NBA Trade Rumors: 3 players the Denver Nuggets should trade away

Last April, the Denver Nuggets suffered a heartbreaking overtime defeat to the Minnesota Timberwolves, which meant that the franchise missed out on the playoffs for a fifth straight year. Nevertheless, the Nuggets have been one of the biggest surprises of the NBA 18/19 season so far, and after 43 games, Denver sits second in the Western Conference standings.

The team's performances have been heavily influenced by the incredible Nikola Jokic, who has already recorded five triple-doubles so far this season, and the franchise is currently in the best shape that it has been in for more than a decade.

Nevertheless, the Nuggets could still be in the trade market this month, as the race for a playoff spot in the Western Conference remains incredibly competitive. With this in mind, here we will look at three individuals that the Denver Nuggets should consider trading away this month, in order to bring in new additions to the roster.

#3 Tyler Lydon

Tyler Lydon was selected by the Utah Jazz with the 24th pick of the 2017 NBA draft, although he was quickly traded to the Denver Nuggets. Nevertheless, in his debut season in Denver, Lydon played just one game in the NBA and instead spent most of his year in the G League with the Rio Grande Valley Vipers.

The 22-year-old has seen an increase in opportunities this season, although, after 15 appearances, Lydon is averaging just 1.3 points and 0.7 rebounds per game. The Nuggets have already turned down the third-year option on Lydon's deal, and the player looks destined to leave the team this summer. Due to this, the Nuggets should look to include the power forward in any trade talks this month, and hopefully, Lydon can land on a team where he will get more minutes in the rotation.

#2 Trey Lyles

Trey Lyles was selected by the Utah Jazz with the 12th overall pick in the 2015 NBA draft and after playing two seasons in Utah, Lyles was traded to the Nuggets in exchange for the draft rights to Donovon Mitchell. The Nuggets will regret trading away Mitchell, who was one of the stand-out stars of the 17/18 NBA season, although Lyles himself had a solid campaign last year.

The 23-year-old finished the season averaging 9.9 points, 4.8 rebounds and 1.2 assists per game, and Lyles also hit a career-high 26 points against his former Jazz teammates. Nevertheless, the power forward hasn't enjoyed the same success this season, and Lyles is shooting just 41% from the field. The former University of Kentucky player has also seen a decrease in minutes recently, and it won't be a surprise if the Nuggets trade Lyles away before the trade deadline.

#1 Gary Harris

Gary Harris was selected with the 19th overall pick in the 2014 NBA draft by the Chicago Bulls, although Harris was traded to the Nuggets on draft night, and he has remained in Denver ever since. During his five seasons with the franchise, Harris has been a regular starter, and back in 2017, the 24-year-old signed a four-year, $84 million contract extension with the Nuggets.

Nevertheless, Harris has failed to improve since signing his huge multi-year deal, and the 18/19 season has been the worst of his career. Harris is currently only shooting at a rate of 43% from the field, and the guard's accuracy from beyond the arc (33%) is the lowest since his rookie season. Ultimately, Harris has not developed into the player that the Nuggets believed he could be, and it could be the right time to move him on.