According to The Stein Line insider Marc Stein, the Denver Nuggets are interested in acquiring Charlotte Hornets point guard Vasilije Micic.
How the Nuggets Can Add Vasilije Micic in Place of Nikola Jokic
The 30-year-old veteran may not be as close to the Nuggets superstar Nikola Jokic as they say. However, both men respect each other for the way they represent their home countries. Given that both men regularly play on the Serbian national team, they also have some familiarity with each other. Finally, Jokic called up Denver in 2022 in an attempt to bring Micic to the Nuggets, according to NBA insider Jake Fischer.
“I can’t say that I am such a close friend with Nikola [Jokic] “He lives in his own world,” Micic said, according to BasketNews. “He’s a unique person, first of all. He’s such a humble guy and I can’t understand how he handles that, how he handles that attention that he gets because he’s the best player in the world.”
He makes such a small country like Serbia so recognizable and famous and I just try to support his achievements from the shadows and make it even bigger.
Those factors will go a long way in Denver’s determination to pursue Micic. However, the Nuggets must overcome one major obstacle: They have limited options to acquire him.
What would an exchange look like?
Micic is set to make $7.7 million next season, so Denver may have to move Zeke Nnaji to match salaries in a trade. Nnaji is set to receive $8.9 million in 2024-25.
This doesn’t pose a problem for the Nuggets in the sense that they would be forced to part ways with a valuable player. While Nnaji came into the NBA with the expectation of being an impact player in Denver, he’s not even a regular rotation player. However, unless the Nuggets believe the 23-year-old can break out in Charlotte, he’s not a very valuable asset.
Russell Westbrook’s Reversal
The most feasible option is to trade Russell Westbrook, Jalen PickettAnd DaRon Holmes for Micic. In that scenario, they might be able to acquire a draft pick for Holmes. Although he will miss his entire rookie season due to injury, he looked like a solid role player before.
Regardless, Westbrook is the headliner. But it’s not just because he’s a top-tier player. Westbrook could be a one-time starter if LaMelo Ball suffers another injury or provide leadership as a backup. After averaging 11.1 points, 4.5 assists and 1.1 steals per game in 2023-24, the high-octane point guard finished seventh in Sixth Man of the Year voting. He’s still a valuable asset, even if he’s no longer in MVP shape.
A former Euroleague MVP, Micic has a solid background and experience, averaging 10.8 points and 6.2 assists per game after being traded to the Hornets last season. Still, it’s hard not to imagine the largely American roster heeding Westbrook’s advice a bit more.
That being said, he cannot be traded until December 15th since he joined the Nuggets as a free agentIn other words, Denver won’t trade for Micic this offseason if that’s the route they have to take.
