If Nuggets coach George Karl is to be believed – more on that in a minute – his organization is in a precarious place as the trade deadline speeds towards the NBA, arriving on Feb. 21.

The Nuggets are in fourth place in the Western Conference, and rising. Their inexperienced players – most notably forwar Kenneth Faried – are improving at a steady rate. There aren’t many expiring contracts to take advantage of, though center Timofey Mozgov and guard Corey Brewer both fit the bill there. Brewer has expressed his desire to stay while Mozgov expressed his desire to play anywhere.

Karl acknowledged this time of year is a period of “solid anxiety…for players. It’s a small, small percentage a trade could happen. It would be different if you knew there was a contract, but we’re happy with our salary structure, we’re happy with our contracts, we’re happy with our players… And we’re happy with our record.”

via Christopher Dempsey of The Denver Post