New Nuggets’ Trade Target Could Fix Their Lack of Frontcourt Depth
With the NBA trade deadline less than a month away, contenders now know what they need to improve on to compete for a championship this season, including the Denver Nuggets. Denver has had a solid start to the season as they currently sit fourth in the Western Conference standings with a 21-15 record.
Despite this, they have not looked like the championship caliber team they have been over the past few seasons. Nikola Jokić has once again had a great season for the Nuggets, but the rest of the roster has struggles. Outside of Jokić, Michael Porter Jr. has been their second-best player this season due to the injury struggles from both Jamal Murray and Aaron Gordon. While injuries have been an problem this season, Denver’s biggest issue is their bench. Denver’s bench has been one of the least productive in the NBA this season and they must upgrade their frontcourt depth. DeAndre Jordan is currently the team’s backup center as Zeke Nnaji has fallen out of the rotation all together. Because of this, the Nuggets are reportedly looking to upgrade their frontcourt depth via trade. They have been linked to many players on the trade block, but a recent report has them showing interest in a veteran center from the Charlotte Hornets.
According to Forbes’ Evan Sidery, the Nuggets are among one of six teams expressing interest in landing Nick Richards from Charlotte. The Hornets are expected to move some of their veterans to add future draft capital to help their rebuild.
So far this season, Richards is averaging 9.2 points, 7.7 rebounds, and 1.3 blocks per game while shooting 56.4% from the field. While his numbers have dipped from last season, a change of scenery may help them improve. For the Nuggets, acquiring Richards would be a major upgrade at their backup center position, but it is also a risk. The 27-year-old has dealt with many injuries during his career and has never played more than 67 games in a season.
With Denver likely being able to land Richards for cheap, it is a risk worth taking to add some help off the bench.
