Nuggets Roundtable: Addressing the trade rumors surrounding Chandler, Nurkic and Mudiay

This week An Nguyen (@The_NGUYENNER), Joel Rush (@NuggetsDenJoel), and T.J. McBride (@BSN_McBride) came together to shed some light on some of the bigger questions surrounding the Nuggets.

With the trade deadline approaching what is the Nuggets’ main priority?

An: I think the main priority is finding Jusuf Nurkic a new home. I’ve always been a believer in his role on this team. I’m even one of the few believers that the Jurkic combo, with Nikola Jokic and Nurkic playing alongside one another, could still work (although situationally). It’s clear here that Nurkic isn’t satisfied. Not surprising for a mountain of a man with the foolhardy pride to match. The locker room could benefit from the cleared air and Nurkic could be a great centerpiece for a very juicy trade package.

Joel: To finally figure out what their main priority is. Or in lieu of that, to at least consolidate talent into a tighter, clearer rotation. While I don’t fault (or envy) the juggling act Malone has had to pull figuring out Denver’s overabundance of players who all deserve more minutes, it has clearly taken its toll. When even Wilson Chandler (as discussed below), esteemed for his positive attitude, is making his dissatisfaction public, it’s time to put the house in order. That means clarifying roles and minutes, committing to a consistent rotation the players understand and abide, and perhaps making one or more moves to whittle down the regular rotation to a manageable number, possibly by trading multiple players for a star if one’s available.

T.J.: Consolidating assets is priority number one. While it seems apparent that the Nuggets are looking to move on from Nurkic it’s difficult to send out the only other true center on the roster, outside of Jokic, without finding another center to bring back. There has been a lot of talk about big names potentially being available for trade and finding a deal to bring a wing like Jimmy Butler or Andre Roberson or even a defensive-minded power forward like Paul Millsap for some type of combination of players would be the type of deal that I would be pursuing.

What are your thoughts on Wilson Chandler wanting out of Denver and what can the Nuggets realistically expect to get in return for him?

An: I think that whole situation is overblown. It’s not like he’s demanding out of Denver. It is more like he is open to the idea. Which he should be. Since he’s been here, Chandler has been nothing but a consummate professional and if he decided that he wants to go a team that’s built to win now, I don’t see a single thing wrong with that. The Nuggets have a ton of wing depth and if they’re going to go that direction I would try to package him with Nurkic to get either a young and promising stretch four or Millsap if he’s available.

Joel: I feel bad for Chandler. He’s been the consummate professional, working hard to come back from injury, leading by example in the high-quality character department (as evidenced by his 2015 open letter to Denver), and dutifully accepting his role, whether as reserve or starter. Unfortunately, while Jokic moving into the starting center position benefitted the team overall, it seemed to render Chandler’s role uncertain, whereas he’d been the clear leader of the bench unit under the Jurkic lineup. But as much as I wish him the best, he’s so underrated that it’s implausible, especially considering how cap-friendly his current contract is, Denver gets fair value back for him. Thus I expect he’ll either remain or only get traded as part of a larger package.

T.J.: Chandler did say that he is not trying to force his way out of Denver but he also said he is not happy with his current role. I commend him for being concise and exact when talking about his situation in Denver. While he may want to explore playing for a new franchise it does seem like this situation has been built up to more than it really is. Chandler has constantly been a professional in Denver but it does make perfect sense that he is ready to move onto a different team and see if he can make a run at the NBA finals with a contender. With that being said, Chandler is one of the best trade chips the Nuggets have and he would be the ideal instant contributor on arguably any team to send in trade for a fringe All-Star or All-Star caliber player when packaged with draft picks or young talent.

How do you feel about the Nuggets reportedly gauging interest on Emmanuel Mudiay?

An: Their stance is pretty much my own: I’ll listen to offers but I’m not in any hurry to trade Mudiay. In my eyes, the future of this team is Jamal Murray, Gary Harris, and Jokic. That means that anything Mudiay develops into is a luxury. I’m still a firm believer that he will be very good in this league, the flashes of talent are there and the kid can’t even buy a drink yet. That being said, if something appetizing came across my way, and it would have to be absolutely mouthwatering, Mudiay won’t be the dealbreaker for me.

Joel: To me, it is too early to give up on Mudiay. As a rookie, he may have had one of the biggest leaps from extremely inexperienced to playing a major role as a starter (at arguably the league’s most competitive position) in the modern history of the NBA. As a sophomore, the Jurkic lineup had the most adverse effect on him over all other players, with its crowded paint and lack of shooters. And he has shown the capacity for improvement, namely this season in 3-point percentage and reducing his turnovers. That said, I have no problem with the Nuggets taking the temperature of his value around the league, especially if it might light a fire to motivate him. But as with Chandler, I worry that if the Nuggets sell, the return is likely to be too low. And there’s little cost to keeping him, even if he eventually ends up coming off the bench to clear minutes for Murray.

T.J.: I do like that Tim Connelly is willing to be aggressive if the opportunity presented itself but to panic-trade Mudiay this early is his career would be a terrible call from the front office. However, if a top flight point guard became available on the market that could fit alongside Jokic that is a call the Nuggets should make. Mudiay packaged with both first round picks is as enticing of a package of any for a team looking to take a step back and begin to rebuild. Zach Lowe mentioned in his piece that Eric Bledsoe could potentially be had and that is a move worth investigating. Same thought process would apply if John Wall became available. In summary, the only way I see Denver moving on from Mudiay is if they bring back a potential All-Star level point guard.