Andre Miller might still be a member of the Denver Nuggets, but that might not last for too much longer. The team has long been considering trading the veteran following a dispute with head coach Brian Shaw, but no move has been made yet. With the NBA trade deadline just a month away, the Sacramento Kings and the Minnesota Timberwolves have emerged as the favorites to land the point guard.
ESPN's Darren Wolfson reports that NBA sources believe Miler will be sent to either the Kings or the Timberwolves sometime before the deadline once a deal is finally worked out. Miller has been on the Kings' radar for a month now, while Minnesota is fairly new to the race. Miller was linked to Golden State at one point, but the Warriors opted to sign Jordan Crawford instead as part of a three-team trade.
Wolfson notes that the issue with trading Miller is what the Nuggets are asking for in return. They want a quality player on an expiring contract, limiting their options. However, the Kings might have the best answer with either Jimmer Fredette or Aaron Gray.
The Kings have previously offered up Marcus Thornton and a draft pick in exchange for Miller. The package also included Fredette. Sacramento has been shopping Thornton during the entire trading period and so far no one has taken their offer. It is possible the Kings might attempt to get a third team involved considering Miller is due $5 million this season and Gray and Fredette are only owed $2 million this season. The Nuggets could have to include another player to make the deal worthwhile.
Miller has yet to take the court since his fallout with Shaw. At 37, he can still be a very productive scorer with solid passing abilities that any team would appreciate getting on the roster, but character issues are now being put into question, hurting his trade value. If the Timberwolves could land him, paring the veteran behind Ricky Rbuio could help the young star develop.
The Nuggets should have taken the deal originally presented with Fredette, Thornton and a draft pick. That would give Denver plenty in return for Miller, an offer that might be hard to duplicate closer to the trade deadline. Miller is all but gone from Denver, it just remains to be seen if the team actually gets a return deal worth their money.