Nuggets have Murray and Harris they both are going to be good so no need for AB.
Nuggets may do Jokic, Barton and this year's 1st for IT.
They have soured on Mudiay. I would probably take that deal despite me loving what IT brings. Because truth is C's aren't winning a title with IT and Horford as the teams 2nd and 3rd best players let alone currently being our 1st and 2nd.
C's
Smart, AB, Crowder, Horford, Jokic
Rozier, Barton, Brown, AJ, KO
I don't know where you come up with we can't win with IT/Horford as a 2/3 on a title contender. IT has elevated his game to all-star STARTER level play. We've seen him drop 50 one night, then 15 assists the next. He took LeBron one-on-one and drove right past him for a layup. The guys game is still evolving and his confidence is at an all-time high. Horford does all the right things. Very intelligent player. Doesn't force anything. Makes game-winning shots, blocks, passes, whatever we need, he does on a nightly basis.
They are a nice 1-2 punch with a great roster around them. But if you get a player better than them, they are an excellent 2-3 and I'd put them up against any in the league with the roster we would have behind them.
I get this from IT's man going off every night including on his 52 point night which is why the other team was in the game still. As well as Irving destroying IT in the game against Cavs and Horford being a ghost or a lamb in too many big spots. This team isn't winning with IT and Horford as the 2nd and 3rd best players.
Here are IT's "opponent" numbers, per 48:
23.3 pts
8.6 ast
6.1 reb
3.7 to
.518 eFG%
18.6 PER
Here are Kyrie Irving's:
25.2 pts
8.8 ast
5.7 reb
3.5 to
.548 eFG%
20.0 PER
James Harden's (at PG):
23.8 pts
8.9 ast
5.1 reb
4.0 to
.480 eFG%
18.0 PER
I'd conclude from this that IT's man is not "going off every night." That's just not true compared to other highly regarded point guards who are offense-first but viewed as franchise-level players or certainly viable #2 options.
On the other hand, here are the on-off ortg split for opponents overall:
IT 112.6/102.2 (-10.4)
Irving 108.1/106.0 (-2.1)
Harden 108.9/104.8 (-4.1)
I'm showing the ortg numbers for balance, and you could argue that the C's defend much worse as a team when he's in the game, but backups matter a lot there. When IT is off the court, it's because Marcus Smart and/or Avery Bradley are in the backcourt, generally. That is the best defensive backcourt in the league by a long shot. Or perhaps Rozier who is a good defender himself. When Harden is off the court it's Beverley (a very good defender) or Ennis (poor) When Kyrie is off it's...Jordan Mcrae? Shump?
The team defense question is, in my mind, murkier because of the backup issue. I would reckon that if Ivring's backup was Marcus Smart, his on/off splits would be much less favorable. But I think it's a debatable point.