The Nuggets have gone through the draft (not great early grades) and free-agency (picked up a perfect piece for the team) and look like they will be improved next year. While I think they whiffed in the draft (Mitchell at 12 looks like a really good player early in Summer League-Lydon and Lyles are both currently trade bait) and did well in free agency, I think what the Nuggets do next will be the key to their entire off-season.
What are their options?
1. Stand Pat... Seems like a disaster for a team that has Millsap, Faried, Arthur, Lyles, Lydon and Juancho as primary PFs. Will Chandler be happy? Will Barton continue to take major minutes at the 3? Will Jameer stay on the team and get tons of minutes from a coach that trusts him more than the younger players? Depth is great until you have too much and everyone is made because of playing time.
2. Consolidate Assets... I believe this is what the Nuggets would love to do, but will have a hard time doing at this point. Who is going to take 3 players (Faried, Arthur, Chandler, Lyles, Nelson, Barton, Lydon...etc) for one player that is better? If you can do this it is probably the best course of action depending on the player they get in return (I would love Crowder from Boston, but he appears to be going to Utah and Boston doesn't want additional payroll).
3. Trade guys for draft picks. If you can get a 1 for Barton you take it. If you can get a 1 for two of the lower rung PFs you take it. Currently constructed the Nuggets have too many guys that need minutes. You have to thin the herd. The guys I would have a hard time trading would be Jokic, Murray, Millsap, Harris and Juancho. Other than that you have talented guys that if they can get you a return you take it.
What I would do? Hard to say as you don't know the deals that are possible right now. That being said I would be searching long and hard to get rid of at least Barton, Arthur and Nelson. This frees up playing time for young talent on the roster. In today's NBA I think Millsap and Faried (although with how little Malone plays him maybe he is better off being traded) can both play enough center without signing a capable backup C (see Plumlee, Mason). You also don't need duplicates Lyles and Lydon. They are redundant. They both can't get time unless you are talking about the G-League.
Bottom Line, show me Tim Connelly why you are a great GM. Get value for the solid assets that you have before they hit free agency. Make playing time for your young talent. Stand pat and you will have a mutiny on your hands.
