The Nuggets’ depth is again being tested. Could the team make a trade with the Clippers for Chris Paul and Kris Dunn?

The Denver Nuggets won the NBA championship in 2023. In the two seasons since, Denver has fallen short, largely in part because of a lack of depth.

The team fixed that problem in the offseason by swapping Michael Porter Jr for Cameron Johnson, and then adding Bruce Brown, Tim Hardaway Jr., and Jonas Valanciunas. It has led to the best start in franchise history, but Denver’s depth is again being tested. Aaron Gordon and Christian Braun are both currently on the sideline for an extended time due to injury, which has forced Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray back into hero ball.

The Nuggets might need to make a trade, and although they are limited in terms of what they can send away, they could pull off a deal with the struggling Los Angeles Clippers for Chris Paul.

The Nuggets could trade for two Clippers’ guards

Nuggets receive: Kris Dunn, Chris Paul

Clippers receive: Zeke Nnaji, 2032 second-round pick

The Nuggets have next-to-nothing in terms of tradeable draft picks. They don’t have many tradeable contracts outside of their core players, who they won’t be moving on from, either. Therefore, the Nuggets are unlikely to make waves ahead of the NBA trade deadline.

There is a trade to be made with the Clippers, though. Paul, one of the best point guards in NBA history, is away from the Clippers. The team sent him home because of his clashing with Ty Lue and the Clippers organization as a whole. Paul is retiring at season’s end, and he certainly doesn’t want to go out this way.

The Nuggets could offer Paul a chance to compete for his first championship during his retirement tour. The Nuggets also happen to have somewhat of a need at point guard. The only point guard behind Jamal Murray on the depth chart is Jalen Pickett, which has forced Bruce Brown into more lead ball-handling duties.

Paul and Jokic are arguably the two smartest NBA players when it comes to basketball IQ. Together, the Nuggets would win games from the cerebral aspect of the sport alone. The team would also have tons of playmaking potential. Paul still has something left in the tank, and the Nuggets are one of his best fits.

Denver would also add Kris Dunn in this deal. Dunn is a defensive-minded guard who has become playable in recent years because he has discovered a 3-point shot. By doing this deal, the Nuggets would ensure that their depth will stay strong throughout the course of a grueling 82-game season. Backcourt depth would go from being Denver’s biggest weakness to a massive strength.

Would the Clippers trade with the Nuggets?
Jonathan Hui-Imagn Images
The Clippers and Nuggets have had bad blood throughout the years. Most recently, Denver bested Los Angeles in the first round of the playoffs last season in seven games. This would make a trade between the two franchises somewhat surprising, but it doesn’t appear that the Clippers have been offered much of note for Paul, and they’d rather get something back for him than nothing.

The Clippers are 6-20 and in second-to-last place in the Western Conference. This season has been a disaster. The Clippers are one of the oldest teams in the NBA, and they need to start trading everybody of value in order to rebuild for the future. Zeke Nnaji hasn’t amounted to much since being a first-round pick, and he isn’t on a great contract, but the Clippers could hope that he can reach his first-round potential after a change of scenery.

Additionally, Nikola Jokic might be at or near retirement age by 2032, when the second-round pick in this deal would convey. If Jokic isn’t the same caliber of player by then, the Nuggets’ pick could be close to the end of the first round. This trade return is measly, but it is better than just outright releasing Paul. Losing Dunn would hurt some, but the Clippers need to blow things up.