NBA Draft 2014: Should The Denver Nuggets Trade Their First-Round Pick?
By Andrew Dill
It’s time to start looking forward to the 2014 NBA Draft in June and what the Denver Nuggets should do with their pick. Should they keep it or should they trade it? That will be the question within the next month as Denver currently sits with the 11th overall pick in the upcoming draft in June.
You could make the case that Denver should keep the pick and draft a player like James Young or Nik Stauskas to add more depth. But the Nuggets are already deep as a team and here’s an idea on why they should pick. Here’s how Denver’s roster stacks up as of today.
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As you can see, Denver has enough depth at the small forward, power forward, and center position. They have two open roster spots as Aaron Brooks and Jan Vesely had expiring contracts. They could be looking to upgrade at shooting guard. Denver is in need of a perimeter defender which Brian Shaw and Tim Connelly have been reiterating since the ending of the season. As far as free-agents go, Trevor Ariza of the Washington Wizards is a player that stands out to me.
Ariza’s a long, athletic forward that is known for his defense but is an average to below average offensive player. It will be hard to see Denver paying Ariza what he’s making now but I wouldn’t rule him out as an option. I would also look at Avery Bradley but he is a restricted free-agent with the Boston Celtics.
Denver is a team that is competing to make the Western Conference playoffs, which is why I can’t see them selecting someone at 11 and hoping they can make an immediate impact. One way I could see them picking at 11 is a player like Tyler Ennis or Shabazz Napier (may be a stretch). With Nate Robinson possibly gone after next season, Denver will need another point guard to carry the reigns with Ty Lawson.
Denver was terrible defensively last season which can be attributed to injuries. They were 28th in opponents points per game last season, giving up a whopping 106.5 points per, right behind the Los Angeles Lakers (109.2) and Philadelphia 76ers (109.9). Having Danilo Gallinari back in the mix will definitely help, along with shot-blocking center JaVale McGee.
If Denver wants to win now and make some noise in the Western Conference, trading the 11th overall pick makes sense to try an acquire a player that fits right in and can contribute, preferably on the defensive side of the ball.