The Denver Nuggets need to be active in the 2019 offseason, especially in the free agency market. The Nuggets had a great season. However, there is still some tinkering to be done. The team is going to have their hands full come free agency. With that in mind, here are two free agents the Denver Nuggets need to set their sights on when the time comes.
Offseason Free Agent Targets for the Denver Nuggets
Denver Nuggets Free Agent Targets
Khris Middleton
Khris Middleton has been a great wingman for Giannis Antetokounmpo. He is about to hit the free agent market and will see how his improvement in the last few years has affected his stock. The Denver Nuggets would be a perfect fit for him. Will Barton is a good scorer to have on the roster. However, his true role is coming off the bench where he has proven the most effective in the past.
Having Khris Middleton as a starting small forward to go along with Nikola Jokic and possibly Paul Millsap would make for one of the most feared frontcourts in the NBA. Middleton would thrive off of Jokic passing ability. Per basketball reference, he is a career 38.8 percent three-point shooter and is only one season removed from averaging 20 points per game. Now imagine having this type of production paired with the best passing big in the league, Nikola Jokic. Suddenly, the Nuggets have to be a favorite to make the Western Conference Finals if they land Middleton.
J.J. Redick
The Denver Nuggets sorely lacked a steady presence shooting wise off the bench in the postseason. While Malik Beasley did shoot 40 percent from deep in the playoffs per ESPN.com, he was the only reliable three-point shooter off the bench for them. Torrey Craig shot 47 percent from three-point range, but he was mainly in for defensive purposes. Adding someone like J.J. Redick would instantly bolster the already high powered Denver second unit.
He is a veteran glue guy who can benefit any team in the league. Redick is one of the best perimeter shooters in NBA history as he has a career three-point percentage of 41.3 percent. To put this in perspective, Stephen Curry‘s three-point percentage for his career currently stands at 43.6 percent. Redick would be a great fit for the Nuggets. He would not need star minutes and would provide a calming presence for the second unit.
Looking Forward
The Denver Nuggets have the potential to be a great team for a long time. They are coming off a season which saw them win over 50 games and they are still very young. Despite this, they still have some work to do this offseason. The team will need to be ready to make moves in this summer’s free agency. However, Tim Connelly has proven time and time again that he is capable of improving this squad.
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