Nuggets GM Tim Connelly not ruling out more moves: ‘I want to win’

Having just acquired Mason Plumlee from the Portland Trail Blazers, the Denver Nuggets have added a productive piece for their playoff run. Though that was a nice move in itself, Nuggets general manage Tim Connelly might not be done.

“We still have a lot of flexibility both financially and with players and our picks,” Connelly told Eric Goodman and Les Shapiro during the Afternoon Drive on Mile High Sports Radio. “So we’ll be aggressive and opportunistic if something presents itself.”

The Nuggets currently sit in the eighth and final seed in the Western COnference playoff picture. On the other hand, they also sit five games under .500. with a record of 25-30. As such, many wonder which way the team will go. Connelly did his part to clear that up.

“I want to win,” he said. “I don’t believe in tanking. Coach Malone doesn’t believe in tanking. Our organization as a whole, we’re trying to win every game we play.

“I think there’s this misconception that if we miss the playoffs we’re going to end up with a top-5 pick. The likely scenario is: where we are now, we’re going to pick between 11-15. Would I rather be the 15^th pick and make the playoffs than the 11^th pick? Absolutely.”

Connelly is excited because the Nuggets do have the pieces to be active in the market, but those pieces don’t necessarily include Wilson Chandler and/or Danilo Gallinari. He said that it’s “shortsighted” to trade someone just because they are unhappy; and, just because Gallo can opt out of his contract, doesn’t mean they will move him.

“I’d be very happy if he didn’t, but I would certainly understand, and for our planning purposes, our guess is that he will opt out,” he said.

As for who the Nuggets are willing to move, Connelly didn’t specifically rule out anyone.

“Depending on the price point, we’d trade anybody if we got the right package back; but if you’re always looking for assets, assets, assets, you tend to lose sight of the present day.”

Listen to the full interview with Tim Connelly, including his thoughts on how Plumlee will fit in and what Shapiro said that may prevent him from ever coming back on the show, in the podcast below.

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Catch Afternoon Drive with Goodman and Shapiro every weekday from 4p-6p on Mile High Sports AM 1340 | FM 104.7 or stream live any time for the best local coverage of Colorado sports from Denver’s biggest sports talk lineup.