It's "very possible" the Denver Nuggets will be active around the NBA trade deadline in February, according to Basketball Insiders' Alex Kennedy. Potential Nuggets players who could find themselves on the trade block include Kenneth Faried, Arron Afflalo and JaVale McGee.
Denver is 6-7 to start the season, and in a very competitive Western Conference, they appear unlikely to reach the playoffs. If the team continues to struggle, Kennedy speculates it to be likely that Denver becomes active near the February deadline.
"Yes, it's very possible," Kennedy wrote Sunday. "I think Brian Shaw is on the hot seat there (I just filmed a video about this topic for Basketball Insiders that will run this week) and I believe they could be a team to watch at the trade deadline. If the Nuggets continue to struggle, expect plenty of executives to start circling that roster like vultures. As you said, they have some attractive players who could be significant contributors elsewhere, so if they continue to struggle, don't be surprised if there are a lot of trade rumors and coaching change rumors surfacing over the next few months."
Faried is the first name that comes to mind, namely because of the assets Denver could receive by moving him. Although the 25-year-old recently signed a four-year contract extension, a report from ESPN's Kevin Arnovitz indicated the Nuggets' front office isn't sold on the power forward.
"Several sources around the league insist the Nuggets' hand was forced with regard to Faried," Arnovitz wrote Monday. "... Faried was a fan favorite in Denver, multiple sources with knowledge of the Nuggets' thinking maintain the team 'isn't crazy about him,' particularly (coach Brian) Shaw. But with Faried's boffo showing last summer with Team USA and a loyal following in Denver, the media-conscious Nuggets caved, adding yet another imperfect 4-man to their lot."
Afflalo, McGee and Timofey Mozgov all are also likely to garner attention from other teams, and at this point it seems likely that any player on the Nuggets' roster will be available for the right price.
