Looks like one pick won’t get it done. The Denver Nuggets, who offered the Brooklyn Nets an underwhelming package of forward J.J. Hickson and center JaVale McGee, were reportedly willing to include one of the first-round picks they’d acquired when trading Timofey Mozgov, per Marc Stein of ESPN:
Nuggets, I'm told, offered one of two picks recently scored from Cavs in Mozgov deal in addition to Hickson/McGee for Lopez. Nets declined
— Marc Stein (@ESPNSteinLine) February 2, 2015
Nonetheless, Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports reports that the Nets & Nuggets haven’t had trade discussions in over a week.
The first-round picks the Nuggets acquired for Mozgov via Cleveland were from the Memphis Grizzlies (protected 1-5, 15-30 in 2015 & 2016, 1-5 in 2017 and 2018, unprotected after) and the Oklahoma City Thunder (protected 1-18 in 2015, 1-15 in 2016 and 2017, and becomes two second-round picks if not conveyed). If the season ended today, neither pick would be conveyed.
McGee and Hickson are mostly cap filler at this point, as both have struggled in their rotation spots for the 19-29 Nuggets. Meanwhile, Lopez just finished up his best month in over a year, capping it with a season-high 35 points against the Toronto Raptors in overtime. Any value the Nets would get in that Lopez deal would be in recouping draft picks; if the Nuggets can get two for Mozgov, the Nets should look to get more than one for Lopez.
These offers are going to be there for the Nets right up until the 3 P.M. trade deadline February 19th, and I expect them to field calls all the way up to 2:59.
