The Denver Nuggets made a notable improvement last season, winning 40 games for the first time in four seasons, but were still not able to make a return to the playoffs, finishing one game behind the Portland Trail Blazers for the eighth seed in the Western Conference.
With their team full of young talent, and just on the edge of playoff contention, the Denver's goal this offseason is finding a way to get better -- specifically at the power forward position.
One opportunity the Nuggets have explored, according to ESPN's Marc Stein, is jumping into a three-team trade along with the Cavaliers and Pacers that would net them Kevin Love, who of course is one of the game's premier stretch-fours. With that deal at an impasse right now, however, the Nuggets are exploring other opportunities.
Stein adds that the team is also interested in jumping into the sweepstakes for two of this offseason's premier free agents: Blake Griffin and Paul Millsap. Here's more on that, via ESPN:
Sources say the Nuggets, meanwhile, have made upgrading at power forward one of their offseason priorities, which is why they covet Love.
Denver, according to sources, also hopes to crash the list of suitors for Los Angeles Clippers unrestricted free agent Blake Griffin and Atlanta Hawks unrestricted free agent Paul Millsap.
This isn't the first time that the Nuggets have been linked to Griffin, as league sources informed Matt Moore of CBS Sports that the Nuggets were in trade talks to acquire the star forward from the Clippers in 2016.
Both Griffin and Millsap decided to opt out of the final year of their contracts in order to become free agents this summer, and will have plenty of suitors, including a number of playoff teams.
The Nuggets' challenge will be convincing the two All-Stars to join their up and coming squad instead of going to a contender. If Denver is able to do so on either front, their four-year playoff drought should come to an end in 2018.
