Denver Nuggets trade deadline tracker

Welcome to the Mile High Sports trade deadline tracker. Any and every verifiable report involving the Denver Nuggets will be kept up to date from most recent to least recent below as we approach the deadline date of Feb. 8th at 1 p.m. MST.

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Kenneth Faried will not be traded from the Nuggets

According to Christopher Dempsey of Altitude Sports, the Denver Nuggets failed to find a new home for Kennth Faried, who has largely fallen out of Nuggets’ head coach Michael Malone’s rotation.

After vigorously negotiating to find a deal to send Faried elsewhere, there was no deal that the Nuggets could find that would make things work. The Nuggets reportedly “know he craves a bigger role, has valued his professionalism while he’s not been in the rotation, and tried tirelessly to find a new home for him. But it did not work out” according to Dempsey.

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Marcus Smart and Tyreke Evans will not be dealt

According to Shams Charania of Yahoo Sports, Marcus Smart will not be dealt from the Boston Celtics. Chris B. Haynes of ESPN is also reporting that Tyreke Evans will not be dealt either.

The Denver Nuggets had interest in Smart and Evans, but the asking price of both must have been too high so the Celtics will hold onto Smart and the Grizzlies will hold onto Evans. Denver, instead, acquired Devin Harris to take over backup ball-handling duty for the Nuggets.

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Kenneth Faried’s camp hoping the Nuggets can find a suitor for him

According to Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN, the Denver Nuggets are trying to find a trade destination for Kenneth Faried and there is still hope within Faried’s camp that Denver will find him a place to start fresh.

The Indiana Pacers have emerged as a team that has been in discussions with Denver, but the talks have not resulted in a deal. The Nuggets have remained diligent in shedding Faried’s salary and to give him an opportunity elsewhere, but so far there has been no traction.

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Nuggets trade Emmanuel Mudiay for Devin Harris in three-team deal 

The Denver Nuggets have traded Emmanuel Mudiay to the New York Knicks in a three team deal with the Dallas Mavericks and the Knicks according to Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN.

The three team deal will have Emmanuel Mudiay heading to New York, Devin Harris headed to Denver, and Doug McDermott heading to Dallas with one of the Nuggets’ second round picks going to Dallas according to Shams Charania. The Nuggets are also getting a second round pick from the Knicks via the Los Angeles Clippers, according to Wojnarowski of ESPN and Marc Spears of the New York Times.

Devin Harris is a 13-year NBA veteran who will provide shooting and backup ball-handling for the Nuggets. Harris is averaging 8.5 points, 1.9 rebounds, and 1.9 assists while shooting 41.5 percent from the field and 35.2 percent from three in 18.3 minutes per game.

The Nuggets have wanted to move on from Emmanuel Mudiay to clear future money and were able to do so. They get the backup veteran ball-handler they were looking for and move off of a player they wanted to move on from.

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Nuggets are likely to make “a move or two today” according to reports

According to Mike Ortiz Jr., the Denver Nuggets are looking like they are going to make “a move or two” today and that there are lots of different deals on the table. The Nuggets want to move off of Kenneth Faried’s contract and are looking to move Emmanuel Mudiay. Ortiz also states that most of the interest in the Nuggets has been generated by Wilson Chandler.

Ortiz also outlined some trades that have been discussed, according to him. The deals that Ortiz reported are:

• Kenneth Faried and a first round pick for DeMarre Carrol and Joe Harris
• Wilson Chandler for Amir Johnson and some amount of second round picks
• Wilson Chandler and Kenneth Faried for Ryan Anderson and Tarik Black
• Emmanuel Mudiay and a pick for Tyreke Evans
• Emmanuel Mudiay and Kenneth Faried for Courtney Lee, Kyle O’Quinn, and Jarrett Jack

With other outlets also reporting — and sources telling Mile High Sports the same — it does seem realistic that the Nuggets could have quite a few deals on the tables that can accomplish a plethora of different things.

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Denver Nuggets could “dictate the final hours of the trade deadline” as they continue to move on multiple deals

According to Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN, the Denver Nuggets could dictate the final hours of the trade deadline being that they have so many possible trades out there and have been so active in talks.

Wojnarowski noted that the Nuggets are trying to acquire Tyreke Evans, trying to trade Emmanuel Mudiay and Wilson Chandler while also using a pick to incentivize a team to take on Kenneth Faried’s contract.

The Nuggets have two second round picks this year — which are currently the 48th and 60th picks — as well as their own first round pick that could fall anywhere from the 15th pick to the 22nd pick. In addition to the draft selections, there have been reports that Denver would be willing to include Malik Beasley in trade talks as well.

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Denver Nuggets talks with the Boston Celtics about Marcus Smart are now “dormant”

Matt Moore of the Action Network has reported that the conversations between the Denver Nuggets and Boston Celtics about Marcus Smart have fallen dormant for now.

The Boston Celtics have long claimed that they want a first round pick or a blue-chip young player for Smart. When taking that into account and also that Danny Ainge — the Celtics general manager — is likely asking for quite a bit, as he is notorious for doing, in return for his bulldog point guard it is easy to see why talks may have stalled.

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The Denver Nuggets had exploratory trade talks with the Utah Jazz involving Wilson Chandler and Joe Johnson

According to Michael Scotto of the Athletic, the Denver Nuggets had exploratory trade talks with the Utah Jazz involving Wilson Chandler and Joe Johnson.

The Nuggets have already been linked to Rodney Hood of the Utah Jazz, so it makes sense that other deals with discussed and that those conversations could have been leaked. The Nuggets have been in the market for more help on the wing and Johnson would bring a veteran presence to a very young Nuggets’ roster.

While the Nuggets and Jazz likely did discuss the idea of a Johnson for Chandler swap, Matt Moore of the Action Network has reported that the talks of this framework of a trade did not go “much of anywhere,” as Moore put it.

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The Denver Nuggets are reportedly one of the front-runners to acquire Tyreke Evans from the Memphis Grizzlies

According to Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN, the Denver Nuggets are one of three front-runners to obtaining Tyreke Evans at the trade deadline. The other two front-runners are the Boston Celtics — who the Nuggets explored trade opportunities with to bring Marcus Smart to Denver — and the Philadelphia 76ers. In addition to those three teams, the Miami Heat have also stayed engaged with Memphis to acquire Evans.

As the field continues to dwindle, it does seem that Denver has a legitimate interest in the Grizzlies’ veteran swingman being that sources tell Mile High Sports that the front office is high on him as a player. The Grizzlies are still looking for a first-round pick in return.

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Wilson Chandler, Kenneth Faried, and Emmanuel Mudiay are available to be traded

Michael Scotto, as well as Sam Amick and Jeff Zillgitt, have all reported, in different capacities, that Denver is willing to part with Emmanuel Mudiay, Wilson Chandler, and Kenneth Faried. Faried has fallen out of Nuggets’ head coach Michael Malone’s rotation this season, Chandler has appeared to be checked out, and Mudiay has refused to talk to media stemming back to media day when he missed with what was described as a surprised doctors appointment.

While Malone has said that there are no players that the Nuggets are actively looking to trade, it does seem that the group of Faried, Mudiay, and Chandler are the consensus group of players that have been available in trades — in addition to Malik Beasley in a smaller capacity.

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Nuggets have looked in on Rodney Hood and have made Malik Beasley available in trade

According to Michael Scotto of the Athletic, the Denver Nuggets could be in play for the Utah Jazz swingman Rodney Hood. The Nuggets have been connected to multiple wing players in rumors leading up to the trade deadline so it makes sense that they would be connected with Hood.

In addition to reporting that Denver could be in play for Hood, Scotto also noted that the Denver Nuggets have made Malik Beasley available in trade talks. Beasley was the 19th pick in the 2016 NBA Draft and has been the odd man out of the Nuggets’ rotation this year with just 10.2 minutes per game.

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Nuggets rumored to have explored trades for Marcus Smart 

Marc Stein of the New York Times has reported that the Denver Nuggets are one of the teams that has explored a trade for Marcus Smart of the Boston Celtics. Stein also noted that Emmanuel Mudiay has been made available in those trade talks but that the Celtics are still looking for a first-round pick in return for Smart.

Smart would be an upgrade in multiple ways for the Nuggets, who are looking for a backup point guard, to open up future cap-space, and want to continue to improve their defense. Smart can fit in as a backup point guard as well as fit with Denver’s starting unit in a plethora of different ways.

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Denver Nuggets interested in Darren Collison

According to Sam Amick and Jeff Zillgitt of USA Today, the Denver Nuggets are interested in Indiana Pacers point guard Darren Collison.

With rumors swirling around in the last 24 hours that the Nuggets have interest in making a move for Tyreke Evans, it seems clear that the franchise is looking for backup options at the guard position and may ready to shake things up.

According to the Collison report, it was noted that Denver was willing to open up a roster spot for Torrey Craig to be signed to a full NBA deal and allow Will Barton to go back to his sixth man role.

Amick and Zillgitt additionally stated that Denver could look at George Hill – whom they were rumored to have interest in the last offseason. Wilson Chandler, Emmanuel Mudiay and Kenneth Faried are to be made available in trade talks, according to the report.

Collison, who is having an excellent season, seems like a logical option for a playoff-contending team in need of an extra scoring punch from the bench, or added point guard depth. Denver fits that bill.

The veteran point guard is averaging 12.9 points, 5.3 assists and 2.7 rebounds in 50 games this season while shooting 49 percent from the field and 43 percent from 3-point range, both career highs.

Denver would certainly be all the better for fortifying their thin point guard rotation with the addition of Collison, at present they’re in eighth place in the Western Conference and on the cusp of making the playoffs. With injuries to big man DeMarcus Cousins for the seventh-place Pelicans and Paul Millsap set to return to Denver’s lineup after the All-Star break, a move like this could put Denver over the edge.

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Denver Nuggets interested in Memphis Grizzlies’ veteran forward Tyreke Evans

Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN has reported that the Memphis Grizzlies — who are shopping their veteran wing player Tyreke Evans — plan on sitting the fourth overall draft pick from 2009 between now and the trade deadline on February 8th. Wojnarowski also gave a short list of teams who have expressed interest in Evans, and the Denver Nuggets were included. The Grizzlies are hoping to get a first round pick in return.

The Nuggets are sitting in the eighth spot in the Western Conference and are still very much in playoff contention. They are expected to be active leading up to the trade deadline. Denver has lacked wing depth all year — they’ve struggled to get production out of veteran Wilson Chandler, they’ve stretched the swiss army knife nature of Will Barton’s game to its limit and they’ve been forced to rely a little too heavily on their two-way player Torrey Craig.

Evans has plenty to offer this Nuggets team. The former Memphis Tiger is averaging 19.5 points per game with a shooting split of 45.8/39.2/79.9 — that’s good for an effective field goal percentage of 52.6 and it’s resulted in a PER of 21.8. All of those numbers are higher than Evans’ career averages.