Nuggets GM Tim Connelly. (John Leyba, The Denver Post)
Nuggets happenings on during today’s NBA trade deadline day. Will be updated as pertinent news warrants throughout the day.
9:30 a.m. The main conversations still concern J.J. Hickson. There is some question as to whether the Nuggets would waive him if they cannot trade him by the 1 p.m. deadline. However, outside of a specific request from Hickson or his agent to be jettisoned, it wouldn’t make a ton of sense for the Nuggets to buy him out. And recently, Hickson told me he’d rather stay, though that certainly could have changed. Still, he’s in the last year of his contract (paying him nearly $6 million this season), it’s not saving the Nuggets significant money to buy him out, the team is not in financial trouble, he’s not a malcontent, and he’s been productive when given playing time. And with a team that has suffered as many injuries as the Nuggets have throughout the roster, having some extra insurance in Hickson wouldn’t be a bad thing if no deals are able to be made.
