How This Trade Impacts Denver Nuggets
The Denver Nuggets looked like a team that could make a run to the NBA Finals last season. Then, Jamal Murray suffered a knee injury, dashing those hopes. Without Murray, the Nuggets are a strong team, but they are not on the same level as other championship contenders.
Their issues have been on full display early in the season. When they don’t have reigning MVP Nikola Jokic on the court, they crumble. Their net rating with Jokic on the court is 14.5. When he is off the court, it is -21.4, equaling out to a mind-blowing 35.9 difference.
That is a wild number to see and one the Nuggets have to figure out how to fix. One way to do that would be swinging for the fences on a trade, and acquiring Damian Lillard would qualify.
Lillard is a superstar and would elevate some teams into legitimate contenders should he be traded to them. In the Nugget case, they would have arguably the most explosive offense in the NBA with Lillard joining Jokic and up-and-coming scorer, Michael Porter Jr.
LATEST NBA NEWS & TRADE RUMORS: 3 Trade Targets For Trail Blazers To Get Dame More Help
Everything the Nuggets do with Murray can be done with Lillard but at another level. Denver would love for Murray to reach the heights that Lillard has, but given the injury he suffered, he may struggle to do that.
No one would blame the Nuggets for going all-in on chasing a title to this length. They would be legitimate contenders with Lillard on board and there should be no price too expensive to make the most of one of the prime seasons in Jokic’s career.
