Corey Brewer: Gone next year?

Is Corey Brewer the most underrated player on the Denver Nuggets?

In my opinion, yes.

What does Nuggets management think?

We will find out this off season.

The Denver Nuggets are in a great spot with their roster.  They have a core group of young players that are getting better each year and are growing with each other.  The Nuggets are the 3rd youngest team in the NBA and have a number of players under contract for years to come.  Nuggets management has done a great job of getting their core players contract extensions without overpaying and hurting their salary cap figure.  With the current roster, there are only 5 players that could be elsewhere next year (assuming no trades are done).

Those players are: Andre Igoudala (player option to return), Corey Brewer (free agent), Timofey Mozgov (free agent), Julyan Stone (qualifying offer), and Quincy Miller (free agent).

Of those 5 players, only two are vital pieces to Denver's success, that would be Andre Igoudala and Corey Brewer.  I think Andre Igoudala will pick up his option because he would then make close to $16 million next year (something he probably wouldn't get on the open market).

But will the Nuggets try to bring Corey Brewer back?

I think prior to the Danilo Gallinari injury there was a possibility that Nuggets management would have let Corey Brewer go and stayed away from paying another swing player, something they had an over abundance of with Gallo, Chandler, Igoudala (potentially), Fournier, and I will even sneak Jordan Hamilton's name in there.

Well with Danilo Gallinari most likely out for a large portion or perhaps all of the 2013-2014 season, the reality of Corey Brewer being important for the Nuggets next season is an understatement.  Corey is one of the Nuggets most important bench players.  He provides energy on both sides of the ball, a slasher without the ball on offense, and a turnover provider on defense.  Brewer fits in perfectly with what the Nuggets try to do most, and that is run on offense and try to get as many fast break points as possible.  Brewer has been responsible for a number of wins this season, whether it has been hitting late free throws or grabbing a late offensive rebound, the Nuggets would not have a shot at the 3 seed without him.

Why would Corey want to leave?  He has it made in this Denver Nuggets system right?

Well if Denver doesn't show that they want him back by either not negotiating with him or offering him a deal that is well below his market value, he could easily find a home somewhere else.

Wilson Chandler will be the starting small forward for the Nuggets next year.  That removes an important bench player for the Nuggets' rotation.  Has Evan Fournier shown enough to warrant a bid for an every game player off the bench for either the shooting guard or small forward position?  Maybe, but I trust Corey Brewer more than Evan Fournier at this point.

Plus, the more depth you have the better, you never know who could get injured next year...I won't mention who I am referring to in an effort to not jinx anything.

*crosses fingers and prays to the basketball gods*

With a healthy Danilo Gallinari and an emerging Evan Fournier, I think Nuggets management thought they could perhaps get away with letting Corey Brewer find a new home next year.  However, with Gallinari getting injured, it may be their biggest off season objective to re-sign him.

"C-Brew" might be overlooked on a national level among basketball analysts, however, with Denver Nuggets fans, he is a key ingredient that shouldn't be overlooked.