After years of rotting at the bottom in the league, the Denver Nuggets have managed to turn themselves into a legitimate playoff contender in the Western Conference. However, in order to have a realistic chance of fully dominating the Western Conference and winning the NBA championship title, some people believe that the Nuggets still need a third star alongside franchise cornerstones Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray. Though the 2019-20 NBA season is still in limbo, the Nuggets are already being linked to several NBA superstars who are expected to be available on the trade market in the 2020 NBA offseason, including Bradley Beal of the Washington Wizards.
The Wizards still haven’t shown any indication that they are planning to make Beal available on the trading block this summer but if they finally consider moving the All-Star guard, the Nuggets should immediately grab the opportunity to add him to their roster. According to James Siegle of Fansided’s Hoops Habit , the Nuggets could offer a trade package that includes former No. 14 overall pick Michael Porter Jr. and multiple first-rounders to the Wizards in exchange for Beal.
Acquiring a player of Beal’s caliber on the trade market would undeniably be expensive, but he’s definitely worth every asset that the Nuggets would send to the Wizards. As Siegle noted, Beal would tremendously boost the Nuggets’ performance, especially on the offensive end of the floor, giving them a very reliable scoring option next to Jokic and Murray.
“Beal is a professional scorer, widely-respected for his tough shot-making ability and slithery athleticism. He would run a great pick-and-roll with Jokic, as his mid-range game is deadly and he’s a strong finisher above the rim. Beal is also capable of wrapping things up in the clutch, a premier factor in today’s game. This year’s scoring average is probably inflated with the lackluster Wizards, yet he’s currently enjoying his 4th straight campaign with 22 or more points per contest. The man should get buckets anywhere he goes, even if there’s a slight dip.”
The potential acquisition of Beal would enable the Nuggets to create their own “Big Three” that could give them a legitimate chance of beating Western Conference powerhouse teams like the Los Angeles Lakers and the Los Angeles Clippers in a best-of-seven series. Compared to other NBA superstars who are also expected to be available on the trade market this summer, Beal is capable of excelling in an off-ball capacity, making him an ideal fit alongside ball-dominant players like Jokic and Murray.
Beal may have said on numerous occasions that he wants to finish his NBA career with the Wizards but at this point in his NBA career, he will better off being traded to a legitimate title contender like the Nuggets than wasting his prime being stuck in mediocrity. Accepting the Nuggets’ proposed offer would allow the Wizards to acquire assets that could help them speed up the rebuilding process if they finally decide to take a different route.