Why Nuggets Trading Up in the NBA Draft Is Too Good to Be True

The Nuggets could have interest in moving up into the draft. But don't get your hopes up.

Apr 10, 2026; Denver, Colorado, USA; Denver Nuggets head coach David Adelman calls out in the second half against the Oklahoma City Thunder at Ball Arena. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images | Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images

The Denver Nuggets have been the latest team finding themselves in the middle of some buzzing draft rumors as it relates to potentially trading up the board in the first round.

According to NBA insider Jake Fischer on The Stein Line, the Nuggets have been one of many teams linked with interest in moving up from their first-round pick at 26 during Tuesday night's draft.

It's an intriguing option for the Nuggets, especially when considering their existing young talent on the roster, and what a spark of youth and athleticism could do for the back-end of this rotation for next season, and potentially find a bigger role deeper into the future.

But in reality, the idea shouldn't be one that the Nuggets put a ton of stock into.

Why the Nuggets Trading Up Is Tough to Imagine

Sure, at the end of the first round at pick 26, there might not be as many intriguing options for the Nuggets to land as an immediate impact player compared to what might be up for grabs in the late teens to early 20s. That's why the idea tends to have some appeal on the surface.

But for a team like the Nuggets, such an idea doesn't make as much sense as it would for other teams, and it comes because of one glaring reason: the assets required for such a move is just tough for Denver to dig up.

Moving from their pick at the back-end of the first round into the top-20 or so spots isn't the simplest endeavor. Doing so might require at least one player or a future draft asset that sweetens the pot, and there needs to be the right team in ideal positioning that's willing to drop down to right around the second round.

Finding terms to such a move is tough as it is. But the Nuggets in particular don't have much value onboard in either. 

Their chest of tradeable draft assets, both in first and second round capital, is pretty barren due to previous deals made before this offseason, and the only real roster pieces that could seriously be considered in a move up the board are Cameron Johnson or Aaron Gordon.

Oct 25, 2025; Denver, Colorado, USA; Denver Nuggets forward Aaron Gordon (32) leaves the floor during the second half against the Phoenix Suns at Ball Arena. Mandatory Credit: Christopher Hanewinckel-Imagn Images | Christopher Hanewinckel-Imagn Images

If a move up requires either–– even though both have been included in their fair share of rumors this offseason–– it feels like a shift up the board would turn out to be pretty counterproductive for the Nuggets' bottom line of trying to push towards title contention.

Both would be better off in a deal landing veterans who can contribute right away. The Nuggets might also be able to make that happen in a package deal for a move up closer to the middle of the first round. But doing so while also saving money against the cap, it is also easier said than done.

With those factors in mind, keep your expectations tempered on the Nuggets making a shift up the first round happen once the draft arrives next week. There's bound to be a solid player that falls to them at pick 26, and they can stumble upon them by just sticking and picking where they are now.

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