The Denver Nuggets continue to show an impressive performance in the 2018-19 NBA season, and as of now, they are sitting on the top of the Western Conference with a 19-9 record. If they become consistent and remain healthy throughout the season, the Nuggets have a strong chance of ending their five-year playoff drought. However, like other teams in the league, the Nuggets aren’t just competing for a playoff spot but to win the NBA championship title.
To have a real chance of beating the reigning NBA champions, Golden State Warriors; in a best-of-seven series, the Nuggets should still find a way to upgrade their current roster before the February NBA trade deadline. One of their potential trade targets is Kemba Walker of the Charlotte Hornets. NBA insiders from ESPN recently listed 10 big trades they would want to see this season.
In the proposed trade deal that would send the All-Star point guard to Denver, ESPN suggested that the Nuggets could trade Jamal Murray and Mason Plumlee to the Hornets for Kemba Walker and Willy Hernangomez. The deal works on ESPN ‘s NBA Trade Machine. ESPN ‘S Baxter Holmes believes that the deal will not only be beneficial for the Nuggets but also for the Hornets.
“Before being riddled with injuries, Denver looked like one of the best challengers to Golden State out West. This deal would put the Nuggets in win-now mode, and we’d finally see Walker in position to make a deep run in the playoffs — something a player of his caliber has deserved for a while now. The Hornets, meanwhile, get ahead of Walker’s free agency by acquiring a high-upside player for the future in Murray, someone their young players can hopefully play and grow alongside for years to come.”
Kemba Walker isn’t ruling out coming home to join Knicks https://t.co/aDLTF2KZ78 pic.twitter.com/Z6teC0M0L0
— New York Post (@nypost) December 10, 2018
In exchange for Kemba Walker, the Hornets will be acquiring a young point guard who has shown lots of superstar potentials. This season, Murray is averaging 17.4 points, 4.4 rebounds, and 4.8 assists on 42.2 percent shooting from the field and 29.5 percent shooting from beyond the arc. Unlike Walker who is set to become an unrestricted free agent next summer, the Hornets will be having full control of Murray until the 2020-21 NBA season.
Unfortunately, as of now, the Hornets haven’t shown any indication that they plan to make Kemba Walker available on the trading block before the February NBA trade deadline. Like the Nuggets, the Hornets are also aiming to end their playoff drought this season.
