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The Denver Nuggets are still alive, despite their shocking loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves in the Western Conference Semifinals. It would be difficult to locate any impartial basketball fan who could declare with certainty that Denver’s championship window is closing, even in the event of a loss. Since it isn’t.
The Western Conference is getting better as young teams are maturing at a rapid pace, but the Nuggets are going nowhere. At least not for now. The question for the Nuggets heading into the offseason is whether they can find the right help in the margins that can assist this team in reemerging as a favorite in the West next season again.
With the start of NBA free agency less than a month away, one veteran could already be on the minds of the Nuggets’ decision-makers. According to Nuggets reporter Harrison Wind, there are members of the organization who are fans of Gordon Hayward and, naturally, he could emerge as a potential free-agent target for Denver this summer.
If Hayward is at a point in his career where he’s ready to ring-chase, the Nuggets do make a ton of sense. Denver has a need on the wing and with the uncertainty that revolves around Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, this is a team that could lose some depth this off-season.
Why Gordon Hayward is a good fit for the Denver Nuggets on paper Obtaining value in free agency, possibly by going for a seasoned player like Hayward, could aid the Nuggets in getting ready for an unpredictable postseason.
During the NBA Trade Deadline this past year, Hayward was dealt to the Oklahoma City Thunder; but, the move didn’t turn out to be as beneficial as maybe both parties had anticipated. Hayward averaged less than seven minutes per game in the Thunder’s seven postseason appearances.
As the NBA offseason approaches, Hayward is probably going to leave Oklahoma City and try to make a name for himself with a team that is competitive and could be able to offer him a lot more defined role than the Thunder did. Denver may develop as a contender that could appeal to Hayward as he gets ready for free agency if the Nuggets could provide him a clear picture of what that could look like.
Prior to being moved to Oklahoma City, Hayward was averaging 15 points, five rebounds, five assists, while shooting the ball 36 percent from three-point range and 47 percent from the field while playing for the Charlotte Hornets.
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