Denver Nuggets: Why they need to trade for James Harden

What a Denver Nuggets trade for James Harden would look like

The package here likely looks like a lot but let’s dig into it before you overreact. Will Barton is a very solid wing but he is seeing a decrease in his role and has bristled at that at times. It will only get worse once Michael Porter, Jr. comes back because they play a similar role on this team. Being off to his worst scoring season since he got to Denver has not endeared him to fans.

However the Houston Rockets could make great use of him given his previously gaudy numbers (37.5 percent from long range on 5.0 attempts last season) and a change of scenery could get him back on track. Barton also have a player option after the season, meaning cap space could be in Houston’s future.

The prize here is Michael Porter, Jr. He had a breakout bubble and looked to be fulfilling the promise that had him ranked as one of the top prospects in the country coming out of high school. In the seeding games he averaged 22.0 points and 8.6 rebounds while exhibiting a promising 3-point shooting touch.

In the four games he appeared in this season his overall production has dropped (19.5 points and 6.8 rebounds) but his 3-point shooting has stayed strong on increased attempts (42.3 percent on 6.5 attempts). He is also contributing a steal and 1.5 blocks in each game.

This will be a loss that hurts for Denver but it is time to capitalize on Jokic’s prime rather than playing for the future. To get a MVP-caliber player comes at a cost and Harden is well worth it. Besides, Michael Porter, Jr. has some more than questionable off court opinions so thinking solely about that could take away some of the sting.

Gary Harris is simply here for salary filler purposes. He was signed as a bargain a few years ago and has only lost value since, unfortunately.