Possible trade destinations for Jusuf Nurkic

The Denver Nuggets have had their name pop up in multiple trade discussions so far this season with the most recent coming from Marc Stein of ESPN saying that the Nuggets are “sure” to move Jusuf Nurkic before the trade deadline.

“A player who is sure to move between now and the trade deadline? Denver’s Jusuf Nurkic. Sources say that the Nuggets, having acknowledged that Nikola Jokic and Nurkic didn’t click as a pairing, are actively working to find Nurkic a new home that would give him the chance he deserves to be a front-line center.”

The wording is quite specific from Stein. The Nuggets plan on moving on from the Bosnian big man and find him a home where he can play extended minutes. With that being said, let’s dive into the endless abyss that is the NBA Trade Machine, shall we?

Atlanta Hawks

Nuggets send: Wilson Chandler, Will Barton, Jusuf Nurkic, 2017 Memphis 1st round pick

Hawks send: Paul Millsap and Thabo Sefolosha

The Denver Nuggets have been actively trying to obtain Millsap since last summer. The Hawks were rumored to have almost traded Millsap to Denver over the summer for Kenneth Faried, Will Barton, and a first round pick but the trade never came to fruition. Most recently the Nuggets were among the teams interested in trading for Millsap before the Hawks took him off the trading block.

Reasoning for Denver: The Nuggets get the ideal power forward to make a legitimate run at the playoffs and a good wing defender in Sefolosha. Millsap brings another high-IQ player to Denver that can stretch the floor, rebound, and, most importantly, defend at a high-level. The Nuggets have struggled on defense and bringing Millsap into the fold could drastically improve the Nuggets on that side of the floor while still improving the already stellar offense.

Reasoning for Atlanta: Atlanta gets Barton to improve their scoring punch off of the bench and also get a center prospect for the future being that the Dwight Howard experiment has not gone well so far. Nurkic could be a solid partner in the pick and roll for Dennis Schroder and be able to obtain the Grizzlies first round pick will be the first step to re-tooling the roster this offseason.

Milwaukee Bucks

Nuggets send: Will Barton and Jusuf Nurkic

Bucks send: Greg Monroe

The Bucks have been trying to move Monroe since he landed in Milwaukee and, for a Nuggets team looking to make the playoffs, he may be an ideal backup center. The Nuggets are so far under the salary floor they have the space to absorb Monroe’s contract without it hurting Denver’s long-term financial flexibility being that Monroe likely opt-out of his contract this summer.

Reasoning for Denver: Monroe is a significant upgrade for the backup center role than the way Nurkic is currently playing. He would be another veteran presence to help solidify the bench unit who has played some of his best basketball through the first half of this season. The Nuggets get to move on from Nurkic as well as open up minutes for both Juancho Hernangomez and Jamal Murray by sending Barton to the Bucks.

Reasoning for Milwaukee: The Bucks get additional scoring and spacing from Barton while they await the return of Kris Middleton. Once Middleton is back Barton can lead the bench unit as well as roll over the style of play from starters to the bench unit given his proficiency in the pick and roll as a ball-handler as a wing. Nurkic represents a young center prospect that could be a good counter for the much longer and more athletic John Henson.

New York Knicks

Nuggets send: Jusuf Nurkic

Knicks send: Willy Hernangomez

How cool would it be to have both of the Hernangomez brothers, who have dreamed of playing together on the same NBA team since they were children, to reunite in Denver while still making both teams better? That seems to be the case for this particular deal.

Reasoning for Denver: You mean besides reuniting the Hernangomez brothers in Denver?! Willy Hernangomez would be an ideal backup center for the Nuggets. He works extremely hard, fights for rebounds, plays smart basketball, and has shown the potential to shoot from distance being that he is shooting 30 percent from deep on 10 attempts this season. He is a much less ball-dominant style center which would allow Murray to take a bigger role with the bench unit.

Reasoning for New York: Nurkic seems like an ideal power-center to play along Kristaps Porzingis. Nurkic also has a higher ceiling than Willy Hernangomez. The Knicks and all their insanity are also seemingly ready to blow up the “super team” experiment with Phil Jackson and Carmelo Anthony butting heads, Derrick Rose not showing up for games for unknown reasons, and Joakim Noah struggling the majority of the season. Nurkic is a very solid prospect who will help with the seemingly inevitable youth movement in New York.