A big topic of conversation this season has been the play of Denver Nuggets superstar Nikola Jokic. Jokic is having the best season of his career, which is really saying something since he has won three MVPs in the last four seasons with a Finals MVP and a championship sprinkled in.
The 30-year-old could lead the NBA in scoring and rebounding and ranks second in assists, meaning that he could be just the third player ever to average a triple-double and the first center to do so. Even so, that might not be enough, which is why they should scour the trade market.
Chicago Bull star Zach LaVine is available, and despite him having an impressive season thus far, he has failed to generate much trade interest, according to ESPN's Brian Windhorst. That should be interesting to the Nuggets, who could use a player of his caliber, especially given his shot creation and shooting ability. With the Bulls failing to find a taker for their best player, due to his ugly contract, the Nuggets are presented with an opportunity.
They could potentially offer Michael Porter Jr. and Zeke Nnaji for LaVine straight up, and they would probably be able to say that they have made a competitive offer. While Porter Jr. is still a good player, he is seen as being overpaid while Nnaji is making at least $8 million this season and over each of the next three years but isn't a part of the rotation, essentially making him a dead salary.
Worst-case scenario, they could offer their 2031 first-round pick, perhaps as a pick swap to sweeten the deal while still ensuring that they will have a first-round pick that year.
The Denver Nuggets should trade for Chicago Bulls star Zach LaVine.
As is, the Nuggets can't continue to rely on Jokic as much as they have with him also having to pick up the slack for Jamal Murray. They also have issues with 3-point shooting, with them not having enough shooters to keep up with other teams.
LaVine is a terrific shooter who creates shots for himself, and that could be a welcome addition to the Nuggets and possibly boost their already above-average offense. LaVine's contract is a potential sticking point, but swapping Porter Jr. and Nnaji's bad contracts for LaVine's would offset most of his deal. Actually, LaVine's contract is one year shorter than Nnaji's, so they would technically save money on the deal.
Ultimately, if the Nuggets could trade two of their worse contracts for an upgrade in LaVine, then that would be a win, particularly if they don't have to give up a first-round pick. Whether they trade for LaVine remains to be seen, but it's clear that they will need to make a big move to try and improve their roster around Jokic.