Does This Trade Make Sense For The Denver Nuggets?
The Denver Nuggets are already a really good basketball team, but they could become elite like the Lakers, Clippers and Jazz by adding Pascal Siakam to their roster. Outside of Murray and Jokic, this team has a lot of talented players, but they are all very inconsistent at times. Michael Porter Jr. was supposed to be the third scoring option for this team this year and step up into a bigger role, but with him missing almost a month due to COVID-19 related issues, he is still trying to get back up to speed.
He offers a ton of upside in the future, but this Nuggets team is built to win now and Siakam can help them reach their full potential now whereas Michael Porter Jr. is only a key role player now. Down the road, MPJ could grow into one of the better wings in the league, but Denver does not have a lot of time to wait as their championship window is very small.
Losing Jerami Grant really hurt the Nuggets and it has shown this year. There has been a void on this team on the forward position and they really have not been able to fill this void with any players that are currently on their roster.
RELATED: NBA Trade Rumors: This Kings-Nuggets trade features Buddy Hield to Denver
With no players stepping up this year for the Nuggets and emerging as that third, high-level scoring talent they need, trading for Pascal Siakam makes a lot of sense, even if they have to give up as much value as they do. The Nuggets have still been winning games without Gary Harris, making him expendable and while both Porter Jr. and Hampton are the future of the Nuggets, they have a chance to win now, which is why this trade is definitely realistic for them.
Acquiring Siakam makes the Denver Nuggets a true championship contender instead of a championship pretender and while they would be giving up a lot to get him, players like Pascal Siakam do not become available in trades every day, which is why the Nuggets should be very willing to execute this trade.