Nuggets Could Land Lottery Pick

Mar 13, 2013; Denver, CO, USA; Denver Nuggets guard Ty Lawson (3) shoots the ball during the first half against the New York Knicks at the Pepsi Center. Mandatory Credit: Chris Humphreys-USA TODAY Sports

Don’t look now, but the 8-6 Denver Nuggets currently sitting in the 7th seed of the Western Conference, might just get a lottery pick in the upcoming 2014 NBA Draft. How is this possible, you ask. I know its still very early in the season, but anything is possible. Well, during the Carmelo Anthony deal on Feb. 21st, 2011, that sent Carmelo Anthony, Chauncey Billups, Shelden Williams, Anthony Carter, and Renaldo Balkman to the Knicks, Denver would receive Wilson Chandler, Danilo Gallinari, Raymond Felton, Timofey Mozgov, and a 2014 first-round draft pick.

Denver will have two first-round picks this coming draft, but can only keep one. In the four-team trade acquiring forward Andre Iguodala from the Sixers, the Nuggets will convey its less favorable pick the Orlando Magic. Here is a reference from Real GM.

"2014 first round draft pick to OrlandoDenver will convey the less favorable of its 2014 1st round pick and New York’s 2014 1st round pick to Orlando [Denver-Minnesota-New York, 2/22/2011 and then Denver-L.A. Lakers-Orlando-Philadelphia, 8/10/2012]"

The New York Knicks are struggling mightily, as 31-year-old star center Tyson Chandler sits out with a fractured right fibula. The Knicks are currently 3-11 on the season with the third-worst record in the National Basketball Association. If you remember a week or so ago, the Knicks tried to trade guard Iman Shumpert to the Denver Nuggets for forward Kenneth Faried in search of rebound help, but Denver said no.

Their is no clear direction in which this Knicks franchise is going, as it looks even more like Denver robbed them in deal. The Knicks currently 27th overall in points per game (92.2), 27th in rebounds per game (40.3), and 24th in assists per game (19.5). Melo is set to become a free-agent after this season, and Nuggets fans remember that story. The Nuggets offered Carmelo a three-year contract extension worth around $65-million, but refused to sign. “Melo-Drama” could be in full-force during the trade deadline if the Knicks are still well out of the race. Here is a quote from Ian O’Connor on the day of the trade; he writes for ESPNNewYork.com

"In getting Melo, the Knicks made themselves better in the short and long run"

And as of right now according to that quote, the long run doesn’t look so good.

The Nuggets after starting off the season 0-3, have come on strong of late. Winners of four-straight and still missing forward Danilo Gallinari to a knee injury, and center JaVale McGee, who is out after having a stress fracture in his left tibia.

What could this potentially mean to the Nuggets? Well, lets just take a guess at this point that Danilo Gallinari comes back healthy at some point in December-January and the Nuggets continue to perform well. They would very well find themselves in the playoff race and have themselves a projected lottery-pick. They would continue to perform at a high-level and depending on the lotto balls, could land a player like Jabari Parker, Andrew Wiggins, or Julius Randle to add to an already deep team. Reports say that Jabari Parker might stay in college for another year or so possibly, but you get my point.

Which brings me back to the two squads. These two teams will meet up Friday night in Denver. Denver is riding on a four-game winning streak, looking for their fifth, while the Knicks are losers of seven-straight. Carmelo Anthony returns to the place where it all started; he was drafted third-overall in the 2003 NBA Draft behind LeBron James and Darko Milicic. Melo would lead Denver to the Western Conference Finals in 2009.