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NBA Trade Rumors: Denver Nuggets want 1st-rounder for Arron Afflalo

By Phil Watson

Feb 4, 2015; Boston, MA, USA; Denver Nuggets guard forward Arron Afflalo (10) controls the ball during the first quarter against the Boston Celtics at TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: Greg M. Cooper-USA TODAY Sports
Feb 4, 2015; Boston, MA, USA; Denver Nuggets guard forward Arron Afflalo (10) controls the ball during the first quarter against the Boston Celtics at TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: Greg M. Cooper-USA TODAY Sports /
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According to a report, the Denver Nuggets are willing to move guard Arron Afflalo before the NBA trade deadline, but they want a first-round pick in return.

The Denver Nuggets will move guard Arron Afflalo at the trade deadline, if the price is right.

However, according to the Denver Post—citing “NBA sources”—that price includes a first-round draft pick.

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The eight-year veteran can be a free agent at the end of this season—the final year of his deal is a $7.3 million player option—and teams are likely reluctant to give up a first-round pick in exchange for a guy who could wind up being just a rental for two or three months.

The trade deadline is Feb. 19.

Afflalo, in his first year of his second stint with the Nuggets, is averaging 14.9 points, 3.5 rebounds and 1.9 assists in 33.3 minutes per game this year on a shooting line of .431/.347/.845.

That’s down considerably from last season, when he led the Orlando Magic with 18.2 points per game while also averaging 3.6 rebounds and 3.4 assists in 35 minutes a night. He shot .459/.427/.815 in 2013-14.

A first-round pick also seems sort of steep for a player who has never been a rotation member for a club that got past the first round of the playoffs.

According to the Denver Post report, it was that insistence on a first-round pick that scuttled a potential deal with the Charlotte Hornets.

Feb 6, 2015; Auburn Hills, MI, USA; Denver Nuggets forward Wilson Chandler (21) takes a shot during the second quarter against the Detroit Pistons at The Palace of Auburn Hills. Mandatory Credit: Raj Mehta-USA TODAY Sports
Feb 6, 2015; Auburn Hills, MI, USA; Denver Nuggets forward Wilson Chandler (21) takes a shot during the second quarter against the Detroit Pistons at The Palace of Auburn Hills. Mandatory Credit: Raj Mehta-USA TODAY Sports /

Charlotte is looking to add some scoring punch to the NBA’s 27th-ranked offensive attack.

Denver has already added two first-round picks this season, coming from the Cleveland Cavaliers in the deal that sent center Timofey Mozgov to “The ‘Land.”

Afflalo’s market price could improve were he to opt in for 2015-16 now.

The Nuggets have another wing scorer who is drawing some interest in Wilson Chandler, who averages 13.7 points, 6.1 rebounds and 1.5 assists in 31.7 minutes on .415/.339/.798 shooting.

Afflalo, 29, was the 27th overall pick by the Detroit Pistons out of UCLA in the 2007 NBA Draft and was traded to Denver in 2009 before going to the Magic Kingdom as part of the four-team extravaganza that sent Dwight Howard to the Los Angeles Lakers.

He was reacquired by the Nuggets in a draft night move last June for Evan Fournier and the draft rights to Devyn Marble.

Chandler, 27, was the 23rd pick in that same 2007 draft out of DePaul by the New York Knicks and he wound up in the Mile High City as part of the swap that sent Carmelo Anthony to Manhattan.

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