Report: Nuggets seeking 1st-round pick in exchange for Arron Afflalo

I used to be jealous of Arron Afflalo's trade value. 

The Denver Nuggets have reportedly been dangling the 29-year-old shooting guard in hopes of returning a first-round draft pick, but so far there have been no nibbles, reports Chris Dempsey of the Denver Post. 

Dempsey noted that while there's plenty of interest in Afflalo's services around the league, teams are hesitant to meet the asking price, particularly given that he can opt out of his contract and become a free agent at season's end. 

That caveat is reportedly what scared off the Charlotte Hornets, a fringe playoff team in desperate need of outside shooting, who were said to be pursuing Afflalo. 

The Nuggets have already managed to reel in two first-rounders this season, which both came courtesy of the Cleveland Cavaliers in the trade for center Timofey Mozgov. 

With the team lacking shape and mired in a weeks-long malaise, general manager Tim Connelly vowed to continue to be hyper-aggressive in his efforts to alter (presumably meaning tear down) their roster ahead of the Feb. 19 trade deadline.  

In his second go-around with the Nuggets, Afflalo - who came over in an offseason trade after two years with the Orlando Magic - is averaging 14.9 points and 3.5 rebounds in 33.3 minutes per game. He remains a more-than-capable shooter, though his 3-point shooting has dipped eight percent from last season (42.7 to 34.7) and is well off his career rate (38.6).