After spending years of patiently building and developing young players, the Nuggets’ front office had an uncharacteristically bold trade deadline Thursday. Denver acquired Orlando Magic standout Aaron Gordon and well-respected rim-protector JaVale McGee, who returns to the Mile High City for a second stint. The team also added some much-needed insurance at the wing by adding Gary Clark
The message is clear: The Nuggets are contenders and will make the moves necessary to give them a shot at their first-ever title. They wouldn’t have moved on from R.J. Hampton, a young guard brimming with potential, if they didn’t believe it. Gary Harris, the previous longest-tenured Nugget and beloved member of the locker room, wouldn’t be traded if Denver didn’t have the belief it was getting significantly better. The first rounder and Isaiah Hartenstein were also big assets to move on from.
Yet, the NBA is all about windows and opportunity.
Due to a combination of injuries, trades, and other factors, the Western Conference is as open as it has ever been. The Jazz (fifth last season) and the Suns, who were out of the playoffs last year, currently sit as the West’s leaders. The defending champion Lakers are currently sitting fourth with LeBron James and Anthony Davis on mend from ailments. Last season’s fourth-placed team, the Rockets, are currently 11th in the conference.
The Nuggets, sitting in fifth, have as good of a chance as any team to make a deep run in the playoffs. Nikola Jokić is entering his prime at 26 and is in the midst of an MVP-caliber season. Jamal Murray, 24 is averaging 22.9 points and 5.1 assists since the turn of February and is shooting a sizzling 46 percent from three in that stretch. During that same period, Michael Porter Jr., 22, has finally found his comfort zone as a third offensive option on the team.
The NBA is littered with examples of teams who didn’t capitalize in similar situations, so the Tim Connelly-led front office’s decision to address the Nuggets’ weaknesses signals where they think the team’s core is. The arrival of Gordon and McGee should amplify this team’s potency in both the starting unit and the reserves.
In Gordon, the Nuggets added a versatile stretch forward who can make an impact on both ends of the floor. The former Orlando forward might be largely known for his exploits in the 2016 and 2020 Slam Dunk contests, but his value extends higher than his vertical. Gordon can play and defend both the swingman and power forward positions. He isn’t as polished offensively as some of the other players in the starting five, but he doesn’t have to be considering the weapons the Nuggets have in their arsenal. It also doesn’t hurt Gordon is averaging a career-high in three-point percentage at 37.5 percent and offers the bounce out of the gym athleticism they’ve lacked since the departure of Jerami Grant.
READ MORE: What Gordon brings to Denver
Defensively is where Gordon might have the biggest impact. Michael Malone is a defensive-minded coach and he’s aided by the efforts of associate head coach Wes Unseld on that end. Despite some strong performances on that defense during the season, the Nuggets have overall been affected by inconsistency over the last two seasons. After posting a 108.1 defensive rating (10th in the NBA) in the 2018-19 season, the team fell to 110.4 last season (16th) and is currently sitting at 17th at 111.9. With Gordon’s 7-foot wingspan, athleticism, and impressive speed at 6-foot-9, he should be able to provide flexibility at that end and help with switches on guards and forwards.
Gordon wasn’t the only piece added to solve the Nuggets’ recent defensive issues. Rim protection and blocking shots have long been an issue in Denver, with the team currently sitting 25th in blocks per game (4.3) and opponent field goal percentage at the rim (65.7 percent). The addition of McGee, who has averaged 1.5 blocks throughout his career, should pay dividends in that area. He is one of the best players in the league in defending the rim. He should also add another lob threat for the bench unit that features two impressive facilitators in Monte Morris and Facundo Campazzo. His experience as a three-time title winner should also add another respected veteran in the locker room.
While Clark has been largely a fringe player during stints with the Rockets and Magic, he is a former two-time AAC Defensive Player of the Year and adds some depth to a position where Denver has largely been thin at this season.
At the start of the 2019-20 training camp in Colorado Springs, Michael Malone and his team stressed the Nuggets wouldn’t shy away from title expectations. They didn’t Thursday on the trade deadline.