As of Tuesday night, Nikola Jokić is on pace to become just the third player in NBA history to average a triple-double for a season. It would go down as one of the best individual seasons in NBA history, and a season that will surely catapult Jokić into the realm of the greats who have played this game. But if his Denver Nuggets are going to remain title contenders, the three-time MVP’s greatness is still not enough.
With the NBA’s trade window opening this past weekend, and with the trade deadline less than two months away, the Nuggets are canvassing the league in pursuit of a player who can offer significant help offensively, league sources tell The Athletic.
As a result, the Nuggets have either expressed interest in, or have had preliminary trade discussions on the following players: Chicago’s Zach Lavine, Washington’s Jordan Poole, Utah’s Jordan Clarkson, Atlanta’s De’Andre Hunter, Brooklyn’s Cam Johnson and Washington’s Jonas Valančiūnas.
League sources say the focus on LaVine in recent discussions is significant, with the Nuggets interested in the 29-year-old who is averaging 21.7 points, 4.4 rebounds and 4.2 assists this season. LaVine, a two-time All-Star, is owed $43 million this season, $45.9 million next season and has a player option worth $48.9 million for the 2026-27 campaign.
This isn’t the first time the Nuggets have shown a desire to upgrade with a wing scorer. As The Athletic reported in late June, Denver discussed the prospect of adding Paul George in a trade that would have likely included Michael Porter Jr. and Zeke Nnaji going to the LA Clippers (and George coming to the Nuggets via an extend-and-trade deal). That deal didn’t go down, but it was as strong a sign as any that Denver had identified this need some time ago.
Any big trade would likely involve Porter, according to league sources. Porter has long been one of the best shooters in the league. This season, he has rounded into becoming an all-around scorer, capable of impacting offense from all three levels. He has also gotten stronger and become more impactful defensively than he has been in the past.
Nnaji is also available, league sources say. Any significant deal the Nuggets would do, may also have to involve a pick swap as a sweetener.
According to league sources, the Nuggets value Porter and what he does for the spacing of Denver’s offense significantly. Porter, who makes $35.8 million this season and is signed through the 2026-27 campaign (partially guaranteed in that season), is having a career year (18.5 points, 7.1 rebounds and 2.8 assists per game). But Porter, 26, is rounding into the prime of his career while still improving as an overall player. He has a history of injury issues but has remained relatively healthy over the past few seasons, playing in 81 games last season.
With Jokić averaging 31 points, 13 rebounds and 10 assists per game — marks that have never been reached in league’s history — the need to alleviate some of Jokić’s offensive burden is glaring. He is averaging a career high in field goal attempts (21.1), good for fourth in the league and well above his second-highest total (18.0 in the 2020-21 season). His minutes have spiked this season, too, with Jokić averaging 37.3 (tied for second in the league; his second highest was 34.6 in the 2020-21 season). The Nuggets’ offense is currently ranked seventh in the league (down from fifth last season and fourth in the season prior, when they won the title).
More importantly, the Nuggets are seeking help in the form of someone who is able to create offense with the ball in his hands. A lot of Denver’s issues stem from Jokić and Jamal Murray being the only players on the roster who are consistently capable of creating their own shots. League sources say the Nuggets would like to add one more player who is able to do that at a high level.
That’s why Denver has cast a wide net. But the Nuggets’ collective lack of assets as a first-apron team make getting a deal done with some teams more difficult. For instance, Clarkson’s ability to score off the bench, as well as his playoff experience, would be a terrific fit for the Nuggets. A Clarkson deal likely would not require Denver to include Porter. But it would likely require the Nuggets to include an unprotected first-round pick swap that Denver may be hesitant to include.
The last two years for Denver has been a mix and match effort to extend a championship window with Jokić as the centerpiece. This season, Jokić has been far and away the best player in the world. But as of Tuesday, the Nuggets are 14-10 overall, fifth in the Western Conference, and teams such as the Oklahoma City Thunder, Dallas Mavericks and Memphis Grizzlies have separated themselves at the top of the standings.
The Nuggets want to make sure they are more viable for the rigors of the regular season, and for the postseason, when isolation scoring becomes more important.
(Photo of Zach LaVine and Nikola Jokić: Dustin Bradford / Getty Images)
