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After adding former NBA MVP Russell Westbrook via the buyout market, the Denver Nuggets have their eyes on former Euroleague MVP Vasilije Micić on the trade market.
Substack’s NBA insider Marc Stein floated Micić as a Nuggets trade target.
“With a salary of $7.7 million this season and an $8.1 million team option in 2025-26, Vasilije Micić continues to be mentioned as a potential down-the-road trade target for Denver given Micic’s close relationship with Nuggets star Nikola Jokić,” Stein wrote on August 18.
Stein, however, noted that a potential trade for Micić would make them a second apron team, which limits their roster-building flexibility moving forward.
“Bear in mind, though, Denver is just $5 million or so shy of the second luxury tax apron and thus couldn’t absorb Micić’s contract without dreaded second-apron complications. The Hornets could also elect to keep Micić around to play behind former All-Star LaMelo Ball,” Stein added.
The 30-year-old Micić averaged 10.8 points and 6.2 assists over his 30 games (21 starts) for the Hornets after he arrived at the trade deadline from the Oklahoma City Thunder.
In the 2024 Paris Olympics, Micić averaged 13.3 points on 46.5% shooting and 4.5 assists alongside Jokic as the Serbians settled for the bronze medal after they squandered a 17-point lead against Team USA in the semifinals.
Nuggets’ Interest in Vasilije Micić Dates Back to 2022
Micić has been on the Nuggets’ radar since 2022 when news broke out that he’s finally entering the NBA. Jokic, his teammate on the Serbian national team, is his staunchest backer, according to Yahoo Sports NBA insider Jake Fischer, who was still reporting for Bleacher Report at that time.
“Serbian point guard Vasilije Micic remains a hot name on the trade market. OKC holds his draft rights, and Nikola Jokic has been said to be a driving factor in Denver’s interest to obtain the EuroLeague MVP,” Fischer wrote in June of 2022.
Fast forward to 2024, the Nuggets remain interested in acquiring Micić, per Fischer.
“The Nuggets are also engaged in trade scenarios for backup big man Zeke Nnaji, sources said. Denver had given the 23-year-old out of Arizona an opportunity to claim a clear-cut reserve role behind Nikola Jokić but traded up in Wednesday’s NBA Draft to select a foreseeable replacement in Dayton center DaRon Holmes II. Nnaji’s $8 million salary could be an outgoing package, for example, to bring back Serbian point guard Vasilije Micić from Charlotte, who’s been a target for Denver,” Fischer wrote on June 30.
Nikola Jokic Pushed for Russell Westbrook’s Addition
Westbrook, 35, has been the Nuggets’ target with three-time MVP Nikola Jokic pushing behind the scenes, according to DNVR’s Harrison Wind.
“I’ve been told that Nikola Jokic wants to play with Westbrook in Denver. He wants to play with him. It’s not the first time he’s wanted to play with him,” Wind said on the “Wind Chimes” podcast earlier this month.
According to Joey Linn of Sports Illustrated, Jokic was not the only Nuggets veteran who wanted Westbrook on the team.
Can Jokic wield his influence on the Nuggets’ brass to reunite him with Micić?
A Westbrook-Micić backcourt off the bench, however, theoretically poses a spacing problem as both guards are not adept 3-point shooters.
Westbrook just shot 27.3% from the 3-point distance last season while Micić is slightly better at 27.9%.
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