2021 NBA Trade Deadline: 10 trades to shake up the season

Trade No. 4: Harrison Barnes to the Denver Nuggets

The Denver Nuggets have been in lukewarm form this season. After pulling off two consecutive major upsets in last season’s postseason, many thought that this would be the year that the Nuggets would break out and get the first seed in the Western Conference.

This has not been the case so far and they are, at the moment, just barely avoiding any play-in games. Apart from an MVP-caliber season from Nikola Jokic, the only viable help the Nuggets are getting is from Jamal Murray. That just ain’t enough in today’s NBA.

The Nuggets have been in trade scenarios regarding Gary Harris and Will Barton for quite some time now, but have never actually gone through with anything. It is clear to the naked eye that these two aren’t helping the team, so why not try to improve on that?

A player that is rightfully on Denver’s radar is Harrison Barnes. He is a potent scorer whose points per game average has been near the twenties for a few years now and could pick up the slack when Jokic and Murray are asphyxiated by the league’s top defenses.

Barnes does not fit the rebuilding plans set by the Sacramento Kings and they would be willing to let him got at a low price. He is tied on a multi-year contract that has no use in Sacramento, but could help a contender like the Nuggets from day one.