The Denver Nuggets are off to a slow start, losing four of the first five games of the 2020-21 NBA season. Even if they manage to immediately bounce back, most people believe that they need more star power around Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray in order to have a better chance of fully dominating the loaded Western Conference and winning the NBA championship title. In the past months, they have already been linked to several players who are expected to be moved before the 2021 trade deadline, including Buddy Hield of the Sacramento Kings.
In a recent article, Greg Patuto of NBA Analysis Network suggested a hypothetical deal that would enable Hield to join forces with Jokic and Murray in Denver. In the proposed scenario, the Nuggets would be sending a package that includes Gary Harris, RJ Hampton, and a 2021 first-round pick to the Kings in exchange for Hield.
Hield is yet to be considered as an All-Star, but he would still be an incredible addition to the Nuggets. He would give them a very reliable third scoring option behind Jokic and Murray who could excel on the court with or without the ball in his hands and a legitimate three-point threat. Patuto believes that the arrival of Hield in Denver could help them make a deeper playoff run and reach the NBA Finals.
“The Denver Nuggets are a team that is ready to win now. They got hot in the NBA postseason and were able to ride momentum past the Utah Jazz and Los Angeles Clippers all the way to the Western Conference Finals. If they want to take the next step into the NBA Finals, they will have to improve further. This means adding a dynamic three-point threat. Games in the NBA are won and lost around the three-point line. That is how the league is now a day and the Nuggets can benefit greatly by acquiring Buddy Hield for that particular reason topping the list.”
Meanwhile, if the proposed deal would push through, it would not only be beneficial for the Nuggets, but also for the Kings. The Kings traded for Hield in 2017 with the hope that he could be part of their long-term future. However, it seems the 28-year-old shooting guard is no longer happy in Sacramento.
Instead of keeping a disgruntled player on their roster, the suggested trade would allow them to replace him with a younger sharpshooter in Harris who could serve as the new backcourt partner of De’Aaron Fox. Aside from Harris, the Kings would also be receiving a talented prospect in Hampton and a future first-round pick that they could use to add another young and promising player to their roster.
