NBA Trade Rumors: Nuggets Could Acquire Julius Randle For Gary Harris And 1st-Round Pick
After reaching the Western Conference Finals last year, the Denver Nuggets are off to a slow start in the 2020-21 NBA season, currently sitting at the No. 11 spot in the same conference with a 3-4 record. Although they’re finding their way back to the winning column, their current performance shows that they need more star power around Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray in order to have a better chance of capturing the Larry O’Brien Trophy this year. In recent months, the Nuggets have already been linked to several players who could be available before the 2021 trade deadline.
One of the most intriguing targets for Denver is Julius Randle of the New York Knicks. In a recent article, Brett Siegel of NBA Analysis Network came up with an idea on how the Nuggets would be able to bring Randle to Mile High City this season. In the proposed scenario, the Nuggets would be sending a package that includes Gary Harris and a 2022 first-round pick to the Knicks in exchange for Randle and Reggie Bullock.
“As mentioned earlier, Denver’s biggest flaw as a team this season is that they do not have reliable rebounders in the frontcourt, which is why Julius Randle is a no-brainer target for the Nuggets. Not to mention, he is only 26-years old and can fill the void that Jerami Grant left perfectly for many years to come. With Grant gone and Millsap in the final years of his career, the Nuggets need to find another player to pair with Jokic for the foreseeable future quickly, which is why the Nuggets trading for Randle makes a lot of sense moving forward.”
Randle is yet to be named an All-Star, but he would be an incredible addition to the Nuggets. His arrival in Denver would significantly improve their performance on both ends of the floor, giving them a very reliable third scoring option, monster rebounder, facilitator, and floor-spacer. This season, the 26-year-old power forward is averaging 22.1 points, 11.4 rebounds, and 7.4 assists while shooting 50.9 percent from the field and 40.7 percent from beyond the arc, per ESPN.
With his current performance, it remains to be seen if the Knicks plan to make Randle available on the trading block. However, the former No. 7 overall pick might be intrigued by the idea of playing for a legitimate title contender like the Nuggets. Unlike the Knicks, joining forces with Jokic and Murray in Denver would give him a realistic chance of competing for the championship this season.
