Ryan Blackburn here, the host of the daily Locked On Nuggets podcast, with your daily Locked On Nuggets newsletter. Each day we bring you the biggest stories about the Nuggets and the NBA, including the hottest links to other stories you need to read. Plus, Josh Lloyd delivers daily fantasy notes to crush your league.
Trade Targets to Watch for the Denver Nuggets
Mar 23, 2024; Washington, District of Columbia, USA; Toronto Raptors forward Bruce Brown (11) dribbles during the second half against the Washington Wizards at Capital One Arena. Mandatory Credit: Tommy Gilligan-USA TODAY Sports | Tommy Gilligan-USA TODAY Sports
The NBA Trade Deadline is on February 6th, just over two weeks away. It’s when teams become buyers or sellers, deciding on their future, determining whether they have a chance at a championship or more ping pong balls on the lottery.
For the Nuggets, it’s effectively Denver’s final chance to add to their roster before the playoffs. It’s the last opportunity for the Nuggets to possibly change their future, and the decision could be season-altering.
When the Nuggets lost to the Washington Wizards on December 7th, they dropped to an 11-10 record. Since then, the Nuggets are 15-6 and are playing like a title contender. They won’t catch the Oklahoma City Thunder in the standings, but there’s a strong possibility the Nuggets finish in the top four in the Western Conference and could go as high as second.
They’re ready for winning time, but will they make moves at the deadline to help them win?
The Zach LaVine rumors will persist until the deadline, but the Nuggets are less likely to make that deal now than they were when they lost to Washington. Jamal Murray has turned his season around in a big way, and Michael Porter Jr. has been mostly consistent as a perimeter option next to Nikola Jokic.
Aaron Gordon is back healthy. Russell Westbrook and Christian Braun are playing well as starters and will be in a playoff rotation. Ditto for Peyton Watson as Denver’s most dynamic defender and rim protector.
The questions begin with Julian Strawther and DeAndre Jordan. Strawther’s still in his second season, and the Nuggets didn’t end up playing Watson last year in his second season. If there was a veteran wing option around, would Michael Malone be tempted to play him over the younger option?
The same question persists in the frontcourt. Jordan has filled in well as the backup center, and if the Nuggets need a big body, he’s played in the playoffs before. Jordan isn’t versatile though, and the Nuggets could use a frontcourt player that can move on the perimeter and even shoot.
Beyond those two, the Nuggets don’t have trustable options in a playoff series. Could Dario Saric, Jalen Pickett, or Zeke Nnaji surprise someone? Sure, but will Michael Malone trust them enough to even provide that opportunity? Doubtful.
So, what’s on the market? That’s the ever important question.
The Nuggets have been tied to two Toronto Raptors: Bruce Brown and Chris Boucher. They might also hold some interest in Kelly Olynyk, but it’s mainly Brown and Boucher.
If the Nuggets target Brown, it has to be on the buyout market. Denver can’t trade for his $23 million salary. They also can’t technically sign him on the buyout market either because they’re a first apron team. If Denver wants Brown, they need to make cost cutting moves to add him. That likely means trading Zeke Nnaji and attaching draft capital.
Would you trade Nnaji and the 2031 first round pick for Bruce Brown back? When phrased like that, it doesn’t sound so bad.
Boucher is a standard addition on the trade market, a floor spacing big man that can block some shots in a bench role. Does he change Denver’s future? No. Could he play in a playoff series that DeAndre Jordan can’t? Yes.
Some other names to watch that have NOT been tied to the Nuggets but make sense to monitor:
Jalen Smith - Backup Center, Chicago Bulls
Caleb Martin and Cody Martin - Backup Wing, Philadelphia 76ers and Charlotte Hornets
Robert Williams - Backup Center, Portland Trail Blazers
If the Nuggets are focused on making a smaller deal to add to the edges of their rotation, those are the names I would call about and assume Denver could afford.
If the Nuggets are interested in making a larger addition, they have major salary issues to deal with. They probably won’t be able to entice either the Pelicans or Blazers to give up Herb Jones or Deni Avdija, but those are the two names I’d make a significant offer for if they were deemed available.
Jan 19, 2025; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (2) dunks against the Brooklyn Nets during the second half at Paycom Center. | Alonzo Adams/Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images
Back with the second half of our midseason report specifically focusing on changes with a farther reaching affect than just this season. A midseason report adjusted for inflation, if you will. If you missed the first half, you can find it here.
Shifting hardware
If Shai Gilgeous-Alexander takes home the MVP trophy this season (as predicted in this newsletter back in mid-October), we’re in for a shift. While merit for the award comes down to performance, it also hinges on a slew of other factors, and some of those skew intangible.
The pool of MVP candidates, season-to-season, stays largely the same because athletes who are that good tend to stay good for stable stretches of time and because once someone has gained our attention, we don’t tend to shift it. We’re creatures of habit, and the people tasked with MVP voting are, too.
Thunder fans have been banging the SGA drum for seasons now, but it’s just this year that he’s finally managed to break through into the broader collective consciousness. We give a lot of weight to the concept of “readiness”, as in, when young athletes break through an invisible barrier and are able to handle some combination of the spotlight, leadership responsibilities, consistent high-level competition, and yes, award consideration.
The reality of readiness is that it’s mostly reached through repetition. Occasionally that’s accelerated through a trade — Henry Abbott at TrueHoop wrote a compelling case on how this could be true for Houston’s Jabari Smith Jr.
Household names get that way because we’ve said them so many times, not because some invisible cue or professional marker was met.
Katie Heindl is a credentialed NBA and WNBA writer, her bylines have appeared with The New York Times Magazine, SLAM, The Athletic, Yahoo Sports, Dime, Rolling Stone, among others. She writes the bestselling Substack, Basketball Feelings and is working on a book of the same name.
Home and Away
Analysis The Sixers and Suns’ struggles won’t end “Big Threes” in the NBA. (Forbes)
Watch Inside the NBA: On MLK Day, a look back at the movement to overcome. (ESPN)
Rumor The Denver Nuggets are rumored to be interested in reuniting with a former NBA Championship player. Learn more about this intriguing possibility. (Sports Illustrated)
Preview The Nuggets host the 76ers tonight at 9:00 PM ET. Read the preview.(NBA)
Fantasy Cheat Sheet
NBA Tuesday Fantasy Basketball Preview: Streaming Options and Injury Updates
Jan 11, 2025; Portland, Oregon, USA; Miami Heat center Kel’el Ware (7) dunks the basketball during the second half against the Portland Trail Blazers at Moda Center. Mandatory Credit: Troy Wayrynen-Imagn Images | Troy Wayrynen/Troy Wayrynen-Imagn Images
As we look ahead to Tuesday’s NBA action, there are several key storylines and player situations to monitor. With five games on the schedule, fantasy managers have some interesting decisions to make regarding lineups and streaming options.
The Brooklyn Nets are dealing with multiple injury concerns. Ben Simmons is probable to return from illness, while D’Angelo Russell is questionable with hamstring tightness. This creates uncertainty around playing time and roles. Nic Claxton’s value is also in question due to inconsistent minutes and performance. For streaming purposes, Noah Clowney could be worth a look if Simmons sits.
One of the biggest spots to watch is what Miami does with rookie big man Kel’el Ware. Ware started the second half last game, next to Bam Adebayo, and is a guy to grab in case he begins a run of being a starter.
In Orlando, the Magic will be without Franz Wagner, Jalen Suggs, and Goga Bitadze. This opens up opportunities for Wendell Carter Jr. and Cole Anthony to see increased usage. Both are solid streaming options in most formats for Tuesday’s matchup against Toronto.
Other Topics in Today’s Locked On Fantasy Basketball Podcast:
• Schedule analysis for the upcoming week
• Five-game and two-game team outlooks
• Deeper league streaming targets
3peat (ICYMI)
Don’t let these episodes pass you by — stay locked in with the latest Locked On Nuggets podcasts.
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