The Denver Nuggets face a difficult task this offseason, needing to add depth but facing a challenge as a first-apron team with little chance of adding talent through a trade.
But ESPN's Bobby Marks believes the team can find the frontcourt depth it needs by targeting a former Boston Celtics big man who can come at an affordable price.
Marks noted that Nuggets star Nikola Jokic has called out the need for more depth, noting that the top contenders are able to dig deeper into their benches.
"We definitely need to figure out a way to get more depth," Jokic said after the Nuggets were bounced from the NBA playoffs. "It seems like the teams that have longer rotations, the longer benches, are the ones who are winning. Indiana, OKC, Minnesota."
Marks noted that as first-apron team, the Nuggets are restricted from taking back more money in a trade and would lose starter Michael Porter Jr. if they aim to add talent in the trade market. But he suggested they could land former Celtics forward Luke Kornet as a tax midlevel addition.
May 13, 2024; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Boston Celtics center Luke Kornet (40) drunks beside Cleveland Cavaliers forward Dean Wade (32) in the first quarter of game four of the second round for the 2024 NBA playoffs at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse.
David Richard-USA TODAY Sports
Marks added that Kornet would bring two important qualities -- efficiency on the court and cost-efficiency.
"The Nuggets should use the tax midlevel to sign Luke Kornet to a two-year, $11.7 million contract. The free agent big man averaged 6.0 points and 5.3 rebounds in only 18 minutes per game last season for Boston," Marks wrote. "The Celtics were plus-14.3 points per 100 possessions when he was on the court."
