NBA Rumors: Nuggets Considered Best Landing Spot For Victor Oladipo This Offseason
Indiana Pacers shooting guard Victor Oladipo is among the players who are frequently mentioned in trade rumors. He may still have one year left on his contract with the Pacers, but there is speculation that he’s planning to demand a trade this offseason. Once he expresses his desire to leave, the Pacers will be left with no choice but to entertain offers for him than lose him in the summer of 2021 as an unrestricted free agent without getting anything in return.
Of all his possible trade destinations this fall, Grant Hughes of Bleacher Report believes that the best landing spot for Oladipo is the Denver Nuggets. According to Hughes, the Oladipo-to-Denver deal would benefit both the veteran shooting guard and the Nuggets as they could help one another in proving their doubters wrong in the 2020-21 NBA season.
“More broadly, both Oladipo and the Nuggets could help one another in their efforts to prove detractors wrong. Oladipo must demonstrate he’s fit and capable of being an All-NBA talent ahead of free agency, while the Nuggets have to convince the league their magical 2020 playoff run was no illusion. Player and team need validation, so their incentives and mindsets should be aligned. That’s a recipe for a powerful partnership.”
Oladipo would undeniably be an intriguing addition to the Nuggets. He’s yet to return to his old self since suffering an injury, but once he regains his All-Star form, his potential arrival in Denver would enable them to create their own “Big Three” with Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray next year. Jokic and Murray have indeed blossomed into dependable superstars, but in order to have a better chance of fully dominating the loaded Western Conference and bringing home the Larry O’Brien Trophy, the Nuggets obviously need more star power on their roster.
When healthy, Oladipo is capable of filling the role of the third fiddle next to Jokic and Murray. He would help the Nuggets improve their performance on both ends of the floor, giving them a very reliable scoring option, playmaker, floor-spacer, and perimeter defender. Last season, he averaged 14.5 points, 3.9 rebounds, and 2.9 assists while shooting 39.4 percent from the field and 31.7 percent from beyond the arc, per ESPN.
The Nuggets may not currently be viewed on the same level as the Los Angeles Lakers, Los Angeles Clippers, and Golden State Warriors, but compared to the Pacers, they could give Oladipo a realistic chance of contending for his first championship ring next year. An impressive stint with a legitimate title contender like the Nuggets would help Oladipo rebuild his value and land a decent contract in the 2021 free agency.
