Woj: Nuggets Trade for Pacers' No. 29, 32 Picks in 2023 NBA Draft; IND Gets 2024 1st
Joseph Zucker@@JosephZucker
Featured Columnist IVJune 21, 2023
The Denver Nuggets are acquiring the Nos. 29 and 32 overall picks in the 2023 NBA draft from the Indiana Pacers, according to ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski.
Indiana's return is headlined by a 2024 first-rounder.
The Nuggets traded away their 2023 first-round pick and weren't due to make a selection until No. 37 prior to Wednesday's move.
On the heels of its championship run, Denver doesn't need to do anything transformative this offseason. Adding a late first-round pick and an early second-rounder will at least allow general manager Calvin Booth to fine-tune the roster.
Booth can turn around and flip those picks in another deal or use them to get young players on cost-controlled contracts.
The latter approach is the likeliest course of action since keeping the core of Nikola Jokić, Jamal Murray, Aaron Gordon and Michael Porter Jr. together will be very costly. Murray will hit free agency in 2025, when Gordon can opt of his contract as well, and both figure to get significant pay raises on their next contracts.
The Nuggets are quickly going to see the cost of their success.
Shams Charania of The Athletic and Stadium reported Wednesday that Bruce Brown Jr. declined his 2023-24 player option. There's a good chance Brown cashes in with another team, thus removing a key role player from the mix.
Adrian Wojnarowski @wojespnAs the Nuggets prepare for possibility of losing Bruce Brown in free agency, they'll be drafting at No. 29, 32 and 37 on Thursday with a chance to keep gathering up young role players for this championship window. GM Calvin Booth picked Christian Braun at No. 21 last year.
While the Nuggets probably aren't resigned to losing Brown already, they appear to be getting their contingencies in place.