Nuggets searching for upgrades on the wing, backup center before trade deadline, sources say

Amid mounting injuries, the Denver Nuggets are actively searching for ways to amended their roster up of the commercialized deadline, 2 sources told The Denver Post.

With semipermanent injuries to some Michael Porter Jr. and P.J. Dozier, the Nuggets’ superior people is simply a wing, 1 root said. Outside of Will Barton, who tin play tiny guardant but is much a accepted shooting guard, the Nuggets’ roster is devoid of immoderate existent wings.

Barton has started the past 4 games astatine tiny guardant arsenic a effect of the Nuggets’ injury-plagued rotations.

This season’s commercialized deadline is Feb. 10.

Davon Reed, who’s successful the midst of his 3rd 10-day hardship declaration with the Nuggets, has fixed the squad a boost defensively connected the perimeter. There remains an involvement successful keeping him beyond his 10-day status, sources said, and Nuggets manager Michael Malone has been 1 of Reed’s biggest advocates down the scenes.

In summation to a wing, the Nuggets are besides searching for a existent backup halfway to combat opponents who play big, sources said.

The Nuggets traded promising halfway Isaiah Hartenstein past play to Cleveland for JaVale McGee and 2 second-round picks, but hardly played McGee down the stretch. McGee’s played a important relation disconnected the seat this play for Phoenix, averaging 10.5 points and 7.4 rebounds per game. Hartenstein’s been likewise invaluable to the Clippers this season.

Jeff Green, who’s started 24 games this season, has missed the past 2 games owed to wellness and information protocols, leaving the Nuggets bladed successful their reserve frontcourt. JaMychal Green is presently Denver’s lone experienced reserve forward, and he’s lone precocious started to look from a season-long struggle.

Zeke Nnaji and Bol Bol stay developmental forwards, each with immoderate promise.

Vlatko Cancar’s ft fracture suffered successful the 3rd 4th against Dallas lone complicates Denver’s rotation adjacent more. The budding guardant had taken vantage of his playing time, which came arsenic a effect of Denver’s wounded woes. Cancar, who was susceptible of guarding up successful size, leaves an adjacent bigger spread connected the perimeter to fill.

Malone is expected to stay successful wellness and information protocols up of Wednesday’s crippled against Utah, meaning adjunct Popeye Jones volition manager a 3rd consecutive game.