Final Look: Ranking the Nuggets' Best Trade Deadline Options

2025-26 Stats: 41 GP | 15.0 PTS | 3.0 REB | 2.6 AST

The Chicago Bulls have already made an assortment of swaps around their roster before this year's deadline, a lot of which have revolved around their backcourt.

Coby White and Kevin Huerter have been shipped out. Jaden Ivey, Collin Sexton, and Anfernee Simons were brought in, and now leave one of the lone pieces left in their set of guards, Ayo Dosunmu, either clawing for rotational minutes or the next man to get shipped out before Thursday.

If Dosunmu is indeed on the block and primed to be shipped out, Denver makes sense as a candidate that could make an aggressive push for him. He's on an expiring contract worth $7.5 million that's both affordable and provides flexibility, and has proven to be a capable rotational piece for the Bulls' guard rotation by putting together some career-best numbers.

Striking a deal without giving up many future assets could be easier said than done for the Nuggets. But if Denver were interested in upgrading their backup point guard position, there might be no better candidate that's both affordable and attainable to look towards than Dosunmu and the Bulls.

2. Jose Alvarado, G, New Orleans Pelicans

2025-26 Stats: 40 GP | 7.9 PTS | 2.7 REB | 3.7 AST

Perhaps not as flashy as an addition of Dosunmo would be, but there's an argument to be made that a trade for Jose Alvarado from the New Orleans Pelicans could be a more worthwhile and more attainable deal than the Bulls' guard.

For one, Alvarado would bring exactly what the Nuggets rotation could utilize for the second half of the regular season and any playoff matchup: defensive upside and guard depth. Alvarado has been a player who's built himself a routine rotational role by being a standout perimeter defender, and one that Denver could find a place for in the second unit.

More Denver Nuggets trade deadline news:Nuggets NBA Trade Deadline Tracker: Rumors, Targets, and Updates

Alvarado would also be bound to come at a cheaper price than most valued guards on the market, like Dosunmu. He's on contract for this season with a player option worth $4.5 million; he'll likely decline, could be heading towards the exit in New Orleans anyways, and might be somebody the Pelicans want to get value from before he leaves for nothing.

Keep an eye on Alvarado being a name worth acquiring for the Nuggets, who wouldn't just provide a step forward defensively, but could get Denver below the dreaded luxury tax in the process.

3. Tyus Jones, G, Orlando Magic

2025-26 Stats: 48 GP | 3.0 PTS | 1.1 REB | 2.4 AST

Another case of a player who might not be as exciting as the prior entries on the list, but Tyus Jones might just be the player the Nuggets need on the books to do exactly what they've been rumored to be setting out to do this deadline: save money.

Jones is currently on an expiring contract worth $7 million, and while averaging over 15 minutes a night, has averaged some of the worst numbers he's seen throughout his entire career. It's not unrealistic to assume the Magic would be open to moving off of him if the right deal emerges.

Denver could use Zeke Nnaji's contract of $8.1 million this year, save over $1 million against the cap, and avoid the luxury tax mark, and land Jones onboard for that added guard depth many have been advocating the Nuggets acquire leading up to the deadline with a player that's both experienced at 31 years old, and most notably, one of the more efficient playmakers around the league.

It's worth noting that Orlando's big man situation could create a bit of a logjam at the position by adding Nnaji, which means such a move could be expanded to three teams to make sense for all parties, or Nnaji can be flipped in another deal down the line.

Nonetheless, the framework is something to build on, and one that the Denver brass should be pondering before Thursday afternoon.