NBA Trade Deadline 2018: 5 trades to rescue Kemba Walker

2. Denver Nuggets: Emmanuel Mudiay, Kenneth Faried, Darrell Arthur and Denver’s 2018 first-round pick for Kemba Walker and Marvin Williams

This trade also hinges on Charlotte biting the bullet on similar salary to that of Williams, but for one less season. Faried’s and Arthur’s contracts are just about as useless as Williams’ (meaning both players are playable on bad teams but not very valuable outside of that), but ends one season earlier. The real meat of this trade is Denver receiving a potential Walker replacement in Mudiay, as well as Denver’s first-rounder this season.

It is a similar deal to the one the Knicks could propose if Charlotte insists on including unwanted salary in a Walker trade.

Emmanuel Mudiay, Juancho Hernangomez and Malik Beasley for Kemba Walker

However, if the Hornets are willing to flip Walker for young players straight-up, this deal makes sense. Mudiay hasn’t worked out in Denver, but has a potential future as a starting-caliber ball-handler with a different team. He could be re-signed on the cheap next summer after falling out of the spotlight within the league. Hernangomez is in a very similar situation, unwanted in Denver but promising as a player. Beasley plays for Denver, but would see more minutes in Charlotte.

The Nuggets are in a position with too many decent youngsters and not enough minutes to give them in the midst of a playoff run. If they could flip three of them for one All-Star-level player like Walker, they would do it in a heartbeat.