The Denver Nuggets have had a busy offseason in an attempt to remain competitive in a star-studded Western Conference.
The club is gearing up for a bounce-back campaign after its second straight second-round playoff exit, which came at the hands of the Oklahoma City Thunder last postseason. The Nuggets traded for Cameron Johnson and Jonas Valanciunas, signing Tim Hardaway Jr. and Bruce Brown this summer.
However, they are also expected to lose nine-time All-Star Russell Westbrook and could be looking to add a new backup point guard this season.
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Nuggets linked to Pacers’ T.J. McConnell
Nathaniel Holloway of Athlon Sports recently named his top trade targets for the Nuggets this season and encouraged the team to take a look at Indiana Pacers point guard T.J. McConnell.
“The veteran guard is a solid scorer but he is better known for his playmaking and defense, something the Nuggets could use in their second unit,” he wrote. “Of course, McConnell played a key role for the Pacers during their run to the NBA Finals last season so they may not be willing to move him but if they are, he could be a solid addition to Denver’s roster.”
The Pacers are clearly high on McConnell, considering they signed him to a four-year, $44.8 million extension in September 2024 that includes a team option for the 2028-29 campaign.
McConnell has spent the past six seasons in Indiana, including a career-best year in 2023-24. He impressed again off the bench last season, averaging 9.1 points, 4.4 assists, 2.4 rebounds and 1.1 steals across 17.9 minutes per game in 79 regular-season appearances.
However, the Pacers are facing a gap year with Tyrese Haliburton set to miss the entire campaign due to a torn Achilles he sustained in Game 7 of the NBA Finals. The team also lost Myles Turner to the Milwaukee Bucks in free agency, so a retooling effort wouldn’t be surprising.
With Westbrook out of the picture, McConnell could be a viable option to back up Jamal Murray. Still, the Nuggets would have to put together a convincing package to pry the 33-year-old away from Indiana.
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