The basketball fans of Denver have sent a loud message to an NBA team that finished dead last in league attendance: We don’t want to hear any more talk about the stinking rebuilding process.
The Nuggets need to be in the playoffs next season, and general manager Tim Connelly knows it. But Denver needs to pull off a big trade to reach that goal. So the big question is: Would pursuing a blockbuster deal for Sacramento center DeMarcus Cousins or Cleveland forward Kevin Love be worth it?
The Magic 8-Ball says: Without a doubt.
Cousins and Love are among the top-15 players in the league. Love has been on Denver’s shopping list for more than two years, and there’s the growing feeling Sacramento might finally be serious about trading Cousins, whose ability to cause trouble is as big as his talent.
If Love, Cousins or another NBA star is not on Denver’s roster when the draft concludes June 23, the Nuggets not only will have failed to do right by young, talented players Nikola Jokic and Emmanuel Mudiay, the team can expect even fewer spectators than the average of 14,095 that showed up to games at the Pepsi Center last season.
Connelly has been itching to make a deal that will stamp his identity on the Nuggets and finally end the pining for George Karl, Andre Iguoudala and that 57-victory team from 2013. What’s far more important, however, is Connelly finally might have the resources to pull off a big deal.
Denver can offer quality veteran starters at reasonable NBA prices, whether it’s Danilo Gallinari (due $15 million for the 2016-17 season) or Kenneth Faried ($12.1 million). The Nuggets own three picks in the first round of the upcoming draft, including one in the lottery. There also are young, promising and relatively inexpensive players such as Jusuf Nurkic and Will Barton to sweeten a deal, if need be.
So, if we take Connelly at his word that the Nuggets will be in aggressive pursuit of the playoffs after a three-season absence, would it make more sense to target Cousins or Love?
It’s true that neither man qualifies as a true franchise player. But either the 27-year-old Love or the 25-year-old Cousins would immediately be the best player on Denver’s roster since Carmelo Anthony forced his way out of town. The lead role for a championship contender is probably too much to ask from either Cousins or Love. They have earned five appearances in the NBA All-Star Game between them, though. By adding a genuine star to a starting lineup that includes Jokic and Mudiay, Denver not only looks like a playoff team in 2017, maybe Connelly also has something to sell a big-name free agent besides the beautiful Rocky Mountains.
Cousins: His nickname is Boogie. His reputation as a coach killer is scary. But I once asked Nuggets coach Michael Malone, who got the best from the 6-foot-11, 270-pound center while working together in Sacramento, what was the key to making the relationship work. “I was real with him, I coached him, I disciplined him, I held him accountable. I never tried to be his buddy,” said Malone, who added it was a deep hate for losing that allowed two tough sons of a gun to bond.
During the FIBA World Cup two years ago, where Team USA won gold, players representing the red, white and blue included Steph Curry, James Harden and Anthony Davis. During practices, the most dominant player on the floor often was Cousins. Would he be worth the risk to Denver? Only if Malone bet his job on the Boogie Project.
Love: LeBron James and Love joined forces in Cleveland two years ago for all the right reasons. They dreamed of winning championships together. Maybe that can still happen. But on more nights than not, Love and James step on each other’s toes. In seven pro seasons during which he has played at least 60 games, Love has never been a less efficient scorer than he is now, according to the advanced metrics.
The Nuggets’ pursuit of Love during the summer he ultimately joined the Cavaliers has been well documented, but I have written of the team’s interest since 2013, only days after Denver was upset in the playoffs by Golden State. Should Cleveland win it all this season, it’s hard to imagine Love moving anywhere. But I’m not so sure the Cavs can beat the Warriors, Spurs or Thunder in the NBA Finals.
The roll of the dice is Cousins.
The prize is Love.
If the opportunity for a trade arises, the choice between these two stars in their prime is a no-brainer.
The Nuggets hankering for Love won’t go away.
Mark Kiszla: mkiszla@denverpost.com or @markkiszla
