Do the Nuggets need to trade for three-point shooting?

Gary Harris was one of the NBA’s best 3-point shooters over two years spanning the beginning of the 2016-17 season to the end of 2017-18. The Nuggets’ two-guard was one of just eight players (Stephen Curry, Kyle Lowry, Kyrie Irving, CJ McCollum, Klay Thompson, JJ Redick, Kyle Korver) to shoot better than 39.5% from 3-point range on at least 4.5 attempts from distance in both seasons.

Since the end of the 2017-18 season, Harris’ 3-point shot has abandoned him. Harris shot 33.9% from 3-point range in 2018-19, a mark that was chalked up to the nagging injuries that Denver’s starting shooting guard dealt with last season, but that trend has continued throughout the first four months of his 2019-20 campaign. Harris has been a stalwart on defense and has locked up some of the league’s top guards, yet after going 1 of 5 from 3-point range in the Nuggets’ 111-103 loss to the Cavaliers, he’s now shooting just 31.4% from distance on the year.

Denver hitting just 8 of its 39 3-point attempts was what some Nuggets players cited as the central reason for one of their worst defeats of the season. Michael Malone mentioned a lack of shooting too, but also Denver’s rebounding (the Nuggets were out-rebounded 55-42) and fourth-quarter defense as other factors that contributed to his team dropping an inexplicable loss to the now 12-27 Cavaliers.

“We had I think all night long great looks,” Malone said. “I think I said to our guys in that first quarter when we couldn’t make a shot at all, ‘How many shots of ours were in and out?’ Sometimes when you miss they’re bad misses. We got good looks.”

Three out of the Nuggets’ four most frequent 3-point shooters — Jamal Murray, Will Barton, Nikola Jokic, who’s 3-point shooting is trending up, and Harris — are currently in shooting ruts. Murray, who’s poor 3-point shooting season continued Sunday (Murray shot just 2 of 9 from 3-point range and is 32.5% from 3 on the year), said that he was happy with the looks his team got “for the most part” but they just didn’t go in. Barton went 1 of 6 from 3-point land against the Cavs and after shooting above 42% from 3 in October, and November has converted on 30.8% and 25% of his 3-points in December and January, respectively.

Jokic went 2 of 5 from 3-point range against Cleveland and is now hitting on 32.9% of his 3s this season after spending most of this year hovering in the mid-20’s from distance.

As a team, the Nuggets rank 22nd in the league in 3-point shooting. Denver is converting on just 34.4% of its triples, the fourth-worst mark in the West, and the third-worst percentage among current playoff teams.

Do the Nuggets need to upgrade their shooting? Denver’s offense has been humming as of late, and the Nuggets have the NBA’s second-best attack since Dec. 1, but the 3-pointers haven’t been dropping. Denver’s loss to Cleveland was the eighth-straight game where the Nuggets have made nine or fewer 3-pointers in a game. It’s the team’s longest such streak since the end of the 2015-16 season.

The Nuggets’ fortunes could turn. Murray has shown to be somewhat of a streaky shooter and after starting last season cold from 3-point range he hit on at least 40% of his 3s in January and February. Harris had the best 3-point shooting month of his 2018-19 campaign in March. But if it doesn’t, Denver can’t enter the playoffs with this poor of a 3-point shooting roster.

These 3-point marksmen look to be the best shooters that currently are or could become available over the next month.

Marcus Morris – Currently shooting 46.9% from 3-point range

If Morris wants out of New York, he’s building a persuasive resume to contribute to a contender in the playoffs. He’s been lights out from 3 on nearly six attempts per game.

Davis Bertans – Currently shooting 43.2% from 3-point range

Every GM of a playoff team is probably calling the Wizards about Bertans’ availability, and they should be. He’s a sniper from distance and a long-range threat that can change the dynamic of most second units. But Washington’s reported asking price is high. Can the Nuggets put together a package of interest? Denver not having a first-round draft pick this summer, which Washington would surely covet, could hurt.

Tony Snell – Currently shooting 42.7% from 3-point range

The fire sale in Detroit is on for the 14-26 Pistons. They look like one of the biggest sellers in the league with less than a month to go before the deadline. Andre Drummond could be on the move, as could everyone else on the Pistons’ roster, including Snell who’s shot around 40% from distance for the last four seasons. Snell’s teammate, Svi Mykhailiuk, who’s hit on 42.1% of his triples this year, could garner a look too.

JJ Redick – Currently shooting 41.6% from 3-point range

Redick’s a career 41.6 shooter from 3 and is red-hot from distance this season in New Orleans. The Pelicans have won 7 of their last 10 and are just 3 1/2 games behind the eighth seed in the West, but New Orleans could still be sellers at the deadline depending on how the next few weeks go. How big of an impact Zion Williamson has once he returns to the floor could tilt the scales one way or the other.

Joe Harris – Currently shooting 41.3% from 3-point range

How desperate is Brooklyn to make the playoffs? The Nets are sitting in the eighth spot in the West but obviously, have bigger plans next season with Kevin Durant set to return. If Brooklyn wants to get something in return for Harris, who’s eligible for free agency this summer, they could put his name on the trade block this month. The interest around the league would surely be high.

Evan Fournier – Currently shooting 40.6% from 3-point range

Fournier’s salary (he’s earning around $17 million this season and has a player option this summer for the same amount in 2020-21) could scare the Nuggets and rival teams off. Still, he’s a proven shooter who started his career in Denver.

Markieff Morris – Currently shooting 40.2% from 3-point range

Another Piston, Morris, could be on the move over the next month.

Danilo Gallinari – Currently shooting 39.7% from 3-point range

Gallinari’s salary ($22,6 million) this season would be a tough number for the Nuggets to match in a trade, but he’s the highest-impact player on this list. He still has a home in Denver too, and is familiar with the roster also.

Bogdan Bogdanovic – Currently shooting 38.3% from 3-point range

Another 3-point marksman that’s set to enter free agency, Bogdanovic would be a massive boost to any playoff team.

E’Twaun Moore – Currently shooting 39.3% from 3-point range

Moore has shot at least 37% from 3 in five-straight seasons.

The Bottom Line

The Nuggets from what I can tell don’t appear eager to move any of their significant pieces (Jokic, Murray, Harris, Barton, Paul Millsap, or Jerami Grant, who Denver surrendered this summer’s first-round pick for last July). They shouldn’t relinquish a significant piece to get any of the shooters mentioned above, either.

Denver does appear willing to move Malik Beasley and Juancho Hernangomez, who are both set to hit free agency this summer. But could the Nuggets get a substantial return on either former first-round pick?

Trading for a shooter might not make Malone’s job any easier. He’s already had to juggle a deep rotation that includes rookie Michael Porter Jr. this season, and adding another wing to the mix—even if Beasley and Hernangomez are no longer in Denver —still makes for some tough decisions on playing time.

It’s a difficult predicament for the Nuggets. Denver has a roster full of players who have been quality shooters before and even Beasley, who the Nuggets could move before the Feb. 6 trade deadline, has been one of Denver’s better 3-point shooters over the last two seasons. But how much longer can the Nuggets let this problem linger before it’s too late?

The next month will be fascinating.