In the aftermath of the Denver Nuggets trading Peyton Watson, there has been a lot of talk about what's next for their team. The Nuggets have clearly been looking to shed salary this offseason, even if it means making their team worse.
By signing and trading away Watson for a first and a second-round pick, they definitely did that. However, they may not be done making moves just yet.
The first-round pick they acquired is a Cleveland Cavaliers 2031 unprotected first. While acquiring an unprotected first that's five years from conveying usually holds plenty of value, that may not be the case.
The Nuggets' first move after trading Peyton Watson just revealed itself
Thanks to the NBA's recent draft lottery reform, that pick may not be as valuable as some Nuggets fans would hope. Remember, being one of the three worst teams in the NBA no longer gets rewarded.
If the Cavs finished in the four through 12 range, that pick would have equal odds at the number one pick. Basically, it's anyone's guess if it will actually be good or not. As a result, the Nuggets should be aggressive moving on from that pick to maximize its value before other teams catch on.
The most obvious trade candidate would be Christian Braun, who is on an ugly contract that the Nuggets would surely love to get off of. That may still be difficult to do even with an unprotected pick courtesy of the Cavs.
Still, if they could package him along with the Cavs' pick and perhaps their unprotected 2033 first-round pick swap, that might be enough to convince a bad team to take on his contract.
Perhaps even give the Nuggets a decent player in return. Of course, that could be a double-edged sword.
The Nuggets may struggle to keep Nikola Jokic due to penny-pinching
By trading both Watson and Brown, the Nuggets would be trading a key rotation player and a starter in the same offseason. Not replacing either would qualify as a clear downgrade, and that could spell trouble for them in more ways than one.
Superstar Nikola Jokic won't sign a contract extension this summer. That means that he will hit free agency but has stated that he plans on re-signing. Still, that should terrify the Nuggets.
Having the best player in the NBA hit free agency means that any team could lure him away. That doesn't mean they will, but if the Nuggets are penny-pinching, then that could push him out the door.
In the meantime, Denver may use the assets received from the Watson trade to move Braun. The cost could be more than a few picks with Jokic's pending contract situation.
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