It was clear during their playoff series loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves that the Denver Nuggets need to shake things up.
The two-man game of Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray remains elite, but the supporting cast is no longer stepping up the way it did during Denver’s 2023 title run. Christian Braun hasn’t lived up to his big contract, Aaron Gordon has become increasingly injury-prone and Cameron Johnson — who was acquired in a deal for Michael Porter Jr. last year — has not been the consistent 3&D wing that the Nuggets thought he was.
An intriguing three-team Denver Nuggets trade idea doing the rounds would bring in some serious reinforcements in the form of Houston Rockets star Kevin Durant. The hypothetical trade, involving the Brooklyn Nets, would also allow the Nuggets to re-sign Peyton Watson to a more favorable contract, as it’d free up enough cap room.
Denver Nuggets Trade Idea for Kevin Durant
Nuggets would receive: Kevin Durant
Rockets would receive: Cameron Johnson, Christian Braun, 2033 first-round pick swap (via DEN),
Nets would receive: Zeke Nnaji (via RMLE), Bruce Thornton (via RMLE), 2033 second-round pick (via DEN)
As part of the deal, the Rockets would receive a 2033 first-round pick swap from the Nuggets, while the Nets would be rewarded with a future second-round pick for taking on Zeke Nnaji’s expiring $7.4M salary. Once the hypothetical trade is executed, the Nuggets would have only 11 players signed, paving the way for Watson to re-up.
Why the Nuggets Do It
Durant quietly had one of the better seasons of his career last year when he played in 78 games — the most since 2018-19 — while averaging his usual 26.0 points, 5.5 rebounds and 4.8 assists on 52/41/87 shooting splits. With only one year left on his contract (a $46M player option for 2027-28), Durant may be a risk worth taking for Denver. He projects to have instant chemistry with Jokic and Murray, given his ability to play off the ball and get his points within the flow of an offense.
More crucially, the mock trade would allow the Nuggets to re-sign Peyton Watson to a four-year deal north of $80M, forming a new starting unit of Murray, Watson, Durant, Gordon and Jokic, with Spencer Jones, Julian Strawther and Tyus Jones off the bench. That unit may be a little more prepared to compete with the Spurs and Thunder.
The Nuggets would ship out outgoing salary of over $50M in this mock trade, while taking back Durant’s $43.9M salary. By re-signing Watson to a deal in the range of $20M per year, they are likely to still be on the fringe of the second apron. However, as ESPN’s Bobby Marks noted recently, the Nuggets would shed serious salary in 2027-28 by dumping Braun and Johnson’s contracts.
Why the Rockets Do It
During their playoff series loss to the Los Angeles Lakers, the disconnect between Kevin Durant and the Rockets became undeniable. Earlier in the season, it was alleged that the 2014 MVP used a burner account to criticize his younger teammates, highlighting a growing disconnect with the rest of the locker room as the season unfolded.
Rather than carrying the burden of leadership—a role he has historically resisted—Durant would be far better off joining a veteran-led squad like the Nuggets, where he could simply focus on doing what he does best.
The Rockets would not need to bite the bullet on Braun’s contract, but Cameron Johnson comes off the books next year, making the deal relatively risk-free.
Why the Nets Do It
As one of the few teams who still cap space left, the Nets have little to lose by absorbing Nnaji’s expiring $7.4M salary and taking a flyer on Bruce Thornton, whom the Rockets acquired from the New York Knicks during this year’s NBA Draft.
Unlike the Rockets and Nuggets, the rebuilding Nets have no intention to compete for a championship this season. As such, it doesn’t hurt to land a project like Thornton and a second-round pick while waiting on their lottery picks to pop.
Like HEAVY's content?Be sure to follow us.
This article was originally published on HEAVY
The post Denver Nuggets Proposed to Land Kevin Durant in Blockbuster Trade appeared first on HEAVY.