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Nuggets attempt to maximize their title window with trade ahead of Game 4

By Jonathan Lurensky

Jun 7, 2023; Miami, Florida, USA; Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic (15) practices before game three of the 2023 NBA Finals at Kaseya Center. Mandatory Credit: Sam Navarro-USA TODAY Sports
Jun 7, 2023; Miami, Florida, USA; Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic (15) practices before game three of the 2023 NBA Finals at Kaseya Center. Mandatory Credit: Sam Navarro-USA TODAY Sports /
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The Nuggets are two wins away from an NBA championship. But they’re also pulling off trades to help ensure this isn’t their only shot.

As reported by Adrian Wojnarowski, the Nuggets are trading a 2029 first-round pick for the least favorable of the Thunder’s 2024 first-round picks. They are also acquiring the No. 37 pick in this year’s draft and a 2024 second-round pick.

Quickly for the Thunder, this allows the team to have a future asset that they could make a trade with as they start to reach title contention. This will help the Thunder down the line when they probably have more picks than they can reasonably use right now.

Why did the Denver Nuggets make this trade?

The Nuggets are expected to trade this pick as reported by Mike Singer of the Denver Post. This will allow the Nuggets to trade one of their first-round picks for a veteran player or potentially move up in this year’s draft. If Bruce Brown leaves in free agency this summer (he has a player option that he will certainly decline), Denver can take a swing at finding a young replacement.

They will not be able to trade for a starter-level player with the first-round pick that they have. But it adds depth, security and youth. While it might not seem huge, this could be the difference between going back to the Finals or losing the Western Conference Finals over the next few years.

The Nuggets big three of Nikola Jokic, Michael Porter Jr and Jamal Murray are under contract for the next several years. Their other two starters are (Aaron Gordan and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope) are under contract for next season.

Denver’s front office certainly has realized that they have a title-contending window right now. Whether they win the title this or end up blowing their 2-1 lead to Miami, this team has a couple of years of contention. They have to do everything they can to win now, even it means a sacrifice in 2029.

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