NBA Trade Rumors: Nuggets Might Have to Make Mason Plumlee Available

As the Denver Nuggets look to shed salary, veteran center Mason Plumlee could be among those leaving town.

Marc Stein of the New York Times reported Saturday that Wilson Chandler, Darrell Arthur and Kenneth Faried are all on the trading block, with Plumlee possibly being available as well.

Taken with the 22nd overall pick in the 2013 NBA draft, Plumlee has yet to spend more than two years with one team. He spent the first two years of his career with the Brooklyn Nets before getting traded to the Portland Trail Blazers. He then spent one-plus season in Rip City before being traded to Denver in the middle of the 2016-17 season.

Both sides apparently liked the fit because they came to terms on a three-year, $41 million deal last offseason. Now, the team could be looking to get out from under that contract.

Plumlee averaged 7.1 points and 5.4 rebounds in 74 games this past season. His 60.1 field-goal percentage was his highest since his rookie season, although he shot a career-worst 45.6 percent from the line.

With Nikola Jokic eligible for a five-year, $146.5 million max extension and Will Barton set for free agency, the Nuggets are in danger of going deep into the luxury-tax threshold. That's why trading any combination of Plumlee ($12.9 million in 2018-19), Chandler ($12.8 million), Faried ($13.8 million) or Arthur ($7.5 million) would help the team save some money.