of injuries to Nuggets' leading scorers, specifically Wilson Chandler, players like Jameer Nelson, Will Barton and Randy Foye have to take more shots. Adding Nick Young to the mix would be an upgrade somehow.
Young can "create offense off the dribble" and DS points out that "he's old enough now that he should know that his coaches want him to play downhill, attacking the basket, using his length and quickness to create a shot attempt."
In return, the Nuggets could send power forward JJ Hickson. Hickson can help the Lakers in rebounding and he is also an expiring contract.
It is assumed that the Lakers would jump at the chance to get rid of Young, but his contract is not all bad considering the salary cap hike next season. The proposed trade won't change either team's fortunes but it would fill a need.
