Marc Stein: Denver is among the teams that has explored Marcus Smart trade scenarios with Boston, according to league sources. Emmanuel Mudiay has been made available, sources say, but the Celts covet a first-round pick for Smart
More on Emmanuel Mudiay Trade
The key in each of these cases is how much will be required to make a deal. The Celts are said to be willing to part with assets, but Ainge seems to be again holding the line on what he believes is proper value. The strategy has frustrated other clubs and a percentage of the fan base, but it doesn’t appear to be changing. Memphis has been asking for a first-round pick for Evans, but the Celtics haven’t yet been willing to go there. Denver has reportedly offered Emmanuel Mudiay and a second-round pick, and while the C’s could propose something similar, the second -round pick (or picks) they could send would not be very high.
As the trade deadline approaches, the Nuggets are again in the mix with league sources saying forward Kenneth Faried and guard Emmanuel Mudiay can be had, and the asking price isn’t that significant. The Nuggets also have reasonable deals on Wilson Chandler and forward Darrell Arthur, both hold player options for next season which make them tough to move, as teams tend to shy away from placing value on uncertainty.
Mudiay’s shooting and playmaking also have been concerning — which is why Johnson and Winslow were higher on Jackson’s board. Mudiay is a career 37.2 percent shooter, and sources say the Nuggets have attempted to trade him multiple times. He has lost his starting job to Jamal Murray.
The Suns and Denver Nuggets have discussed a trade of Eric Bledsoe for Emmanuel Mudiay and other pieces, league sources told Basketball Insiders. Nuggets forward Kenneth Faried has emerged as part of the trade package with Mudiay, league sources told Basketball Insiders.
Marc Berman: According to source, Denver had called teams about PG Mudiay, including Knicks. They passed him over once before.
The Denver Nuggets and Phoenix Suns have held discussions on a trade that would send point guard Emmanuel Mudiay and the No. 13 pick in Thursday's NBA draft for point guard Eric Bledsoe, league sources told ESPN. However, sources described the dialogue as "fluid."
That leaves only a few plausible alternatives. The Pistons could target a distressed young point guard like Elfrid Payton or Emmanuel Mudiay, and snag a rental wing to make up the salary gap. Mudiay is available, per several league sources, though it appears Denver has no interest in Jackson. Orlando remains an intriguing fit; Rob Hennigan, the Magic GM, was part of the Thunder front office that drafted Jackson, and the team is starting freaking C.J. Watson over Payton.
Mudiay is available, per several league sources, though it appears Denver has no interest in Jackson.
There continues to be a belief that Denver might also be open to trading guard Emmanuel Mudiay if the returning package were right.
Denver Nuggets coach Michael Malone dismissed trade rumors involving Wilson Chandler and Emmanuel Mudiay, saying that recent reports about the players are "a lot of noise."
Malone said Nuggets general manager Tim Connelly reached out to Mudiay and told the young point guard not to "believe any of this stuff." "Emmanuel's a big part of our future," Malone said. "Tim Connelly's not actively shopping Emmanuel Mudiay. That's just not accurate, it's not fair, and Emmanuel knows that."
The Nuggets are quietly exploring what they might get for Emmanuel Mudiay and multiple picks, sources say, but they're in no rush to move Mudiay, and the Suns may not want him when they could simply draft a point guard. There aren't that many teams with a need at the position, and not much reason to exchange Bledsoe for another established guy -- say, Reggie Jackson or Ricky Rubio -- unless the other team includes a pretty damned good pick to sweeten the pot.
