Trade deadline - out with a whimper.

Why standing pat was bad:
Every other team in the top 8 in the west made a serious move to improve themselves. Denver did not.

Denver has a blatant need for a quality PG to move AI off the ball and allow AC to play backup. If they play AI at point, they have a blatant need for a quality 2 guard. In any case, the backcourt needs improvement either with a creator or a shooter.

Denver looks more and more to have a front court salary dump coming up. Martin at max, Melo at max, Camby and Nene at big bucks will be hard for Stan to stomach this summer unless serious noise is made in the playoffs. Neither Camby, Martin, or Nene were moved for value. We’re not saying they should have been, but it creates an issue.

Perimeter defense was not addressed, and other than AC they don’t really have anyone to play serious backcourt man on man.


Why standing pat was good:
The Nuggets have had as much or more turmoil over the last 1 ½ seasons as any other NBA team with the AI trade, Melo and JR’s suspension, injuries, Nene’s cancer, the Atkins trade, AC as the new point, etc. Some continuity can be a beneficial thing.

Just because a team makes a move it doesn’t mean they are better. Devon Harris gave the Nuggets nightmares, and replacing him with Kidd may actually help the Nuggets in a seven game series against the Mavs. The same thing could be said about Marion and Shaq in Phoenix. The Nuggets defend poorly against the high pick and roll, but well in the block. The Suns just became a more low-block oriented team. Some of these moves may be seen as panic in hindsight, and they might have brought a couple of the west teams backwards.

Some of the options, like Artest, could have created locker room problems. Where would his shots have come from?

LK is still on the team, and he’s a great value and a good player on a team in need of value due to its salary cap excesses.

JR Smith and AC could improve in the coming months, Atkins may be back, and Nene could return. That’s a significant amount of potential help.


Also consider:
The Nuggets may not be done yet. Cassell is working on a buyout, and he’s a potential impact PG pick up. Also, Brent Barry is being bought out in Seattle, most likely, so he’s a potential 2 guard with range and accuracy. While neither is a defensive specialist, they are both total professionals who take the defensive end seriously, and could help the team. Will Stan pony up for the price tag? Hard to say.


Final say:
Trading LK for Rent-Ar-test was probably a shortsighted move that had too much backfire potential. It might have worked, but it had a huge potential for problems. We’re not sorry the move wasn’t made. Not getting Lowry or West hurts Denver quite a bit. Cassell could be a better short term replacement than those guys, but he would cost bank, and the Celtics most likely have the inside track. Miller was another guy who could have greatly impacted the team, but for reasons no one understands, the 76s wanted to keep him. He might be a trade target this summer.

In the end, not making a serious trade is not as bad as some are saying. Reports that Melo is pissed, however, are worrisome.