Option #1: Mile High City Doubles Down on Free Agency
The trade: Malik Beasley and Juan Hernangomez for Davis Bertans.
The Denver Nuggets, as of Sunday morning, own the second-best record in the Western Conference. They currently sit just behind LeBron James, Anthony Davis, and the Los Angeles Lakers. But in order to make the deep playoff run they so publicly desire, adding more pieces at the trade deadline is a must.
For the Wizards, the logic is simple. Sell high on Bertans now, if you’re going to sell, and find young affordable talent that has yet to stick on an NBA roster. Malik Beasley fits that definition and would be an interesting prospect on this Wizards roster. At 23 years old, he’s averaging 15.5 points on a 40 percent shooting clip from three per 36 minutes.
The young forward has all the tools to become an NBA-level defender and shooter. He just has not found the opportunity with the Nuggets, who’d be wise to sell on him now before he hits free agency.
Both Juan Hernangomez and Malik Beasley aren’t necessarily concrete pieces to this Nuggets rotation. They’re averaging 12 and 16.4 minutes per game, respectively.
However, they’re both headed for restricted free agency this summer and there’s simply no way Denver can afford to retain both of them. The chances of either making it back to the Nuggets on a contender-friendly deal is significantly slim.
So, instead, Washington offers Denver a 1-for-2 swap that immediately makes them better on offense. The three-ball rules today’s NBA, and the Nuggets aren’t great in that department. Per Basketball-Reference, Denver ranks 26th in three-pointers attempted, 25th in three-pointers made, and 22nd in three-point percentage. Bertans boosts that immediately.