<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nba-rumors-sticking-points-in-nuggets-bulls-zach-lavine-trade-talks');   ga('set', 'title', 'NBA rumors: Sticking points in Nuggets-Bulls Zach LaVine trade talks');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/NBA-rumors-Sticking-points-in-Nuggets-Bulls-Zach-LaVine-trade-talks.jpg"></figure><h1>NBA rumors: Sticking points in Nuggets-Bulls Zach LaVine trade talks</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2024-12-23T07:47:39-08:00">December 23rd, 7:47am</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2024-12-23T13:48:31-08:00">December 23rd, 1:48pm</time><address><a>Malik Brown</a>Malik Brown is a multimedia reporter based in Atlanta who covers the Hawks and Dream for ClutchPoints. Malik has worked in entertainment and sports, and he specializes in the NBA and NFL.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Chicago Bulls</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>The Denver <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nuggets-trade-proposal-lands-zach-lavine-3-team-deal-bulls">Nuggets are trying to make improvements</a> to their team, and one name that continues to come up is Zach LaVine. Even though the Nuggets may want LaVine, there’s something that’s keeping the Chicago Bulls from <a href="https://marcstein.substack.com/p/sunday-best-all-my-latest-nba-trade?utm_source=post-email-title&amp;publication_id=392205&amp;post_id=153497921&amp;utm_campaign=email-post-title&amp;isFreemail=false&amp;r=39f60&amp;triedRedirect=true&amp;utm_medium=email" rel="noopener">making the trade</a>, according to Marc Stein.</p><p>“One potential trade iteration to surface as part of Denver’s confirmed interest in Chicago’s Zach LaVine is a swap that would bring LaVine and Torrey Craig to the Nuggets in exchange for Michael Porter Jr. and Zeke Nnaji,” Stein wrote. “Yet the Bulls, league sources say, have balked at Nnaji’s inclusion in such a trade. This is Year 1 of a four-year, $32 million contract for Nnaji that, while descending in value annually, runs through 2027-28.</p><p>“Denver has also weighed whether it is wiser to trade Porter for two players if the Nuggets indeed decided between now and the Feb. 6 trade deadline that they are prepared to part with an organizational favorite.”</p><p>Porter has been a big part of the Nuggets’ success, as he’s a plus shooter and rebounder. If <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/bulls-news-zach-lavine-fit-with-nuggets-eye-opening-take-amid-trade-rumors">they trade Porter for LaVine</a>, they’ll miss some of his skills, but they’ll get in return someone who can create his own shot, similar to Jamal Murray.</p><h2>Nuggets want to improve their roster</h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Zach-LaVine_c7e252.jpg"><figcaption>Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><p>At 15-11 and fifth in the Western Conference, the Nuggets believe that they can improve their roster to be better this season. After the turnaround of their roster the past two years, they’re looking to make a big splash, but it’s uncertain if they’ll actually do something.</p><p>The Nuggets still have Nikola Jokic, one of the best players in the world who can do everything on the court. Jamal Murray has struggled throughout the season, but when he gets into a rhythm, it’s hard to stop him offensively. The bench is the one area that the Nuggets should look to improve, but that’s probably where a trade comes into place.</p><p>Right now, it seems like the Nuggets want to improve their starting lineup, and Zach LaVine is one of the players that they want. With what the Nuggets like to do on offense, it’s hard to see how LaVine would fit in unless he’s going to play the Michael Porter Jr. role, but in that case, you may as well keep him. The team may be better just trying to improve the bench, but it’ll be interesting to see which players may be available around the league to help them in that department.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

NBA rumors: Sticking points in Nuggets-Bulls Zach LaVine trade talks

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/bulls-news-zach-lavine-fit-with-nuggets-eye-opening-take-amid-trade-rumors');   ga('set', 'title', 'Zach LaVine’s fit with Nuggets draws eye-opening take amid trade rumors');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Bulls-news-Zach-LaVines-fit-with-Nuggets-draws-eye-opening-take-amid-trade-rumors.jpg"><figcaption>ClutchPoints</figcaption></figure><h1>Zach LaVine’s fit with Nuggets draws eye-opening take amid trade rumors</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2024-12-19T10:09:23-08:00">December 19th, 10:09am</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2024-12-19T10:09:23-08:00">December 19th, 10:09am</time><address><a>Julian Ojeda</a>Julian Ojeda is an Orlando-based sports journalist with 3 years of professional writing under his belt, specializing in both NBA and NFL coverage. A devoted Orlando Magic fan, he deftly balances fervent fandom with insightful reporting, possessing a keen eye for compelling narratives.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Chicago Bulls</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>The <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba-rumors-nuggets-targeting-zach-lavine-trade-to-pair-with-nikola-jokic">Denver Nuggets have reportedly expressed interest in Chicago Bulls guard Zach LaVine</a> as trade rumors swirl ahead of the February 6 deadline. LaVine, a two-time All-Star, has drawn attention for his scoring ability and potential fit within a Nuggets roster led by reigning MVP Nikola Jokić.</p><p>A Western Conference scout recently shared insights with The Athletic’s Darnell Mayberry on how LaVine could integrate into Denver’s system, <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6005819/2024/12/19/zach-lavine-bulls-nuggets-trade-value/" rel="noopener">stating</a>, “He probably needs to be in a different environment. There are not a lot of guys who can do what he does. I’ve always been a big fan, actually. Not as your No. 1 guy, not as your No. 2 guy, but as your No. 3 guy.”</p><h2><b>Zach LaVine’s potential fit with Nikola Jokic spark debate amid trade rumors</b></h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Zach-LaVine-8-gestures-after-a-three-point-basket-against-the-Memphis-Grizzlies.jpg"><figcaption>© David Banks-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><p>LaVine, 29, is averaging 21.7 points, 4.4 rebounds, and 4.2 assists per game this season while shooting an efficient 50.1% from the field and 42.8% from three-point range, despite the Bulls holding a 12-15 record. His best season came in 2020-21, when he averaged 27.4 points, five rebounds, and 4.9 assists, shooting 50.7% from the field and 41.9% from deep.</p><p>The scout emphasized that LaVine’s role in Denver would involve deferring to Jokić, whose playmaking elevates teammates. “He’s obviously going to have to defer,” the scout said. “But the thing about Jokić is he makes everybody better. I think (LaVine) will fit in fine. Jokić is so special, he makes guys better probably more than anybody in the entire league.”</p><p>Despite LaVine’s offensive prowess, concerns about his defense and his impact on winning persist. “There are a lot of naysayers, no doubt about it,” the scout acknowledged. “‘His defense is bad. He’s not a winning player, blah, blah, blah.’ You can make that argument: ‘He hasn’t really elevated the Bulls. So if he’s that good, why haven’t they been better?’ I think part of it is he just has too prominent of a role.”</p><p>LaVine’s eight-year tenure with the Bulls has <a href="https://www.statmuse.com/nba/ask/zach-lavine-record-with-bulls" rel="noopener">resulted in a 167-230 record</a>, according to StatsMuse. While he helped lead Chicago to the playoffs during the 2021-22 season alongside DeMar DeRozan and Nikola Vucevic, the Bulls were swept in the first round by the Milwaukee Bucks.</p><h2><b>Nuggets face hurdles in potential LaVine trade, with Michael Porter Jr. as key asset for Bulls</b></h2><p>For the <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nuggets-news-denver-perfect-zach-lavine-trade-offer-to-bulls">Nuggets, acquiring LaVine would come with challenges</a>. His current five-year, $215 million contract includes three years remaining and a player option for the 2026-27 season. Denver would likely need to include forward Michael Porter Jr. in any potential deal, as Porter’s $35.9 million salary is the team’s most significant trade asset.</p><p>Porter Jr., who is averaging 18.5 points, 7.1 rebounds, and 2.8 assists this season while shooting 51.2% from the field and 38.5% from three, is under contract for two additional years at $38.3 million and $40.8 million, respectively. The Nuggets’ limited draft capital would also complicate negotiations, leaving them with only pick swaps to offer in 2026 and 2031.</p><p>“You don’t want him as your No. 1 guy. If he’s your No. 3 guy, I think you’re ahead of the game,” the scout said of LaVine. “You’re not relying on him every single night.”</p><p>As the trade deadline approaches, LaVine’s future with the Bulls remains uncertain, but his potential fit alongside Jokić in Denver continues to draw attention.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Zach LaVine’s fit with Nuggets draws eye-opening take amid trade rumors

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nba-rumors-brandon-ingram-linked-nuggets-trade-pursuits');   ga('set', 'title', 'NBA rumors: Brandon Ingram also linked to Nuggets trade pursuits');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/NBA-rumors-Brandon-Ingram-also-linked-to-Nuggets-trade-pursuits.jpg"></figure><h1>NBA rumors: Brandon Ingram also linked to Nuggets trade pursuits</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2024-12-18T08:15:26-08:00">December 18th, 8:15am</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2024-12-18T19:17:17-08:00">December 18th, 7:17pm</time><address><a href="https://haydencilley.wixsite.com/hayden-cilley-s-port">Hayden Cilley</a>Hayden Cilley joined ClutchPoints in August 2024 as a Phoenix Suns and Mercury reporter, as well as an Associate Editor. Hayden graduated from the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism at Arizona State University while covering events like the 2023 NCAA Men's Final Four, the 2024 Vrbo Fiesta Bowl and the Arizona State men's swim and dive team. He recently covered the Phoenix Mercury for The Next Hoops and PHNX Sports.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Denver Nuggets</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>The Brandon Ingram trade rumors continue to swirl around him, and this time the Denver Nuggets. The New Orleans Pelicans forward has been involved in a variety of trade discussions, but this one with Denver is the newest of the bunch. After <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba-rumors-brandon-ingram-turned-down-pelicans-offer">Ingram declined the Pelicans $50 million per season offer</a>, his time in the city <a href="https://x.com/IanBegley/status/1869202861634318632" rel="noopener">might be coming to a close</a>.</p><p>SNY’s Ian Begley reported from The Athletic that “Brandon Ingram is another player among the group on their radar. The clearest pathway for Denver to make a trade for a big scorer with a significant salary would be to include Michael Porter Jr. in the deal.”</p><p>Porter Jr. has three years and $114 million left on his contract. For the Nuggets to trade for Ingram, they’ll need to include him in the deal. Still, Ingram is in the final year of his contract and could be an unrestricted free agent after the year. However, the Nuggets might need a secondary scorer as soon as possible.</p><p>Ingram is having a solid season thus far. He’s averaging 22.2 points, 5.6 rebounds and 5.2 assists. He’s also shooting <a href="https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/i/ingrabr01.html" rel="noopener">46.5% from the field and 37.4% from three</a> while being the top-scoring option. Not to mention, Zion Williamson hasn’t played a game for New Orleans this season. It’s forcing much of the defensive game plan against Ingram. He’s performing well, considering the circumstances.</p><h2><b>Brandon Ingram’s trade with the Pelicans and Nuggets could do wonders</b></h2><p>On a team with Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray, the former Duke basketball forward will thrive with the duo. After all, the <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/pelicans-trade-brandon-ingram-new-contract">Pelicans are rumored to likely trade Ingram rather than extend him</a>. Although Murray is having a rough season, Jokic is playing at an MVP level. Not to mention, he’s practically carrying the offense while playing an absurd amount of minutes.</p><p>While Christian Braun and others have stepped up, there’s not that secondary to take pressure off of Jokic. It was supposed to be Murray, but after his struggles, Denver might want to pull the trigger on a potential deal. Someone like Ingram can unlock an interesting dynamic at the forward position.</p><p>His innate scoring ability, mixed with an improved playmaking ability, is essential for a top-tier offense. Plus, they can give the ball to Ingram late in games, in addition to Jokic. That two-man game is a scary thought for an opposing defense. With all that being said, it’s only a rumor. The Nuggets are the No. 5 seed and are in a comfortable position. If they need to or desire to make a move, they have the pieces necessary.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

NBA rumors: Brandon Ingram also linked to Nuggets trade pursuits

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nba-rumors-wizards-jordan-poole-gets-trade-interest-from-serious-title-contender');   ga('set', 'title', 'NBA rumors: Wizards’ Jordan Poole gets trade interest from serious title contender');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/NBA-rumors-Wizards-Jordan-Poole-gets-trade-interest-from-serious-title-contender.jpg"></figure><h1>NBA rumors: Wizards’ Jordan Poole gets trade interest from serious title contender</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2024-12-17T21:24:51-08:00">December 17th, 9:24pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2024-12-17T21:24:51-08:00">December 17th, 9:24pm</time><address><a href="https://letterboxd.com/splooshpuhrty/films/by/your-rating/">Jedd Pagaduan</a>Jedd Pagaduan is a certified Clippers and Gunners fan, which means he's a very sports-traumatized individual. He now writes about sports instead as a form of therapy.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Denver Nuggets</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>It’s only a matter of time before the Washington Wizards become active once again on the trade market. Their team is going nowhere fast, and they still have a few veterans that could net them some quality assets moving forward amid their pivot to a youth movement. And perhaps <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/wizards-news-stephen-a-smith-blasts-jordan-poole-failed-payton-pritchard-taunt">Jordan Poole could find himself on the move</a> later on this season after bouncing back from his debut season in the nation’s capital.</p><p>Poole has a history of contributing to a title-winning team (with the Golden State Warriors in 2022), so it should not come as a surprise that he is drawing some trade interest from a team with lofty ambitions of winning a championship. And according to Tony Jones and Sam Amick of The Athletic, the Denver Nuggets are <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6002502/2024/12/17/zach-lavine-trade-rumors-nuggets/" rel="noopener">casting a wide net</a> in their search for a roster upgrade, and that now includes the polarizing Wizards guard.</p><p>It looks as though the <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba-rumors-nuggets-targeting-zach-lavine-trade-to-pair-with-nikola-jokic">Nuggets’ main target on the trade market</a> might be Chicago Bulls wing Zach LaVine, although finding any trade will require Denver to give up on Michael Porter Jr., a valued member of the roster. But if the Bulls trade LaVine elsewhere or the two teams can’t work on constructing an agreeable deal, then the Wizards guard could be a legitimate alternative.</p><p>If there’s anything the Nuggets are in dire need of, it’s additional shot creation from the perimeter. Only Jamal Murray consistently provides that skillset for them at the moment, with Julian Strawther providing that in spurts, and if there’s anything Poole specializes in, it’s providing an additional offensive punch.</p><p>Poole is <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/wizards-news-jordan-poole-delivers-intriguing-take-desire-washington-alpha">currently averaging 20.3 points per game</a> on a career-best 39.3 percent shooting from beyond the arc for this season. He is in the second year of the four-year, $128 million contract he signed with the Warriors in 2022.</p><h2><b>Nuggets cast a wide net in the trade market in search of an upgrade (or two)</b></h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Jordan-Poole-Wizards.jpg"><figcaption>Geoff Burke-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><p>In addition to identifying Wizards guard Jordan Poole as a potential trade target, the Nuggets’ gears have been turning, as they have also looked into the possibility of bringing in Jordan Clarkson, De’Andre Hunter, Cam Johnson, and even Jonas Valanciunas.</p><p>The Nuggets badly need additional frontcourt depth in addition to more perimeter scoring, and perhaps they could swing a trade with the Wizards that takes care of two birds with one stone, bringing in both Poole and Valanciunas. A trade package built around Michael Porter Jr. and Zeke Nnaji could be a worthwhile starting point in talks between the two teams.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

NBA rumors: Wizards’ Jordan Poole gets trade interest from serious title contender

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nba-rumors-nuggets-likely-to-use-starter-as-bait-for-potential-big-trade');   ga('set', 'title', 'NBA rumors: Nuggets likely to use starter as bait for potential big trade');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/NBA-rumors-Nuggets-likely-to-use-starter-as-bait-for-potential-big-trade.jpg"></figure><h1>NBA rumors: Nuggets likely to use starter as bait for potential big trade</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2024-12-17T20:47:11-08:00">December 17th, 8:47pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2024-12-17T20:47:11-08:00">December 17th, 8:47pm</time><address><a href="https://letterboxd.com/splooshpuhrty/films/by/your-rating/">Jedd Pagaduan</a>Jedd Pagaduan is a certified Clippers and Gunners fan, which means he's a very sports-traumatized individual. He now writes about sports instead as a form of therapy.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Denver Nuggets</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>It has been clear for some time now that the Denver Nuggets need to make a trade or two to improve their depth. Their bench has been quite the big weak spot for them all season long — the result of two offseasons in a row in which they’ve decided not to keep crucial pieces such as Bruce Brown and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope. However, it will be very difficult for the <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba-rumors-nuggets-want-to-make-a-trade-but-theres-a-problem">Nuggets to swing a trade</a> considering their lack of assets.</p><p>In fact, any blockbuster trade the Nuggets could make will have to involve letting go of a crucial piece of the roster. As pointed out by Tony Jones and Sam Amick of The Athletic, <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6002502/2024/12/17/zach-lavine-trade-rumors-nuggets/" rel="noopener">“any big trade would likely involve Porter”</a> — requiring the Denver front office to think long and hard about whether or not it’s worth it to sacrifice a core member of the team to swing for the fences.</p><p>Porter is the Nuggets’ best floor-spacer, and he has also been rounding out his game. He is currently playing the best and most well-rounded basketball of his career, averaging a career-best 2.8 assists a contest, and he remains as efficient of a scorer as ever, tallying 18.5 points per game on a true shooting percentage of 60.7.</p><p>According to Jones and Amick’s sources, “the Nuggets value Porter and what he does for the spacing of Denver’s offense significantly.” But his $35.9 million contract for the 2024-25 season is their easiest pathway to <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba-rumors-nuggets-targeting-zach-lavine-trade-to-pair-with-nikola-jokic">acquiring someone like Jimmy Butler, Zach LaVin</a>e, or Brandon Ingram. It is worth questioning, however, if it is worth shaking up the foundation of the roster for the players that were mentioned — especially when they play very differently to Porter.</p><h2><b>Nuggets face tough decisions on the trade market</b></h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/Michael-Porter-Jr.-and-Nikola-Jokic-on-March-21-2024.jpg"><figcaption>Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><p>Jamal Murray and Aaron Gordon should be safe from any trade talks; Murray, despite his struggles, remains a valued member of the team and a certified playoff riser, while Gordon is the perfect fit alongside Nikola Jokic in the frontcourt. That leaves Michael Porter Jr. and Christian Braun as their best trade assets from a value standpoint.</p><p>The Nuggets, however, won’t want to gut their depth even further. But if they were to be active on the trade market, the front office has some tough decisions to make. Their only other tradeable assets are Zeke Nnaji and Dario Saric, and at this point, those two have negative trade value, with Denver phasing them out of the rotation.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

NBA rumors: Nuggets likely to use starter as bait for potential big trade

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nba-rumors-nuggets-targeting-zach-lavine-trade-to-pair-with-nikola-jokic');   ga('set', 'title', 'NBA rumors: Nuggets targeting Zach LaVine trade to pair with Nikola Jokic');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/NBA-rumors-Nuggets-targeting-Zach-LaVine-trade-to-pair-with-Nikola-Jokic.jpg"></figure><h1>NBA rumors: Nuggets targeting Zach LaVine trade to pair with Nikola Jokic</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2024-12-17T19:15:17-08:00">December 17th, 7:15pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2024-12-18T06:54:11-08:00">December 18th, 6:54am</time><address><a>Matty Breisch</a>Matty Breisch is a multifaceted writer who specializes in NFL and WWE content at ClutchPoints. He can be read at Heavy, FanSided, Philadelphia Sports Network, and right here at ClutchPoints. Are you ready to read about football and wrestling? Well, you've come to the right place.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Chicago Bulls</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>The 2024 <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nuggets-news-nikola-jokic-critics-on-michael-malone">Denver Nuggets have been rather disappointing versus expectations</a>, right?</p><p>Now, sure, they aren’t the Philadelphia 76ers or some other poor squad that can’t seem to find a win despite adding incredible talent to their roster over the offseason, but after<a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba-rumors-mistake-nuggets-made-with-kentavious-caldwell-pope"> saying goodbye to Kardavious Caldwell-Pope</a> during the offseason, the Nuggets have been treading water in the Western Conference, clearly behind the top teams but not so bad that they could approach a rebuild.</p><p>Could the Nuggets catch fire and go on a run? Sure, but they might just need some help to get there, with the dynamic duo of Tony Jones and Sam Amick discussing some potential options the team could pursue based on their reporting.</p><p>One name to keep an eye on in the Mile High City? Zach LaVine, the <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6002502/2024/12/17/zach-lavine-trade-rumors-nuggets/" rel="noopener">highest-paid player</a> on the Chicago Bulls, has been on the block for what feels like two years now since the team low-key started to pursue a youth movement around players like Coby White and Josh Giddey.</p><p>“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 <i>The Athletic</i>,” Tony Jones and Sam Amick wrote for The Athletic.</p><p>“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.”</p><p>Alright, while that collection of players is incredibly eclectic, ranging from guards to wings and even a center for good measure, the idea of bringing LaVine to Denver is a very interesting one for more reasons than one.</p><p>On the one hand, LaVine is a good scoring guard who could likely play a similar style to long-time point guard Jamal Murray in the two-man offensive game. He can score from all three levels and is a beast in the fast break, where he could benefit from some Jokic deep passes Bo Nix-style.</p><p>And yet, LaVine is also a poor defender who does pretty much the opposite of what the KCP used to bring to the table. He would certainly start on the team next to Murray and Michael Porter Jr., but his defensive struggles might provide more harm than good for the Nuggets, as opposing teams would almost certainly target him down the stretch in playoff games, where his position could be exploited.</p><p>Factor in the contractual situation, as Lavine is <a href="https://www.spotrac.com/nba/player/_/id/15365/zach-lavine" rel="noopener">making $43 million this season</a>, almost $46 million next year, and nearly $49 million in 2026-27, and the idea of bringing the UCLA product to town feels incredibly unlikely, unless, of course, Denver wants to send MPJ to Chicago to move off of his contract too. And yet, the Nuggets wouldn’t be having conversations with the Bulls about LaVine if they didn’t think he could help them out, so hey, you never really know: maybe the two teams could make a deal before the deadline, and every other team will have to adjust to this new NBA.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

NBA rumors: Nuggets targeting Zach LaVine trade to pair with Nikola Jokic

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nba-rumors-michael-porter-jr-trade-nuggets-looking-improve');   ga('set', 'title', 'NBA rumors: Michael Porter Jr. trade buzz starts with Nuggets seeking improvement');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/0Michael-Porter-Jr.-trade-speculation-begins-with-Nuggets-looking-to-improv0.jpg"></figure><h1>NBA rumors: Michael Porter Jr. trade buzz starts with Nuggets seeking improvement</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2024-12-15T09:31:51-08:00">December 15th, 9:31am</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2024-12-15T09:31:51-08:00">December 15th, 9:31am</time><address><a>Troy Finnegan</a>Troy Finnegan is an Associate Editor at ClutchPoints. He graduated from the University of Colorado Boulder in 2023 with a degree in journalism and minors in communications and sports media, as well as a critical sports studies certificate. He has had a passion for sports his entire life, and enjoys covering and writing about all sports.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Denver Nuggets</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>The <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nikola-jokic-career-high-performance-spoiled-with-nuggets-loss-to-wizards">Denver Nuggets have had a frustrating season</a> as the calendar gets ready to turn to 2025. Despite another heroic start from star center Nikola Jokic, the Nuggets sit at just 13-10 and are in the middle of a crowded mix in the Western Conference standings.</p><p>Despite already winning a trip of league MVP’s, this has arguably been <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nuggets-news-nikola-jokic-critics-on-michael-malone">one of the best stretches of play of Jokic’s career</a>. Through 20 games this season, the big man is averaging 31.5 points, 13.3 rebounds and 9.8 assists per game. He consistently gives the Nuggets a chance to win games even as they deal with injuries and inconsistent play from some of the other pieces of the roster.</p><p>As a result, the Nuggets’ front office is getting antsy to try and return the Nuggets to championship contender status. In order to do so, they will likely need to make a trade in order to reach the league’s elite again. <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba-rumors-nuggets-want-to-make-a-trade-but-theres-a-problem">Any big deal that the Nuggets make</a> would likely have to include Michael Porter Jr. because the Jamal Murray and Aaron Gordon are ineligible to be moved after signing contract extensions this summer.</p><p>Porter has had a good season, but recent history suggests that his market <a href="https://marcstein.substack.com/p/all-the-latest-nba-trade-talk-and?utm_source=post-email-title&amp;publication_id=392205&amp;post_id=153105630&amp;utm_campaign=email-post-title&amp;isFreemail=false&amp;r=39f60&amp;triedRedirect=true&amp;utm_medium=email" rel="noopener">may not be as big as one would think</a> according to Marc Stein of The Stein Line.</p><p>“The limited trade market witnessed for months for New Orleans’ Brandon Ingram, who is also earning $36 million in the final year of his current contract and whose stats have always been gaudier than Porter’s, would suggest that Denver making the 26-year-old available would not automatically generate high call volume,” Stein reported.</p><p>Porter is playing out the third year of his five-year max extension that is paying him about $36 million this year and will be worth about $80 million over the final two years. He has the type of salary to match a big name on the trade market, but the Nuggets lack the assets around him to entice a lot of teams to swing a blockbuster trade.</p><p>Porter’s value has been felt this year with his shooting and rebounding. He is also a big body on defense that, while out of position at times, can be a big asset as a weak side help defender. If the Nuggets want to pull off a big move involving Porter, they will need to find a star that complements Jokic and can replace the impact that Porter has brought to the table this year.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

NBA rumors: Michael Porter Jr. trade buzz starts with Nuggets seeking improvement

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nba-rumors-mistake-nuggets-made-with-kentavious-caldwell-pope');   ga('set', 'title', 'NBA rumors: The mistake Nuggets made with Kentavious Caldwell-Pope');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/The-mistake-Nuggets-made-with-Kentavious-Caldwell-Pope.jpg"></figure><h1>NBA rumors: The mistake Nuggets made with Kentavious Caldwell-Pope</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2024-12-09T08:49:32-08:00">December 9th, 8:49am</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2024-12-09T08:52:30-08:00">December 9th, 8:52am</time><address><a>Derek Hryn</a>Derek Hryn is an Associate Editor at ClutchPoints specializing in NFL and NCAA Football coverage. Derek was previously a fantasy football expert at DK and SB Nation, and he has been featured at FanSided, USA Today, NBC Sports, The New York Post, and others.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Denver Nuggets</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>The Denver Nuggets are off to another solid start this season as one of the main threats from the Western Conference. One of their key performers of the previous two seasons in Kentavious Caldwell-Pope departed from the franchise over the summer, and one can’t help but think if it was an opportunity whiff by the Nuggets.</p><p>It’s possible that the reason for the <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba-rumors-nuggets-want-to-make-a-trade-but-theres-a-problem">Nuggets’ current struggles to bolster the roster</a> for another title run is because of how poorly they’ve managed talent in the past – specifically Caldwell-Pope. It’s likely that the organization wasn’t interested in bringing back KCP as a long-term asset. However, Denver received no compensation or another role player, as a result of dragging its feet in the sign-and-trade process.</p><p>The Nuggets had interest from the Dallas Mavericks last summer for a potential sign-and-trade, but things were brought to a halt when they said that they <a href="https://marcstein.substack.com/p/man-in-demand-kentavious-caldwell" rel="noopener">wouldn’t be willing to participate</a>. According to one re-telling of the various Caldwell-Pope discussions relayed to Mark Stein, Denver showed some “11th-hour openness to sign-and-trade concepts” after initially declining.</p><p>Caldwell-Pope averaged 10.0 points and 1.5 steals per game in the Nuggets’ 2022-23 NBA Finals series victory, and was the most efficient three-point shooter (42.3). Since then, <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nuggets-news-nikola-jokic-denver-struggles-continue">Denver hasn’t carried itself with the same aura</a>, despite having stars Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray still playing in the blue and gold.</p><h2><b>What if the Nuggets played it right with Kentavious Caldwell-Pope?</b></h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Kentavious-Caldwell-Pope.jpg"><figcaption>Jeremy Reper-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><p>After the Nuggets lost in the 2023-24 Western Conference semifinals, it was imminent that Caldwell-Pope would be one of the first offseason departures, as the Nuggets just couldn’t make it work financially. It didn’t take long before the Orlando Magic made a move to ink KCP to a three-year contract.</p><p>There was interest in the two-way guard, especially in the Western Conference, and it showed by the meager time that he spent on the open free agency market last offseason.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

NBA rumors: The mistake Nuggets made with Kentavious Caldwell-Pope

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nba-rumors-nuggets-want-to-make-a-trade-but-theres-a-problem');   ga('set', 'title', 'NBA rumors: Nuggets want to make a trade, but there’s a problem');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/NBA-rumors-Nuggets-want-to-make-a-trade-but-theres-a-problem.jpg"></figure><h1>NBA rumors: Nuggets want to make a trade, but there’s a problem</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2024-12-09T06:19:13-08:00">December 9th, 6:19am</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2024-12-09T13:10:18-08:00">December 9th, 1:10pm</time><address><a href="https://letterboxd.com/splooshpuhrty/films/by/your-rating/">Jedd Pagaduan</a>Jedd Pagaduan is a certified Clippers and Gunners fan, which means he's a very sports-traumatized individual. He now writes about sports instead as a form of therapy.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Denver Nuggets</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>It has been abundantly clear through the first 22 games of the 2024-25 season that the <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nuggets-news-charles-barkley-nikola-jokic-demand-denver">Denver Nuggets drastically need to upgrade</a> the roster if they were to compete for another championship. Nikola Jokic remains the best player in the association; as if fans needed more evidence to believe this, Jokic just dropped a combined 104 points over his past two games — even scoring 56 in a loss to the Washington Wizards, of all teams.</p><p>Thus, with the Dec. 15 trade window set to open (thus allowing players who signed new contracts in the offseason to be eligible for trade), the <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nikola-jokic-career-high-performance-spoiled-with-nuggets-loss-to-wizards">Nuggets are expected to scour the market</a> for players who will help contribute to their goal of making another deep playoff run. However, Denver may run into a few difficulties in their attempts to pull off a trade or two.</p><p>As per NBA insider Marc Stein, the Nuggets are “eager to do something” on the trade market, but they are also “resigned to the reality” that their options are limited. <a href="https://marcstein.substack.com/p/sunday-best-all-my-latest-trade-talk-c31?utm_source=post-email-title&amp;publication_id=392205&amp;post_id=152805652&amp;utm_campaign=email-post-title&amp;isFreemail=false&amp;r=39f60&amp;triedRedirect=true&amp;utm_medium=email" rel="noopener">It will be hard</a> for Denver to make a move when their most available asset is Zeke Nnaji, the team’s third-string big man who’s set to make $32 million over the next four years.</p><p>Even though Nnaji’s contract descends in value with each passing season, the 23-year-old has no trade value whatsoever — with Stein even writing that the Nuggets may have to attach draft assets to get his contract off their books. That does not bode well, especially when they want to bring in a positive contributor.</p><p>The Nuggets can package as much as $14 million in a potential trade by combining Nnaji and Dario Saric’s salaries, and they could trade their 2031 first-round pick straight up (they can dangle pick swaps as well). But that may not get them very far, with the value of those two players being close to non-existent.</p><h2><b>Gauging the Nuggets’ potential trade targets</b></h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Nuggets-center-Nikola-Jokic-15-drives-to-the-basket.jpg"><figcaption>© Geoff Burke-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><p>The <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nuggets-news-nikola-jokic-denver-struggles-continue">Nuggets have many roster needs</a> in the aftermath of the less-than-ideal job that Calvin Booth did in constructing the roster. They need a quality backup big man after Daron Holmes II suffered a season-ending injury in the offseason, and they need another 3-and-D wing so they could phase Hunter Tyson out of the rotation.</p><p>But they will have to choose to upgrade one position over the other; if anything, a 3-and-D wing is more necessary for the Nuggets, as Nikola Jokic will play most of the center minutes anyway when the games matter the most. Perhaps the Nuggets can find a way to trade for one of Josh Green or Cody Martin, both of whom should be available from a struggling Charlotte Hornets squad. Or maybe Denver can shock the world by trading for Dorian Finney-Smith despite their lack of quality trade assets.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

NBA rumors: Nuggets want to make a trade, but there’s a problem

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nba-rumors-western-conference-contender-monitoring-lonnie-walker-iv-potential-return');   ga('set', 'title', 'NBA Rumors: Western Conference contender ‘monitoring’ Lonnie Walker IV amid potential return');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/Western-Conference-contender-monitoring-Lonnie-Walker-IV-amid-potential-return.jpg"><figcaption>ClutchPoins</figcaption></figure><h1>NBA Rumors: Western Conference contender ‘monitoring’ Lonnie Walker IV amid potential return</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2024-11-06T12:52:35-08:00">November 6th, 12:52pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2024-11-06T12:53:19-08:00">November 6th, 12:53pm</time><address><a>Julian Ojeda</a>Julian Ojeda is an Orlando-based sports journalist with 3 years of professional writing under his belt, specializing in both NBA and NFL coverage. A devoted Orlando Magic fan, he deftly balances fervent fandom with insightful reporting, possessing a keen eye for compelling narratives.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Denver Nuggets</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>The Denver Nuggets are <a href="https://x.com/dnvr_nuggets/status/1854210935855944106" rel="noopener">reportedly keeping a close watch</a> on guard Lonnie Walker IV, according to NBA insider Marc Stein, who shared the update on the “Denver Nuggets Podcast.” Stein noted that the Nuggets are among a select few teams actively monitoring Walker, who recently signed with Zalgiris Kaunas in the EuroLeague after a stint with the Brooklyn Nets during the 2023-24 NBA season.</p><p>“I was told that Denver is a team to watch. The Nuggets are monitoring this,” Stein said. “Now all the Nuggets can do is offer a minimum; they’d also have to create the roster space to do it… but the Nuggets were mentioned to me along with the Celtics at this point as the two teams most closely monitoring Walker and would like to bring him back.”</p><p>While Denver and the Boston Celtics both have an interest in Walker, the potential acquisition presents financial challenges. <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/celtics-news-boston-adding-ex-lakers-weapon-two-peat-pursuit">Walker was initially signed by the Celtics</a> on a one-year deal in August, but the team ultimately waived him to avoid luxury tax penalties that would have exceeded $10 million. For Denver, any move to acquire Walker would require a minimum contract offer and additional maneuvering to create the necessary roster space, a hurdle that may complicate the prospect.</p><p>“In the Celtics’ case, I think the Celtics would’ve loved to have him, but they’re gonna have to create more flexibility in terms of luxury tax, and that’s something obviously Denver has to think about as well,” Stein continued. “I think we’re gonna see Walker back in the NBA this season at some point.”</p><h2><b>Nuggets looking to potentially add Lonnie Walker IV to bolster their bench depth</b></h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/Lonnie-Walker-IV-12-controls-the-ball-while-Toronto-Raptors-guard-Davion-Mitchell-45.jpg"><figcaption>© Bob DeChiara-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><p>Walker, who last played in the NBA with the Brooklyn Nets, posted averages of 9.7 points, 2.2 rebounds, and 1.3 assists per game over 58 appearances, shooting an efficient 42.3% from the field and 38.4% from beyond the arc. The 25-year-old’s skill set, especially his shooting touch, could be a valuable addition for a Nuggets team looking to strengthen its bench depth. Denver lost two notable guards in recent seasons, with <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nuggets-news-pacers-bruce-brown-pens-heartfelt-message-fans">Bruce Brown signing with the Indiana Pacers</a> before being traded to the Toronto Raptors, and <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nuggets-news-kentavious-caldwell-pope-gave-denver-opportunity-before-joining-magic">Kentavious Caldwell-Pope leaving to join the Orlando Magic</a> this past offseason.</p><p>Despite transitioning to EuroLeague play, Walker’s youth and recent performances in the NBA keep him on the radar of multiple teams in need of an experienced scoring guard. Known for his impactful play with the <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/lakers-news-lonnie-walker-iv-fourth-quarter-heroics-echoes-kobe-bryant-1997-playoff-explosion">Los Angeles Lakers during their 2023 playoff run</a>, Walker scored 15 points in a critical fourth quarter against the Golden State Warriors, becoming the first Laker since Kobe Bryant to deliver such a performance in a playoff fourth quarter.</p><p>As the Nuggets eye another deep postseason run, the addition of Walker could offer a much-needed scoring option off the bench. However, securing his services will depend on both financial flexibility and an available roster spot, making this situation one to monitor as the season progresses.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

NBA Rumors: Western Conference contender ‘monitoring’ Lonnie Walker IV amid potential return

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nba-rumors-michael-malone-unusual-clash-nuggets-front-office');   ga('set', 'title', 'NBA rumors: Michael Malone facing ‘unusual’ clash with Nuggets front office');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/NBA-rumors-Michael-Malone-facing-unusual-clash-with-Nuggets-front-office.jpg"></figure><h1>NBA rumors: Michael Malone facing ‘unusual’ clash with Nuggets front office</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2024-09-05T13:29:11-07:00">September 5th, 1:29pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2024-09-05T13:29:39-07:00">September 5th, 1:29pm</time><address><a>Brett Siegel</a>Brett Siegel joined ClutchPoints as a credentialed NBA insider and reporter in May 2023 after previously covering the NBA for Fastbreak on FanNation and NBA Analysis Network, as well as working with Louisville Basketball. From playing to coaching to covering the game as a media member, Brett has been involved with the game of basketball from many different perspectives. Breaking the news of various free agent signings, yearly NBA Draft news and other key stories around the league, Brett is always on the phone, getting the latest news and rumors around the NBA. Be sure to follow him on Twitter @BrettSiegelNBA.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">NBA</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>Not too long ago, the Denver Nuggets were at the top of the NBA world for the first time ever. Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray led the <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nuggets-news-nikola-jokic-denver-wins-first-championship-game-5-demolition-heat">Nuggets to their first championship in 2023</a>, guiding many to the assumption that Denver could be the next dynasty in the NBA. Well, Bruce Brown left last offseason, and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope left this offseason. Despite Jokic and Murray still remaining as the Nuggets’ focal points, there are now discussions being had about head coach Michael Malone and the front office not seeing eye to eye with one another as a result of the roster changes made.</p><p>The Nuggets’ front office has put a <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nuggets-expect-major-internal-roster-upgrade-after-disappointing-playoff-exit">point of emphasis on player development</a> pertaining to their recent draft picks, which has many scratching their heads seeing as Denver is in a position to compete for more titles right now with Jokic being a three-time MVP. Whether or not this is a storyline or a headline is something that will be discovered during the 2024-25 season, but ESPN’s Zach Lowe certainly added fuel to the fire that there could be some <a href="https://open.spotify.com/episode/4wKyusqm26xvzkwo02Gg5V?si=02acfb46760d4079" rel="noopener">issues</a> brewing in the Mile High City.</p><p>“There are rumblings, rumblings, that the coaching staff and front office, or at least the head coach and the front office, aren’t exactly seeing eye to eye in Denver,” Lowe stated on a recent episode of The Lowe Post. “To a degree even unusual for the NBA.”</p><p>Malone has been with the Nuggets since the start of the 2015-16 season after spending two years with the Sacramento Kings. Over the last nine seasons in Denver, Malone has posted a 424-295 record, taking his team to the playoffs in six straight seasons with at least 46 wins each of these last six years.</p><p>As a result of his accomplishments and recent championship in 2023, the <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nuggets-news-michael-malone-contract-extension">Nuggets gave Malone a contract extension</a> near the start of the 2023-24 season that keeps him on the sidelines through the 2026-27 season. This deal made Malone one of the highest-paid coaches in the league.</p><p>It would be quite the turn of events if the Nuggets’ front office and Malone were batting heads with one another given all of the success this organization has seen. While the roster has gone through some minor tweaks through the years, the same core group of Jokic, Murray, Aaron Gordon, and Michael Porter Jr. remains. As long as they are healthy, Denver will be a team at the top of the Western Conference standings competing for a spot in the NBA Finals.</p><p>Of course, Caldwell-Pope departing Denver for Orlando this offseason certainly made Malone feel a certain type of way because of the value and stability the veteran brought. Every championship team needs experienced guys like Caldwell-Pope, which is why he was so important to their championship run.</p><p>Now, all of the Nuggets’ attention will be cast on their rising talents, such as Christian Braun, Peyton Watson, and 2023 first-round pick Julian Strawther. Malone will certainly utilize all three recent draft picks in his main rotations during the 2024-25 season.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

NBA rumors: Michael Malone facing ‘unusual’ clash with Nuggets front office

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nuggets-rumors-christian-braun-declined-give-russell-westbrook-0-jersey');   ga('set', 'title', 'Rumor: Christian Braun declined to give Russell Westbrook No. 0 jersey');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/Christian-Braun-Denver-Nuggets-Russell-Westbrook-2.jpg"></figure><h1>Rumor: Christian Braun declined to give Russell Westbrook No. 0 jersey</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2024-08-26T20:19:26-07:00">August 26th, 8:19pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2024-08-26T20:19:49-07:00">August 26th, 8:19pm</time><address><a>Tomer Azarly</a>Tomer Azarly is in his ninth season as the LA Clippers beat writer and NBA reporter for ClutchPoints. From the Lob City era to the Kawhi Leonard-Paul George era, he brings you everything you need to know about the Clippers as well as coast-to-coast coverage of the NBA.In his off time, Tomer likes to play basketball, video games, and draw.You can follow his Twitter for all Clippers content.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Mini-Editorials</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>The biggest news of the day for the Denver Nuggets was thought to be star Nikola Jokic being named the <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba-2k-releases-top-10-player-ratings-for-nba-2k25">highest rated player in NBA 2K25</a>. As the day has gone on, all folks have been talking about is the jersey fiasco between Nuggets guard Christian Braun and <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nuggets-news-russell-westbrook-6-8-million-contract">new teammate Russell Westbrook</a>.</p><p>NBA stars joining a new team usually get the jersey number they want, assuming it isn’t retired or worn by another veteran on the team. That’s why the rumors involving Westbrook and Braun are a bit surprising.</p><h2><b>Christian Braun declines to give Russell Westbrook No. 0</b></h2><p>Westbrook, who has worn the jersey number 0 in the NBA whenever possible, asked Braun if he could wear No. 0.</p><p>According to Denver Nuggets reporter Harrison Wind, Braun declined to give his <a href="https://twitter.com/HarrisonWind/status/1828074316459872729" rel="noopener">No. 0 jersey to Russell Westbrook</a> when asked about it.</p><blockquote>“More uniform news: Hunter Tyson will wear #5 this season after giving #4 to Russell Westbrook. There was an inquiry by Westbrook into wearing #0, I’m told, but Christian Braun didn’t budge. Tyson gave Westbrook #4 free of charge.”</blockquote><figure class="op-interactive"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">More uniform news: Hunter Tyson will wear #5 this season after giving #4 to Russell Westbrook. There was an inquiry by Westbrook into wearing #0, I’m told, but Christian Braun didn’t budge. Tyson gave Westbrook #4 free of charge. <a href="https://t.co/7WK6L6C0GD">pic.twitter.com/7WK6L6C0GD</a></p><p>— Harrison Wind (@HarrisonWind) <a href="https://twitter.com/HarrisonWind/status/1828074316459872729?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 26, 2024</a></p></blockquote><p><script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p></figure><p>Instead, Wind reports that Hunter Tyson will switch to jersey No. 5, giving his old No. 4 jersey to the former All-Star guard instead.</p><p>Westbrook wore jersey No. 0 throughout his entire Oklahoma City Thunder tenure. He also wore 0 with the Houston Rockets, Los Angeles Lakers, and LA Clippers. The one place in his professional career that Westbrook wasn’t able to wear No. 0 was in Washington, when he spent a year with the Wizards. In the nation’s capital, Westbrook donned the No. 4 jersey playing alongside Bradley Beal.</p><p>While it was never official, there were reports that the Wizards have quietly set aside jersey No. 0 for good since Gilbert Arenas wore it. Known as “Agent Zero,” Arenas’ ended his tenure with the Wizards in ugly fashion, and the jersey has not been worn since.</p><h2><b>Christian Braun, Russell Westbrook, or Julian Strawther at shooting guard?</b></h2><p>Christian Braun, who is entering his third year in the NBA, has had a couple of strong seasons for Denver. He’s expected to be thrust into a much larger role this upcoming season with the departure of Kentavious Caldwell-Pope.</p><p>In 82 games for the Nuggets last season, 78 of which came off the bench, Braun averaged 7.3 points, 3.7 rebounds, and 1.6 assists on 46 percent shooting from the field and 38.4 percent from three. The Kansas guard recorded a career-high 25 points in 30 minutes off the bench during a November loss against the Pelicans last season. He also recorded 27 games of 10 or more points.</p><p>During NBA Summer League, head coach Michael Malone said the open shooting guard position is going to be a <a href="https://twitter.com/JoelRushNBA/status/1811986829241111010" rel="noopener">competition between Christian Braun and Julian Strawther</a>.</p><p>“Well, obviously KCP, he’s hell of a player, a big part of us winning a championship, a big part of our culture,” Nuggets coach Malone told NBA TV. “He will be missed and I love KCP. And now with him leaving, we have an open spot. We have Christian Braun, who as you mentioned helped us win a championship. He’s won at every level he’s been at. His energy, his toughness, all the intangibles are things that I love with Christian.</p><p>“And then I’ll tell ya, I’m not giving that spot to anybody. It’s gonna be a competition. I told Julian Strawther, “man like push each other. Let’s see who’s gonna win that spot.”</p><figure class="op-interactive"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">Michael Malone on the <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Nuggets?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Nuggets</a> starting shooting guard position:</p><p>"I'll tell ya, I'm not giving that to anybody. It's gonna be a competition.</p><p>I told Julian Strawther, man like push each other. Let's see who's gonna win that spot."</p><p>Also praises Christian Braun. <a href="https://t.co/aI0vzb2vaD">pic.twitter.com/aI0vzb2vaD</a></p><p>— Joel Rush (@JoelRushNBA) <a href="https://twitter.com/JoelRushNBA/status/1811986829241111010?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 13, 2024</a></p></blockquote><p><script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p></figure><p>At the time, Russell Westbrook was not yet on the Nuggets roster, so it remains to be seen if his addition changes anything. It would, however, make a lot of sense to simply slide Braun into the starting lineup given they’ve been preparing him for the position since he was drafted.</p><p>The Denver Nuggets are set to tip of the 2024-25 regular season at home against Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and the Oklahoma City Thunder on October 24, 2024. After a few weeks of training camp, the Nuggets should be able to provide clarity on who won the starting shooting guard sweepstakes.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Rumor: Christian Braun declined to give Russell Westbrook No. 0 jersey

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nba-rumors-nuggets-linked-trade-nikola-jokic-friend-catch');   ga('set', 'title', 'NBA rumors: Nuggets linked to trade for Nikola Jokic’s friend, but there’s a catch');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/Nuggets-linked-to-trade-for-Nikola-Jokics-friend-but-theres-a-catch.jpg"></figure><h1>NBA rumors: Nuggets linked to trade for Nikola Jokic’s friend, but there’s a catch</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2024-08-18T11:01:59-07:00">August 18th, 11:01am</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2024-08-18T11:01:59-07:00">August 18th, 11:01am</time><address><a>Preston Byers</a>Preston Byers is an experienced writer and journalist who currently serves as an associate editor for ClutchPoints and as a staff writer at The Vindicator and Tribune Chronicle, where he covers sports in the Mahoning Valley. Previously, Preston worked as an associate editor for Dot Esports and a site expert for FanSided's Union and Blue.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">NBA</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>After winning the 2023 NBA Championship, Nikola Jokic and the Denver Nuggets fell well short of preseason expectations in 2024, <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nuggets-news-nikola-jokic-perfect-admission-championship-timberwolves">falling in the second round</a> of the playoffs to the Minnesota Timberwolves. The offseason has been a mixed bag so far for the Nuggets, with the team losing Kentavious Caldwell-Pope but<a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nuggets-news-russell-westbrook-6-8-million-contract"> adding Russell Westbrook</a>. But it seems Denver is eyeing another potential backcourt piece down the line.</p><p>While Jamal Murray has solidly positioned himself as the team’s starting point guard, who can provide the ever-valuable bench minutes at the two guard positions is always a question for the Nuggets. Westbrook, a former league MVP who transformed into an energetic reserves leader with the Los Angeles Clippers, could very well provide the same role, although the Nuggets are reportedly interested in adding a player who has a strong connection with Jokic.</p><p>Vasilije Micic, currently of the Charlotte Hornets, recently <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/olympics-news-nikola-jokic-serbias-ecstatic-reaction-to-bronze-medal-finish">earned an Olympic bronze medal</a> alongside Jokic as part of the Serbian national team, and Micic could provide an interesting option for the Nuggets. Micic and Jokic played together on Mega, a club in Belgrade, from 2012 to 2014 before Micic departed for Bayern Munich. Jokic left the club a year later to join the Nuggets.</p><p>According to NBA insider Marc Stein, the Nuggets <a href="https://marcstein.substack.com/p/all-the-latest-around-the-league?utm_source=post-email-title&amp;publication_id=392205&amp;post_id=147819504&amp;utm_campaign=email-post-title&amp;isFreemail=false&amp;r=39f60&amp;triedRedirect=true&amp;utm_medium=email" rel="noopener">could be a destination</a> for Micic, although Denver may not make the move due to the salary implications.</p><p>“With a salary of $7.7 million this season and an $8.1 million team option in 2025-26, Vasilije Micić continues to be mentioned as a potential down-the-road trade target for Denver given Micic’s close relationship with Nuggets star Nikola Jokić,” Stein reported. “Bear in mind, though, Denver is just $5 million or so shy of the second luxury tax apron and thus couldn’t absorb Micić’s contract without dreaded second-apron complications. The Hornets could also elect to keep Micić around to play behind former All-Star LaMelo Ball.”</p><h2><b>Nuggets’ Nikola Jokic and Hornets’ Vasilije Micic MVP roots</b></h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/Micic.jpg"><figcaption>Scott Kinser-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption></figure><p>In addition to their common background, Nikola Jokic and Vasilije Micic are also each former MVPs; Jokic a three-time winner of the NBA MVP, while Micic won the 2021 EuroLeague MVP and won the Final Four MVP in 2021 and 2022 while leading Anadolu Efes to back-to-back titles.</p><p>Micic, 29 at the time, decided to make a move to the NBA in the 2023 offseason and signed with the Oklahoma City Thunder, to whom the Philadelphia 76ers traded his draft rights. Despite inking a three-year deal worth more than $23 million, Micic saw little playing time with the Thunder, who surprisingly became one of the top teams in the Western Conference.</p><p>After averaging just 12.0 minutes per game in Oklahoma City, <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/thunder-news-okc-trade-hornets-gordon-hayward">Micic was traded to Charlotte</a>, where he began to prove his value to an NBA team. With the Hornets, Micic assumed a starting role in LaMelo Ball’s absence and averaged 10.8 points and 6.2 assists in 27.2 minutes per game.</p><p>Micic again starred during the Olympic Games, where he was Serbia’s third-leading scorer (behind Jokic and Bogdan Bogdanovic) and averaged the second-most assists (behind Jokic). Serbia gave the United States its toughest test of the tournament, nearly defeating the Americans in the semifinals, a game in which Micic underperformed (8 points, 3 assists, 3/10 FG, 2/7 3PT). Micic was on his game in the bronze-medal meeting with Germany, though, scoring 19 points, the same as Jokic, who <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nikola-jokic-triple-double-bronze-medal-germany-fans-freaking-out">capped off the tournament with a triple-double</a>.</p><p>Micic has one guaranteed year left on his deal with the Hornets, who can choose to exercise a club option in 2025.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

NBA rumors: Nuggets linked to trade for Nikola Jokic’s friend, but there’s a catch

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nba-rumors-kentavious-caldwell-pope-declined-nuggets-return-free-agency');   ga('set', 'title', 'NBA rumors: Kentavious Caldwell-Pope declined Nuggets return in free agency');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/NBA-rumors-Nuggets-fans-feeling-pain-after-Kentavious-Caldwell-Pope-contract-offer-leaks.jpg"></figure><h1>NBA rumors: Kentavious Caldwell-Pope declined Nuggets return in free agency</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2024-07-26T08:46:36-07:00">July 26th, 8:46am</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2024-07-26T08:46:36-07:00">July 26th, 8:46am</time><address><a>Preston Byers</a>Preston Byers is an experienced writer and journalist who currently serves as an associate editor for ClutchPoints and as a staff writer at The Vindicator and Tribune Chronicle, where he covers sports in the Mahoning Valley. Previously, Preston worked as an associate editor for Dot Esports and a site expert for FanSided's Union and Blue.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">NBA</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>A year ago, the <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nuggets-2024-nba-free-agency-grades-for-every-signing">Denver Nuggets were</a> on top of the world. Having just won the NBA Championship with Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray leading the way, it appeared the Nuggets could be primed for a title repeat in 2024. However, Denver watched its season end in the second round of the playoffs and <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nuggets-news-kentavious-caldwell-pope-bombshell-lakers-admission-2024-playoff-series">then Kentavious Caldwell-Pope</a>, a pivotal player during the team’s championship quest, walk in free agency.</p><p>Caldwell-Pope, while possibly the least important starter offensively for the Nuggets, was likely the team’s best perimeter defender since his arrival to Denver in 2022. A prototypical 3-and-D guard that fit well next to the more offensively-minded Murray and Jokic, it was assumed Caldwell-Pope would draw interest from teams around the league as an unrestricted free agent. Unfortunately, that interest — or more accurately, the price — proved to be too great for the Nuggets, as the team reportedly offering KCP a contract before he signed with the Orlando Magic.</p><p>In his latest ESPN article, Zach Lowe <a href="https://www.espn.com/nba/insider/story/_/id/40640611/lowe-jokic-russ-huge-warning-sign-denver-nuggets-team-once-primed-nba-dynasty" rel="noopener">explored which team</a> in the Western Conference is most likely to make it to the NBA Finals.</p><p>“For some, the conversation then circles all the way back one calendar year: Why isn’t it Denver again? As long as the world’s best player is healthy, be wary of discounting the Nuggets,” Lowe wrote. “They have been labeled offseason losers after Kentavious Caldwell-Pope bolted for a three-year, $66 million deal with the Orlando Magic.</p><p>“Denver made Caldwell-Pope an offer, but there was a sizable gap in annual salary, sources said. Denver could have tried compensating with a longer deal averaging a little north of Caldwell-Pope’s $15 million player option number — say a 5-year, $90 million contract — but the Magic’s offer might have rendered the conversation moot.”</p><h2><b>Kentavious Caldwell-Pope Magic contract</b></h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/Kentavious-Caldwell-Pope-playing-against-the-Magic-.jpg"><figcaption>Feb 9, 2023; Orlando, Florida, USA; Denver Nuggets guard Kentavious Caldwell-Pope (5) passes the ball around Orlando Magic forward Franz Wagner (22) during the second quarter at Amway Center. Mandatory Credit: Mike Watters-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption></figure><p><a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nuggets-biggest-mistake-in-2024-nba-free-agency">Kentavious Caldwell-Pope has earned</a> more than $100 million in salary during his NBA career, but at 31 and with defense being his most important asset, this offseason may have been KCP’s final chance to sign a big, multiyear deal.</p><p>While the Denver Nuggets reportedly offered a “pretty similar” deal to the one he eventually signed with the Orlando Magic, there is no confirmation he would have earned as much money or have the flexibility the Magic offered. By signing in Orlando, Caldwell-Pope is guaranteed $66 million over three years, and if he so chooses, he can opt out of the final season and become an unrestricted free agent in 2026.</p><p>Caldwell-Pope’s annual salary is at its highest this coming season when he is set to make $22.8 million, the largest salary of KCP’s career by $5 million. KCP’s cap hit is set at $21.62 million for each of the next two seasons after that.</p><p>After being traded to the Nuggets two years ago from the Washington Wizards, Caldwell-Pope signed a two-year, $30.15 million extension with Denver. He had a $15.4 million player option he could have elected to exercise for this season, but he took a chance on himself — something that didn’t work out particularly well in 2017 negotiations with the Detroit Pistons — and this time it paid off in the form of a $66 million deal.</p><p>The Nuggets hope to replace Caldwell-Pope’s production with the likes of Christian Braun, Peyton Watson, <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/jazz-news-how-much-did-russell-westbrook-give-up-utah-buyout-join-nuggets">and Russell Westbrook,</a> although Westbrook’s signing has not been made official.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

NBA rumors: Kentavious Caldwell-Pope declined Nuggets return in free agency

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nba-rumors-nuggets-considered-paul-george-trade-with-michael-porter-jr-package');   ga('set', 'title', 'NBA rumors: Nuggets considered Paul George trade with Michael Porter Jr. package');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/Nuggets-considered-Paul-George-trade-with-Michael-Porter-Jr.-package.jpg"></figure><h1>NBA rumors: Nuggets considered Paul George trade with Michael Porter Jr. package</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2024-07-15T20:20:41-07:00">July 15th, 8:20pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2024-07-15T20:20:41-07:00">July 15th, 8:20pm</time><address><a href="https://letterboxd.com/splooshpuhrty/films/by/your-rating/">Jedd Pagaduan</a>Jedd Pagaduan is a certified Clippers and Gunners fan, which means he's a very sports-traumatized individual. He now writes about sports instead as a form of therapy.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">NBA</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>Suffice to say, this offseason is shaping up to be a <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nuggets-best-move-2024-nba-free-agency">less-than-ideal one</a> for the 2023 NBA champion Denver Nuggets. Not only did they lose Kentavious Caldwell-Pope in free agency after the 3-and-D wing signed a three-year, $66 million deal with the Orlando Magic, they also lost 2024 first-round pick DaRon Holmes II to a season-ending Achilles injury. The Nuggets, however, set their sights on a blockbuster move earlier in the offseason that could have changed the whole dynamic of the team.</p><p>The Nuggets reportedly “flirted with” the idea of trading away Michael Porter Jr. in an <a href="https://sports.yahoo.com/the-new-cba-has-changed-the-game-and-teams-are-adjusting-to-a-new-landscape-222524885.html" rel="noopener">opt-in and trade scenario</a> with the Los Angeles Clippers for Paul George, according to Jake Fischer of Yahoo Sports. George would have provided an upgrade over Porter on the defensive end, while the 34-year-old wing also shot the ball better from beyond the arc last season. Clearly, however, a trade did not materialize, what with George signing with the Philadelphia 76ers on a four-year, $212 million deal.</p><p>Porter’s contract will be worth around $35.9 million for the 2024-25 season, and it’s his huge contract that continues to take up a considerable chunk of the Nuggets’ cap space. His huge deal played a huge part in complicating the Nuggets’ bid to retain Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, so it’s understandable why they entertained the idea of trading him away in a bid to get a two-way upgrade.</p><p>At the end of the day, Fischer noted that the Clippers may not have been too keen on taking on Michael Porter Jr.’s contract anyway. The Clippers did not want to trade George to the Golden State Warriors so they could <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/warriors-news-paul-george-breaks-silence-near-trade-golden-state">maintain financial flexibility</a>. Acquiring Porter and his contract would have meant that they would exceed the second tax apron.</p><p>The Nuggets will still be one of the best teams in the association next season; this will be the case for as long as Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray are on the team. But it’s evident that the team got around them worse. Can the Nuggets front office bounce back?</p><h2>Is Michael Porter Jr. overpaid?</h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Michael-Porter-Jr.-looking-down.jpg"></figure><p>When the Nuggets signed Michael Porter Jr. to a <a href="https://www.spotrac.com/nba/player/_/id/26980/michael-porter-jr" rel="noopener">five-year, $179 million extension</a> in September 2021, he was coming off a very impressive season in which he averaged 19 points per game on 54/45/79 splits — stellar efficiency numbers. His true shooting percentage was at 66.3 — a marvelous number usually reserved for big men. Porter, meanwhile, is a perimeter player who took nearly half of his shots that season from beyond the arc, making that feat all the more impressive.</p><p>Thus, the Nuggets were well justified in handing out that contract to Porter at the time. He was only entering his age-23 season; player progression may not be linear, but Porter was improving at a rapid rate, and playing alongside an all-time great playmaker in Nikola Jokic would only serve to make the game that much easier for him.</p><p>However, Michael Porter Jr. has a long history of back problems, which caused him to slide in the 2018 NBA Draft to the Nuggets in the first place. He missed the entirety of the 2018-19 season due to these back issues, and to start the 2021-22 season, Porter’s injury woes resurfaced. His back problems limited him to nine games during that season, and since then, he hasn’t been able to replicate the heights of his stellar 2020-21 campaign.</p><p>Porter is still one of the most efficient gunners in the association, which makes him very valuable in a league that remains heavily-reliant on outside shooting. But the other facets of his game haven’t developed as much; he remains a shoot-first, shoot-second player, so his impact off the bounce is limited, and his defense, while he tries hard, isn’t the greatest. Porter is not overpaid, per se, but he certainly <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nuggets-news-why-michael-malone-forcefully-pushed-back-michael-porter-jr-blame-timberwolves-loss">has to do more</a> for the team given the Nuggets’ financial commitment towards him.</p><h2>Assessing the Nuggets’ roster</h2><p>The Nuggets, in losing Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, will have to start Christian Braun. Braun is an athletic guard who can move his feet well defensively, but he doesn’t have nearly as much gravity as Caldwell-Pope does from the perimeter. There will be less space for the Nuggets offense to operate in, although Braun is an eager mover off the ball, so it’s not like the Nuggets’ offense will be completely hamstrung. Teams can only do so much against a Nikola Jokic-led offense after all.</p><p>The bench, however, is a major concern. Peyton Watson figures to have a bigger role in Year 3, and Dario Saric should provide some playmaking and shooting, but aside from those two, there are plenty of question marks for the Nuggets. Is Julian Strawther ready to step up in his sophomore campaign? Will Zeke Nnaji prove himself worthy of the contract extension he signed?</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

NBA rumors: Nuggets considered Paul George trade with Michael Porter Jr. package

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nuggets-news-jamal-murray-rumored-209-million-contract-extension-unexpected-snag');   ga('set', 'title', 'Nuggets star Jamal Murray’s rumored $209 million contract extension hits unexpected snag');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/b0b22742-3d69-11ef-8a7c-127f490d6a29.avif"></figure><h1>Nuggets star Jamal Murray’s rumored $209 million contract extension hits unexpected snag</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2024-07-08T13:48:29-07:00">July 8th, 1:48pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2024-07-08T13:48:29-07:00">July 8th, 1:48pm</time><address><a>Matt Wadleigh</a>Matt Wadleigh is the lead NCAA Football and NCAA Basketball editor for ClutchPoints, and he also specializes in MLB and NFL coverage. He was born and raised in Oceanside and resides in Fresno with his wife and two dogs. Matthew is a huge Southern California sports fan and a retired member of the Fresno State drumline.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">NBA</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>NBA free agency has been <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/how-spurs-won-3-team-trade-kings-bulls">full of trades</a> and big <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/cavs-news-donovan-mitchell-agrees-contract-extension">contract extensions</a>. One player who has been hoping to sign a new deal is Denver Nuggets star guard Jamal Murray. Reports surfaced that Murray was going to attempt to sign a $209 million extension.</p><p>However, there are <a href="https://x.com/NBABlackburn/status/1810391221279641999" rel="noopener">some snags</a> in those negotiations, per a report from Ryan Blackburn of Mile High Sports.</p><p>‘The Nuggets and Jamal Murray have not yet agreed to a contract extension. Negotiations are still ongoing, and there’s a possibility that this becomes a bigger story than anticipated after Shams declared an expected deal on draft night. It’s very possible that this gets done over the next few days, but from everything that I’ve heard, both sides are protecting themselves in negotiations, and a straight up, plain max extension offer without any stipulations has not been offered by the team.’</p><p>At the end of June, reports swirled that Murray and the <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nuggets-news-jamal-murray-209-million-contract-extension">Nuggets were working towards</a> a four-year deal worth $209 million, but as of now, that has not happened with the Nuggets star. Murray has been a huge part of the Nuggets’ success since entering the NBA in 2016. This past season he averaged 21.2 PPG with 6.5 assists as the starting point guard, so keeping him paired with Nikola Jokic for the future is important.</p><h2><b>Nuggets’ extension with Jamal Murray should happen at some point </b></h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Denver-Nuggets-guard-Jamal-Murray-27-controls-the-ball-against-Los-Angeles-Lakers.jpg"><figcaption>© Isaiah J. Downing-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption></figure><p>Jamal Murray was the 17th overall pick in the 2016 NBA Draft out of Kentucky and has been nothing but a star since coming to the league. So, the Nuggets want to make sure they can agree to keep him in town.</p><p>While nothing has happened yet, other reports state that the expectation is a <a href="https://x.com/HarrisonWind/status/1810401675468751147" rel="noopener">deal will get done</a>, per Harrison Wind of DNVR Sports.</p><p>‘On Jamal Murray’s upcoming extension: I expect Murray to sign a new max contract with the Nuggets once the Olympics are over in mid-August. Murray’s playing for Team Canada in Paris.’</p><p>Murray is gearing up to play for Team Canada in the upcoming Summer Olympics, so that could be a reason for the pause in negotiations. The <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/magic-news-kentavious-caldwell-pope-leaving-nuggets-for-orlando">Nuggets lost</a> Kentavious Caldwell-Pope to the Orlando Magic but brought in Dario Saric and have been rumored to have <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba-rumors-nuggets-still-pursuing-russell-westbrook-trade-with-clippers">some interest in acquiring</a> Russell Westbrook. Other than that, there haven’t been major changes for the Nuggets roster this offseason, which isn’t a bad thing since they finished as the #2 seed in the Western Conference.</p><p>The 2024 Summer Olympics are set to end on August 11, and that could be the timeframe for a deal getting done between Murray and the Nuggets.</p><p>The Denver Nuggets lost to the Minnesota Timberwolves in the Western Conference semifinals in a thrilling seven-game series, so they are hoping they can piece together another NBA title run in the next few years. In order to do so, they will need Jamal Murray to be a big part of that, especially with losing some other players. Only time will tell if the two sides can work out the extension.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Nuggets star Jamal Murray’s rumored $209 million contract extension hits unexpected snag

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nba-rumors-nuggets-still-pursuing-russell-westbrook-trade-with-clippers');   ga('set', 'title', 'NBA rumors: Nuggets still pursuing Russell Westbrook trade with Clippers');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/Nuggets-still-pursuing-Russell-Westbrook-trade-with-Clippers.jpg"></figure><h1>NBA rumors: Nuggets still pursuing Russell Westbrook trade with Clippers</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2024-07-05T09:48:25-07:00">July 5th, 9:48am</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2024-07-05T09:48:25-07:00">July 5th, 9:48am</time><address><a>Gerard Angelo Samillano</a>Gerard Angelo Samillano is an Associate Editor for ClutchPoints, with his focus primarily on the NBA, NFL, MLB and Gaming. When he's not writing for CP, Gerard can often be seen playing VALORANT or playing pick-up basketball. He's also working on his BS Mathematics degree.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">NBA</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>The Denver Nuggets might need a point guard for their team. While Jamal Murray is a fine starter, their depth at the position is completely shot at this point. Reggie Jackson <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nuggets-reggie-jackson-traded-hornets-accepted-player-option">has left the team</a>, leaving them with very few options as the backup point guard. With that in mind, Denver is looking at a former MVP as the solution to their woes.</p><p>Despite taking his player option with the Los Angeles Clippers, the Nuggets <a href="https://marcstein.substack.com/p/the-latest-nba-free-agency-and-trade?utm_source=post-email-title&amp;publication_id=392205&amp;post_id=146281657&amp;utm_campaign=email-post-title&amp;isFreemail=false&amp;r=39f60&amp;triedRedirect=true&amp;utm_medium=email">are still reportedly working</a> on a Russell Westbrook trade, per Marc Stein. The former MVP <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/clippers-news-russell-westbrooks-4-million-nba-free-agency">accepted his $4 million player option</a> to stay in LA. However, that has not deterred the former champions from working on a trade.</p><p>“The most tangible known interest in Russell Westbrook continues to come from Denver, league sources say, with the Clippers openly exploring their trade options with Westbrook even though the league’s 2017 MVP recently exercised his $4 million player option for next season.”</p><p>Why are the Clippers working on a trade with the Nuggets with Westbrook involved? Well, the team has been preparing for a new backup point guard with Kris Dunn and Kevin Porter Jr. It seems more than likely that LA moves on from Russ after a season and a half with the team.</p><p>“The Clippers are poised to finalize agreements to sign guards Kris Dunn and Kevin Porter Jr. after the moratorium is lifted in addition to their agreed-upon deals with Jones and Nicolas Batum and are thus widely expected to move on from Westbrook after a season and a half.”</p><p>The Nuggets were looking to win back-to-back championships after a magical championship run in 2023. Unfortunately, key departures in free agency turned out to be much more important than they anticipated. As a result, they were bounced out of the second round by the upstart Minnesota Timberwolves.</p><h2><b>Nuggets’ quest for second ring</b></h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/Russell-Westbrook-dunking-over-Nuggets-Michael-Porter-Jr.jpg"><figcaption>Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption></figure><p>After their disappointing campaign last season, the Nuggets are looking for redemption. Nikola Jokic is still at the peak of his powers, so wasting his prime would be unacceptable. That being said, though, they have their work cut out for them. Yet another key player is set to leave in free agency. Kentavious Caldwell-Pope’s free agency means that the guard is more than likely leaving the team.</p><p>In addition, the loss of Reggie Jackson means that there will be no true backup point guard. The Nuggets are experiencing the problem that most championship teams face: their players price themselves out of the team. Now, they need to find a way to rebuild that oh-so-important bench with their limited cap space.</p><p>Westbrook should at least help with regards to their bench problems. While the former MVP is not playing at, well, an MVP level, he has transitioned quite well to becoming a bench general. Westbrook garnered 6MOY consideration while with the Clippers. It’s unclear how Russ’ playstyle as a ball-dominant guard will work with a player like Jokic, but the Nuggets will surely <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba-rumors-nikola-jokic-pushing-nuggets-russell-westbrook-trade">want to make it work</a>.</p><p>The road to the top of the West is not easy. The Nuggets saw that firsthand last season. Can they avenge their loss and give Joker his second ring?</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

NBA rumors: Nuggets still pursuing Russell Westbrook trade with Clippers

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nba-rumors-nikola-jokic-pushing-nuggets-russell-westbrook-trade');   ga('set', 'title', 'NBA rumors: Nikola Jokic ‘pushing’ Nuggets on Russell Westbrook trade');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/NBA-rumors-Nikola-Jokic-pushing-Nuggets-on-Russell-Westbrook-trade.jpg"></figure><h1>NBA rumors: Nikola Jokic ‘pushing’ Nuggets on Russell Westbrook trade</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2024-07-02T09:08:15-07:00">July 2nd, 9:08am</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2024-07-02T09:08:15-07:00">July 2nd, 9:08am</time><address><a>Joshua Valdez</a>Joshua Valdez started his journalism career as the Sports Editor for the Rutgers University newspaper before becoming an associate editor for ClutchPoints. He is a diehard Yankees, Jets, Knicks, Rutgers, and Tottenham Hotspur fan. When Joshua is not either watching a game or writing about one, you can find him in an art-house movie theater or working on a screenplay.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">NBA</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>Today’s NBA moves quickly. While the <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/magic-news-kentavious-caldwell-pope-leaving-nuggets-for-orlando">Denver Nuggets topped the totem</a> pole just two years ago, the squad could use some extra punch after losing in the second round and losing Kentavious Caldwell-Pope to the Orlando Magic.</p><p>Nobody knows this better than superstar center Nikola Jokic, <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=1&amp;v=hyple2NuSM0&amp;embeds_referring_euri=https%3A%2F%2Fbleacherreport.com%2F&amp;source_ve_path=MjM4NTE&amp;feature=emb_title" rel="noopener">who is campaigning</a> for a Russell Westbrook trade behind the scenes, via DNVR Sports’ Harrison Wind.</p><figure class="op-interactive"></figure><p>“I’ve been told that Nikola Jokić actually has been pushing behind the scenes to get Westbrook to Denver,” Wind said. “I’ve been told that Nikola Jokić wants Westbrook in Denver. He wants to play with him. It’s not the first time he’s wanted to play with him.”</p><p>Westbrook opted in to his $4 million player option with Los Angeles, but the club is <a href="https://twitter.com/ShamsCharania/status/1807546370523324578?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1807546370523324578%7Ctwgr%5E5bdab9f20b234224476a306fa530aabe37bb4b4e%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&amp;ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fbleacherreport.com%2Farticles%2F10126740-russell-westbrook-rumors-clippers-working-to-find-trade-after-4m-contract-picked-up" rel="noopener">still looking to move him</a>, via The Athletic’s Shams Charania.</p><figure class="op-interactive"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">The Clippers are actively working on trades to move Russell Westbrook, sources say. More on NBA Free Agency Special on <a href="https://twitter.com/Stadium?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Stadium</a>: <a href="https://t.co/UzzmWYRXTM">https://t.co/UzzmWYRXTM</a></p><p>— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) <a href="https://twitter.com/ShamsCharania/status/1807546370523324578?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 30, 2024</a></p></blockquote><p><script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p></figure><p>“The Clippers are actively working on trades to move on from Russell Westbrook, sources say,” Charania tweeted.</p><p>How much would the <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba-rumors-russell-westbrooks-clippers-future-gets-cryptic-update-contract-decision">former MVP help Denver</a>? What would it take to fetch him in a trade?</p><h2><b>Westbrook would greatly improve the Nuggets’ second unit</b></h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/Clippers_guard_Russell_Westbrook_and_Timberwolves_center_Rudy_Gobert.webp"><figcaption>Bruce Kluckhohn-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption></figure><p>After losing both Bruce Brown and Caldwell-Pope the last couple years, it’s time for Denver to add another significant bench piece. Christian Braun, Reggie Jackson, and Justin Holiday aren’t enough to keep up with the West’s upper echelon, as that trio averaged just 11.5 points per game combined last season.</p><p>Meanwhile, Westbrook alone averaged 11.1 points on 45.4% shooting, with five rebounds and 4.5 assists across 22.5 minutes per game last season. The 35-year-old still has enough gas in the tank to be a reliable sixth man.</p><p>Furthermore, the Nuggets have the assets to pull off a potential deal. The organization has first-round picks in 2026, 2028, 2030, and 2031, as well as second-rounders in 2025, 2026, 2029, 2030, and 2031. Giving up at least one first-rounder and a bench player should be enough value to fetch “Russ.”</p><p>As for the nine-time All-Star’s on-court fit, expect him to be Jamal Murray’s backup if he does land in the Mile High City. Westbrook’s rim-attacking style off the bench would provide a balance with Murray and Jokic’s two-man game, especially considering his intensity and high motor. Defending the two stars is already difficult, but it’d be even more taxing on the defense to have to deal with the former Houston Rocket’s slashing when either of them take a breather.</p><p>Regardless, the Nuggets have to be proactive, especially with Klay Thompson’s recent move to the Dallas Mavericks. The level of parity in today’s NBA is at an all-time high, so Denver can’t get too full of themselves simply because they won a ring recently.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

NBA rumors: Nikola Jokic ‘pushing’ Nuggets on Russell Westbrook trade

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nba-rumors-nuggets-fans-pain-kentavious-caldwell-pope-contract-offer-leaks');   ga('set', 'title', 'NBA rumors: Nuggets fans feeling pain after Kentavious Caldwell-Pope contract offer leaks');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/NBA-rumors-Nuggets-fans-feeling-pain-after-Kentavious-Caldwell-Pope-contract-offer-leaks.jpg"></figure><h1>NBA rumors: Nuggets fans feeling pain after Kentavious Caldwell-Pope contract offer leaks</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2024-06-30T17:28:11-07:00">June 30th, 5:28pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2024-06-30T17:28:11-07:00">June 30th, 5:28pm</time><address><a>Peter Sampson</a>Peter Sampson is ClutchPoints' Portland Trail Blazers reporter and also serves as an Associate Editor. He has been covering all things sports (with a focus on the Blazers) for more than a decade, most recently hosting "The Pulse with Peter Sampson" in Afternoon Drive for 750 The Game. Prior to that, he hosted an NBA wrap-up show that aired immediately at the conclusion of every Trail Blazers game. Peter had previous stops at Blazer's Edge and XRAY.FM - where his show "Blazer's Edge Radio" was named "Portland's Best Sports Radio" in the 2017 Willamette Week reader's poll. When he's not telling the stories of your favorite sports team, Peter can be found recording the next garage rock classic in his basement studio, whipping up an authentic Italian meal in the kitchen, or trying to figure out the appeal of Minecraft with his 9-year-old son in the living room.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">NBA</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>After helping the Denver Nuggets win the championship in 2023 and delivering another productive season in 2023-24, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope set himself up for a nice payday in free agency. He got exactly that after the Orlando Magic <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/magic-news-kentavious-caldwell-pope-leaving-nuggets-for-orlando">signed him</a> to a lucrative three-year, $66 million deal.</p><p>The Nuggets were in a tough spot this offseason, salary cap-wise, but reportedly <a href="https://x.com/Tjonesonthenba/status/1807560411614446005" rel="noopener">offered KCP a similar deal</a>, per Tony Jones of The Athletic:</p><p>“Denver offered KCP a salary pretty similar to what he ended up getting from Orlando and I’m told the Nuggets offered three years. The Nuggets definitely tried here”</p><p>Nuggets fans are reacting to the news.</p><p>Nico – “Why would he choose Orlando if Nuggets offered same years and money? He has everything in place in Denver”</p><p>Jeff Groton – “So basically he chose the state with no income tax.”</p><p>Kristian – “Probably has something to do with Booth’s comments about the KCP situation and how it came off as “he’s replaceable”. Cause I just dont see why he gets offered a very similar contract but chooses to sign with the Magic.”</p><p>Royal – “Damn them taxes really be moving em”</p><p>Ch3wy – “There GM comments closed the door”</p><p>Jsut – “”Pretty similar” is not “the same” or “more”, both of which are the minimum when you have a 3x MVP on a thin roster”</p><p>Before he signed with the Magic, Caldwell-Pope has also been linked to the 76ers. Philadelphia made the playoffs this past season but ultimately ended up exiting the first round against the New York Knicks. They could have really used a player like KCP who brings so much stability, shooting and high-level experience, but unfortunately, he chose to sign with Orlando.</p><h2><b>KCP joins a Magic team ready to contend</b></h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Paolo-Banchero.jpg"><figcaption>© Mike Watters-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption></figure><p>In the 2023-24 season, Caldwell-Pope averaged 10.1 points, 2.4 rebounds and 2.4 assists on 40.6 percent shooting from beyond the arc. He helped the Nuggets make it to the Western Conference Finals, where they lost to the Minnesota Timberwolves in seven games.</p><p>He was a difference-maker for Denver in their 2023 NBA Championship run. That 2022-23 campaign, KCP actually played 76 regular season games and started in all of them, tallying 10.8 points, 2.7 rebounds, 2.4 assists and 1.5 steals per game all while shooting 42.3 percent from deep on 4.1 average attempts.</p><p>The Magic feature a young, talented roster paced by big man Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner. With a glut of talent and a young, affordable roster, Orlando needed shooting more than anything else this offseason after they fell to the Cleveland Cavaliers in the first round of the NBA Playoffs. They accomplished their goal by bringing KCP on to the roster.</p><p>While it’s not clear whether or not the Magic will make the leap this coming season, they’re still so young that their window is just beginning to open.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

NBA rumors: Nuggets fans feeling pain after Kentavious Caldwell-Pope contract offer leaks

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nba-rumors-russell-westbrooks-clippers-future-gets-cryptic-update-contract-decision');   ga('set', 'title', 'NBA rumors: Russell Westbrook interested in Nuggets as Clippers look for trade');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Russell-Westbrook-Nikola-Jokic-Denver-Nuggets-Los-Angeles-Clippers.jpeg"><figcaption>CP</figcaption></figure><h1>NBA rumors: Russell Westbrook interested in Nuggets as Clippers look for trade</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2024-06-30T16:22:40-07:00">June 30th, 4:22pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2024-06-30T16:40:31-07:00">June 30th, 4:40pm</time><address><a>Jackson Stone</a>Jackson Stone is a Mercer University senior from Atlanta on track to graduate with a BA in communications. A lifelong sports lover, Jackson is a die-hard fan of all Atlanta teams. He joined ClutchPoints in 2023.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">NBA</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>Perhaps no team is under more pressure this NBA free agency period than the Los Angeles Clippers, who are currently holding their breath after <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/sources-warriors-failed-paul-george-pursuit-nba-free-agency">Paul George declined his player option</a> earlier this weekend and is now set to hit unrestricted free agency. George has been the less impactful but more reliable of the pairing between himself and Kawhi Leonard that was formed in 2019, and that <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba-rumors-76ers-renewed-hope-paul-george-sweepstakes">Clippers duo is now at risk</a> of disbanding without much to show for it if George chooses to take his talents elsewhere.</p><p>Another storyline emerged for the Clippers earlier this offseason when it was revealed that guard Russell Westbrook had accepted his <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/clippers-news-russell-westbrooks-4-million-nba-free-agency">$4 million player option</a>. However, that <a href="https://marcstein.substack.com/p/what-were-hearing-as-nba-free-agency?utm_source=post-email-title&amp;publication_id=392205&amp;post_id=146062721&amp;utm_campaign=email-post-title&amp;isFreemail=false&amp;r=39f60&amp;triedRedirect=true&amp;utm_medium=email" rel="noopener">didn’t mean</a> that Los Angeles was still interested in retaining his services, with ClutchPoints’ Tomer Azarly confirming that the Clippers are <a href="https://x.com/ClutchPoints/status/1807549109613830450" rel="noopener">working to find a trade</a>. Azarly had reported over the weekend that <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/clippers-news-after-nba-draft-focus-shifts-paul-george-james-harden-russell-westbrook">Westbrook wasn’t expected</a> to be in a Clippers uniform next season.</p><p>With a Westbrook trade on the horizon, where could he go? Yahoo Sports’ Jake Fischer noted earlier Sunday that the <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba-rumors-nuggets-offseason-plans-kentavious-caldwell-popes-possible-exit">Denver Nuggets were interested</a> in adding Westbrook as a free agent and suggested this could still be a trade option after The Athletic’s Tony Jones reported the <a href="https://x.com/Tjonesonthenba/status/1807546101068947745" rel="noopener">guard’s interest</a> in teaming up with Nikola Jokic. <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/magic-news-kentavious-caldwell-pope-leaving-nuggets-for-orlando">The Nuggets just lost Kentavious Caldwell-Pope</a> to the Orlando Magic and will be looking to make some additions to help with depth, especially at guard.</p><p>With Westbrook on his way out, Chris Paul and Kyle Lowry could be potential Clippers backup point guard options. <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/warriors-news-chris-paul-hits-free-agency-after-warriors-30-million-contract-decision">Paul was just waived</a> by the Golden State Warriors and is an unrestricted free agent, as is Lowry.</p><h2><b>What should the Clippers do?</b></h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Westbrook-vs-the-Mavericks.jpg"><figcaption>Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption></figure><p>Neither Russell Westbrook, Kyle Lowry, nor Chris Paul are currently anywhere close to the players they were during their respective prime years. However, all are still capable of at least contributing in spurts to winning basketball. After all, it was just one season ago that Lowry played a pretty decently sized role in the Miami Heat’s run all the way to the NBA Finals.</p><p>As for Westbrook, the former NBA MVP still brings a lot of hustle and energy to the table, and can occasionally explode to the basket and get by defenders, but the 35 year-old has continued to see his shooting numbers plummet and is still disregarded by opposing defenses as a threat from beyond the arc, something that played out in real time during the Clippers’ loss to the Dallas Mavericks in this year’s postseason.</p><p>The fit with Westbrook alongside Leonard, George, and James Harden was always going to be awkward, but the severe limitations in Westbrook’s game made it a near impossibility for head coach Ty Lue to play the four together despite how much pressure they are each capable of putting on opposing defenses on an individual level.</p><p>In any case, a lot more dominoes will fall into place after Paul George makes his decision. The star can begin taking meetings on Sunday night and is sure to have interest from plenty of suitors around the league. Meanwhile, the Clippers will continue working on a Russell Westbrook trade after also <a href="https://x.com/ShamsCharania/status/1807553510558302474" rel="noopener">agreeing to a deal</a> with Kevin Porter Jr., per Shams Charania of The Athletic and Stadium.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Denver
Nuggets RUMORS

DENVER

NUGGETS

DenverNuggets RUMORS

DENVER

NUGGETS

Denver
Nuggets RUMORS