The Denver Nuggets and Portland Trail Blazers are not only division rivals that faced off 11 times last season. Each time the two teams take the court against each another, the connections between them play a role in the outcome.
As a result of two separate trades between Denver and Portland over the past four years, three of Denver’s rotation players directly or indirectly came from the Trail Blazers.
It started in February of 2015, when Denver traded Arron Afflalo and Alonzo Gee to Portland in exchange for Will Barton III, Victor Claver, Thomas Robinson and a 2016 first-round pick.