What a Nuggets-Kawhi Leonard Trade Would Look Like and Why It's Worth It

The Denver Nuggets could be gearing up to make a splash this offseason, and it could be the perfect time to do so. There are several stars around the league who could be on the trade block this summer, including big names like Giannis Antetokounmpo, Jaylen Brown, Kawhi Leonard, Joel Embiid, Jimmy Butler, and more.

For a Nuggets team with limited assets and likely some hesitation to completely blow it up, who could they make a move for? With the Aspiration investigation still ongoing and the L.A. Clippers already pushing toward a younger core, Leonard could be one of the most realistic trade targets for the Nuggets with his decreased value.

What a Nuggets-Kawhi trade could look like

Just because Leonard has some concerns with the investigation and injuries does not mean he would be easy to acquire. The Nuggets would still have to make a generous offer for Leonard, but it could be done.

There are two paths the Nuggets could take, though. They could either offer up Jamal Murray to retain their core pieces around a new star duo of Nikola Jokic and Leonard. Or, they could offer up some of their core pieces while building an expensive star trio of Jokic, Leonard, and Murray.

For the latter, and more likely scenario, the Nuggets could offer a combination of Aaron Gordon and Cam Johnson to make the financials work. Granted, that could be enough to get it done, and the Nuggets would have to hope so with minimal assets to work with.

Leonard is entering the last year of his contract, as he is owed $50.3 million next season, making him a potential one-year rental. Of course, the Nuggets would not want to sell the farm for a 34-year-old star who might be in Denver for just one season, but at the same time, it would give them some cap relief in the 2027 offseason.

Would it be worth it?

Despite an overall underwhelming season for the Clippers, Leonard had one of the best years of his career. He averaged a career-high 27.9 points with 6.4 rebounds, 3.6 assists, and 1.9 steals per game, while shooting 50.5% from the field and 38.7% from beyond the arc.

Even in his 14th season, Leonard is one of the best players in the league, and placing him on this Denver team would immediately take them to the next level.

Since winning the NBA Finals in 2023, the Nuggets have fallen short in three straight years, even failing to reach the Western Conference Finals again. Now, after a first-round exit, they might need to swing for the fences.

The Nuggets had the 21st-ranked defense in the NBA this season. How do they fix that? By bringing in the best two-way player of the past decade. Leonard is the exact type of defender the Nuggets need, while being an offensive superstar who can take pressure off Jokic.

While this trade would be far riskier if the Nuggets had to include Murray, if they could get it done without doing so, then it would be worth it.

The injury risk

Of course, everyone knows how great Leonard is as a seven-time All-Star, two-time Finals MVP, and two-time Defensive Player of the Year, but any team that considers adding him has to factor in his injury history.

This season, it was not as much of a concern, as Leonard played in 65 of the Clippers' 82 games, but the Nuggets should not be searching for injury-prone players on the trade market after the disastrous season they just had. Leonard has played more than 60 games in just two of the last nine seasons.

The Nuggets would have to ask if his injury risk is worth giving up valuable assets for, as they would need to count on him to play at least 65-70 games and be healthy for the playoffs, for it to be truly worth it. And, as everyone knows, there is no guarantee.

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