Nuggets Listed as Favorites to Land All-Defensive Wing Behind Lakers, Mavericks originally appeared on Athlon Sports.
The Denver Nuggets, behind Nikola Jokic, are expected to compete in the Western Conference for the next several years despite the lack of All-Star talent around him.
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Aaron Gordon, Jamal Murray, Christian Braun, and Michael Porter Jr. are all quality players, although none of them are a reliable true second option on a championship team, especially on the defensive end of the floor.
Jokic has the uncanny ability to make anyone around him suddenly become one of the better scorers in the league, although his impact on the defensive end is simply not on par with his offensive skillset. As a result, the Nuggets are expected to try and make an offseason move to bolster their defense.
Jan 12, 2024; Denver, Colorado, USA; New Orleans Pelicans forward Herb Jones (5) controls the ball ahead of Denver Nuggets forward Michael Porter Jr. (1) in the third quarter at Ball Arena.
© Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images
Denver has very limited cap space and doesn’t boast the best in the way of trade assets, although they have the fifth-best odds to land Herb Jones in a trade this summer, according to offshore sportsbook Bovada.
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Other teams in the mix include the Dallas Mavericks and Los Angeles Lakers, who have better trade packages available to land the All-Defensive forward.
The Nuggets’ payroll is very top-heavy, and they don’t exactly boast expiring contracts that would be appealing to the rebuilding New Orleans Pelicans. They could send a package centered around Porter Jr., although the Pelicans would then need to match his salary.
Jones averaged 11 points on 41.8 percent shooting from deep in 2023-24, his last healthy season. He played only 20 games last season as injuries plagued New Orleans, although he is generally seen as the very best perimeter defender in the NBA.
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Unless Denver can shed some salary in a move before adding Jones, expect the Lakers and Mavericks, as well as the Spurs and Rockets, to remain the favorites.
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This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 1, 2025, where it first appeared.
