2019 NBA Trade Deadline: 10 teams that should trade for Anthony Davis

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9. Denver Nuggets

If Anthony Davis wants a winning organization, the Denver Nuggets certainly look to be on the right path. Despite a plethora of injuries to Will Barton, Gary Harris, Paul Millsap, Isaiah Thomas and now Jamal Murray, Nikola Jokic and a deep supporting cast has carried this team to the second-best record in the West.

Although Millsap’s $30 million team option wouldn’t be of interest to New Orleans, that young backcourt would certainly catch the Pelicans’ eye, whether they’re opting to rebuild through youth or want to stay competitive in the interim:

Harris is one of the more underrated 3-and-D players in the league, and though he’s had problems staying healthy, he’s still only 24 years old and is a career 36.6 percent shooter from beyond the arc.

Murray looks like a future All-Star at age 21, averaging 18.5 points, 4.9 assists and 4.4 rebounds per game this year. He’s still working on his playmaking and efficiency, but the strides he’s made in just a couple of years have been impressive. With him, Harris and Barton under team control for the foreseeable future, the Pelicans would have a lasting foundation to build on.

Trading in their entire starting backcourt (and their starting small forward) for Davis would be an interior struggle for the Nuggets, however, so if they could substitute in Trey Lyles and a 2021 first round pick for Murray, that might be more agreeable:

Lyles is a restricted free agent this summer, but has shown promise when he’s been given minutes, is only 23 and could likely be retained for cheap this summer. 2021 is the soonest Denver could offer up its first round pick to round out the deal.

However, breaking up a good thing might not be high on the Nuggets’ priority list, even with a player like Anthony Davis potentially available. Jokic’s 3-point shooting would make a Twin Towers pairing viable in the Mile High City on the offensive end, but on the defense, they might struggle to contain small-ball lineups.