Report: Nuggets actively shopping J.J. Hickson

With the NBA trade deadline less than a month away, things are starting to heat up in the Mile High City.

The Denver Nuggets are actively looking for a new home for center J.J. Hickson, according to ESPN's Marc Stein.

At 16-26, the Nuggets are unlikely to reach the postseason, so a potential swap of Hickson would be made with their eye to the future. The Nuggets are evidently comfortable that Tim Connelly would fetch a solid return, after extending the general manager's contract on Tuesday.

With the return of Jusuf Nurkic from a knee injury and the emergence of young guns Nikola Jokic and Joffrey Lauvergne, Denver's frontcourt is currently too packed to accommodate the veteran Hickson.

The NC State alumnus has played in just one game for Denver since Dec. 8, collecting 20 DNPs this season.

With an expiring contract of $5.6 million, the 27-year-old has a relatively affordable deal for a contender looking for a big man who can bring energy and rebounding off the bench.

The Georgia native is averaging 7.6 points, 4.8 rebounds and posting a player efficiency rating of 16.46 this season in 18 games.

With a virtually clean injury history and consistent per-36-minute numbers throughout his career, Hickson would be a safe bet for many playoff hopefuls.