The Denver Nuggets have been one of the worst teams in the Western Conference for quite some time now and are aggressively searching to get out of the rut that they are in. Denver tried to convince Dwyane Wade to sign with them in free agency before he eventually ended up signing with the Chicago Bulls. Apparently, the Nuggets actually did enough to intrigue Wade.
If the Nuggets want to give acquiring a superstar one more shot, there is one player in particular they should pursue via a trade. That player is Oklahoma City Thunder superstar point guard Russell Westbrook.
According to a report from Dan Feldman of Pro Basketball Talk , many general managers around the NBA believe that the Thunder are likely to trade Westbrook ahead of the season. That belief is due to the fact that the Thunder are no longer a serious threat to contend in the Western Conference after losing Kevin Durant to the Golden State Warriors.
Why would Denver try to acquire Westbrook when they know that he is in the final year of his contract and will be able to test free agency next offseason?
First of all, any team that acquires Westbrook will receive the bird rights that come along with his deal. They will be able to offer him a fifth year and a lot more money. Westbrook may choose to leave rather than get more money, but there is a very real chance that whoever acquires him will be able to keep him long-term.
Denver also can put together one of the best trade packages of any team around the league for Westbrook. If the Thunder do trade Westbrook, they will want a combination of young players and picks to help jumpstart their rebuilding process.
Matt Moore of CBS Sports also believes that the Nuggets are one of the top contenders to acquire Westbrook if the Thunder make him available via trade.
We previously have mentioned that the Cleveland Cavaliers could also be a contender to acquire Westbrook. Pairing him alongside LeBron James would make them a lethal contender with the Warriors.
Last season with the Thunder, Westbrook ended up averaging 23.5 points, 10.4 assists, and 7.8 rebounds per game. He would immediately put the Nuggets back on the map, and if he stayed long-term, he would be able to recruit others to join him.
Looking at what the Nuggets could offer the Thunder, there is no question that the two sides could come to a deal. Emmanuel Mudiay would without question be part of the deal, while talented young shooting guard Gary Harris could be included. Denver could offer either Danilo Gallinari or Wilson Chandler to the Thunder as well and would likely be willing to part with Kenneth Faried.
Other pieces that could be moved for Westbrook are multiple first-round picks and Will Barton.
If the Nuggets were to acquire Westbrook, it would be interesting to see how the star point guard took the move. He wouldn’t be able to compete for a championship in 2016-17, but tailoring a roster around himself would have to intrigue him.
Next offseason boasts an impressive free agency class. Westbrook has a lot of friends around the league he could help the Nuggets convince to sign with Denver. Building a team to compete with Durant and the Warriors is a chance that many NBA players would love to have at this point in time.
Expect to hear a lot of rumors coming out in the coming days about Westbrook and the teams interested in acquiring him. Denver may not end up being in the running to get him, but it would certainly make sense for their franchise to make an aggressive push to trade for him.
Do you think the Denver Nuggets should aggressively pursue a trade for Russell Westbrook? Would he be interested in staying with the Nuggets long-term and building the roster around him, or would he leave after the season? Let us know your thoughts in the comment box below!
[Photo by Sue Ogrocki/AP Images]