Denver would have to trade multiple other key players

Posted on: October 11, 2019 at 16:41:26 CT

Their cap situation restricts their flexibility.

Pretty sure they’d have to include something like Plumlee and Barton to make the salaries work.

Plumlee is a key backup and their only reliable center behind Jokic. Barton is a part-time starter and important part of their rotation.

Losing two key players on one of the best teams last year and one of the most promising prospects they’ve had in recent memory is a lot to give up. Their current roster had the fourth-best record in the NBA a year ago. Beal is damn good, but trading for him compromises the depth that made the team so good in the first place and eats up almost all roster flexibility they’d have going forward. So they’d be betting big on the idea that the trade would push them over the edge for a championship. If it doesn’t, they’ll be starting over.

They could make absolutely no changes, still win 55+ games, and be in the mix for a championship while also retaining flexibility heading into the future and holding onto a potential star.