New Report on Potential Denver Nuggets NBA Draft Trade

The Denver Nuggets have a big decision to make
Jun 21, 2018; Brooklyn, NY, USA; Michael Porter, Jr. (Missouri) walks to the stage after being selected as the number fourteen overall pick to the Denver Nuggets in the first round of the 2018 NBA Draft at the Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports
Jun 21, 2018; Brooklyn, NY, USA; Michael Porter, Jr. (Missouri) walks to the stage after being selected as the number fourteen overall pick to the Denver Nuggets in the first round of the 2018 NBA Draft at the Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports / Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports
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NBA Draft day has arrived, meaning teams are officially finalizing franchise-altering decisions, which could include blockbuster trades.

For a team like the Denver Nuggets who will be selecting late in the first round, the possibility of trading that selection for a more established NBA player always exists. While such a move cannot be ruled out for Denver, Bennett Durando of The Denver Post has reported league sources are indicating the Nuggets plan to use that pick to select a player, not to facilitate a trade.

Even for a contender like the Nuggets, rotation players can certainly be found late in the first round or even the second round. The Nuggets have proven this in recent years, getting great contributions from their own draft picks. Being able to draft well has never been more important, as the NBA’s new CBA makes roster building incredibly difficult. Teams who are able to land rotation players in the draft, particularly late in the draft, are at a massive advantage over teams who do not. 

For the Nuggets, they fell short of their NBA title defense last season, losing in the second round to the Minnesota Timberwolves. Looking to make another championship run next season, Denver will have to hit on the margins this summer when it comes to filling out their roster. A great start on doing that would be selecting a capable rotation player in this upcoming draft.

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Joey Linn

JOEY LINN

Title: Credentialed writer covering the NBA for Sports Illustrated's FanNation Email: joeylinn52@gmail.com Education: Communication Studies degree from Biola University Location: Los Angeles, California Expertise: NBA analysis and reporting Experience: Joey Linn is a credentialed writer covering the NBA for Sports Illustrated's FanNation. Covering the LA Clippers independently in 2018, then for Fansided and 213Hoops from 2019-2021, Joey joined Sports Illustrated's FanNation to cover the Clippers after the 2020-21 season. Graduating from Biola University in 2022 with a Communication Studies degree, Joey served as Biola's play-by-play announcer for their basketball, baseball, softball, and soccer teams during his time in school. Joey's work on Biola's broadcasts, combined with his excellence in the classroom, earned him the Outstanding Communication Studies Student of the year award in 2022. Joey covers the NBA full-time across multiple platforms, primarily serving as a credentialed Clippers beat writer.