The 2022 NBA trade deadline is just over a month away on Feb. 10, and the action is starting to heat up. We’ve already seen multiple deals this month, including the Rajon Rondon moving from the Los Angeles Lakers to the Cleveland Cavaliers. Now, there’s another deal to discuss. On Sunday, the Denver Nuggets agreed to send young big man Bol Bol to the Detroit Pistons in exchange for Rodney McGruder and a 2022 second-round pick (via the Brooklyn Nets), according to Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN.
Bol, the son of former NBA player Manute Bol, was initially seen as a potential lottery pick coming out of college. However, he slid all the way to No. 44 overall in the 2019 NBA Draft, where he was selected by the Nuggets.
The 7-foot-2 Bol had been with the Nuggets ever since, but has not been able to earn any significant playing time. So far this season, he’s appeared in 15 games, averaging 2.4 points and 1.4 rebounds. On a young, rebuilding Pistons team, Bol may get a bigger opportunity. At the very least, he’s worth a look for the Pistons; they need as much talent as they can get right now.
As for the Nuggets, they clearly didn’t see a future for Bol so it made sense to trade him before he hit free agency this summer. McGruder is a veteran guard who has been bounced around since entering the league in 2016, and should be able to give them some extra depth in the backcourt. It also never hurts to add an extra second-round pick, especially for a team like the Nuggets that has had success late in the draft. Reigning MVP Nikola Jokic was a second rounder, as was Monte Morris, who has become an important part of their rotation.