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Nuggets' 'Realistic' Trade Target Identifies Area of Need But Doesn't Solve the Problem

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By JH Kubicek | Last updated Jan 19, 2025 3:53 PM ET

Perhaps no other team in the NBA has such a distance between their best and second-best player than the Denver Nuggets. Jamal Murray, Michael Porter Jr., and Aaron Gordon are all solid, if not great, players, but Nikola Jokic reigns supreme.

Luka Doncic has Kyrie Irving, Giannis Antetokounmpo has Damian Lillard, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has Jalen Williams, Jayson Tatum has Jaylen Brown, and LeBron James has Anthony Davis (or vice versa).

For the Nuggets, who are built around their three-time MVP center, having some added insurance might be a good trade deadline priority.

According to Bleacher Report's Greg Swartz, the Nuggets' most "realistic" trade target is Daniel Theis, who is expendable for the New Orleans Pelicans after rookie Yves Missi took over as the starter.

While it is true that DeAndre Jordan isn't exactly a high-level backup anymore, Theis is barely an upgrade. He is averaging 4.6 points per game compared to Jordan's 3.5, and Jordan is a better rebounder. On top of that, he and Jokic seem to have a rapport that the Nuggets shouldn't be eager to break up.

While adding a solid backup big behind Jokic is a fine idea, the reality is simple: if Jokic goes down with an injury, the Nuggets are dead in the water. Murray, Gordon, and Porter Jr. might be enough to keep them afloat in the regular season, but in the postseason, the Nuggets need their best player.

If Denver chases after a backup big, it would have to be someone who could play a lot of minutes and help preserve Jokic during the regular season. Such candidates include Jakob Poeltl, Kelly Olynyk, Zach Collins, and Jonas Valanciunas, although the Nuggets don't have the financial flexibility to add any of those players with ease.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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