Michael Malone: Nuggets not ‘burning up phone lines’ ahead of trade deadline

The defending champions became the defending champions by keeping things together. So it would be a surprise if the Denver Nuggets made any sort of trade ahead of Thursday’s deadline.

That comes straight from their championship coach, Michael Malone.

“(GM Calvin Booth) and his staff, I’m sure, are fielding phone calls. But I can’t imagine we’re actively calling many teams right now,” Malone said, via Bennett Durando of the Denver Post. “Are we satisfied? No. I think you always have to be responsible enough to look within and say, ‘Hey, can we do anything that makes us better?’ That’s always a question you have to ask. But knowing Calvin and the brief conversations we’ve had, there is nothing where Calvin’s on the phone, burning up the phone lines to 29 other teams.”

The Nuggets are still a major threat to emerge from the Western Conference. In fact, five rival GMs contacted by Hoops Wire all predicted the Nuggets to repeat as champs behind the likes of Nikola Jokic, Jamal Murray and the rest.

The Nuggets (25-16) are just a half-game behind the Oklahoma City Thunder in the super-tight Western Conference race for the No. 1 seed.

So yes, there is always a possibility for a deal. There is always a way to get a little bit better. But when you’re the defending champs, you often just stay the course.

“You never know what kind of phone call you’ll get,” Malone said. “That’s the crazy thing as next Thursday approaches. This is a weird business. Strange things happen. But I love the group in that locker room. I love where we’re at. And more importantly, I think we really have another level we can get to.”