The Denver Nuggets are probably the most fascinating groups within the NBA coming into the 2024-25 season. Denver received its first NBA championship in franchise historical past in 2023 as star heart Nikola Jokic emerged as the most effective participant on the planet. The Nuggets appeared poised to repeat as champions final season as Jokic’s earned his third MVP, however a nagging damage to Jamal Murray on the improper time and a evident lack of depth finally value Denver a back-to-back bid when the Minnesota Timberwolves knocked them out in a basic seven-game second spherical sequence.
Jokic turns 30 in Feb. of this season, and stays very a lot within the prime of his profession. You’d assume a crew constructed round a singular, historic expertise like Jokic could be going all-in on surrounding him with veterans who match the crew’s proof of idea from its 2023 championship, however as an alternative Denver has bled expertise the final two summers.
Bruce Brown and Jeff Inexperienced left the crew in free company in the summertime of 2023 following the title run. This summer time noticed an excellent larger deflection: Kentavious Caldwell-Pope — arguably the crew’s greatest defender and spot-up three-point shooter —left the Nuggets for a three-year, $66 million deal from the Orlando Magic.
Denver’s entrance workplace at all times had a plan to switch the lack of these key veterans. Lead govt Calvin Sales space has been clear in his want to see a bunch of youthful gamers he drafted over the previous few years get an opportunity to develop into larger roles. Youthful gamers on rookie contracts make much less cash, and that provides the Nuggets extra flexibility with the extra punitive ‘second apron’ hanging over the crew. There’s just one drawback: head coach Mike Malone didn’t assume they had been adequate to deal with huge minutes down the stretch final 12 months.
It doesn’t take a genius to attach the dots that Malone and Sales space may not completely be seeing eye-to-eye on taking part in time. ESPN’s Zach Lowe talked about that chance on the newest episode of his important podcast, The Lowe Put up, which has in fact been aggregated in all places. “There are rumblings,” Lowe mentioned on his podcast this week. “Rumblings! That the teaching employees and entrance workplace, or no less than the top coach and the entrance workplace, aren’t precisely seeing eye to eye in Denver. To a level even uncommon for the NBA.”
Lowe didn’t current this as breaking information, precisely. Sales space even talked about how he and Malone may not at all times see eye-to-eye after the season:
Sales space doesn’t see any large holes within the Nuggets roster however he does say generally he and Malone’s views generally don’t align. Nevertheless it’s uncommon. pic.twitter.com/JjsIng7bDg
— Jake Shapiro (@Shapalicious) Could 23, 2024
By shedding KCP and signing solely Russell Westbrook this summer time, Sales space has primarily compelled Malone’s hand this season to play his younger guys. That group contains Christian Braun, Peyton Watson, Julian Strawther, Jalen Pickett, and Hunter Tyson. The Nuggets are already down one promising teen after rookie DaRon Holmes III tore his ACL at summer time league.
Denver shedding KCP is one among a number of free company deflections — together with the Clippers shedding Paul George — that will probably be blamed on the second apron. Denver could have been arrange for a number of seasons within the second apron if it matched KCP’s contract, which might have restricted its crew constructing avenues and elevated its luxurious tax shifting ahead. These apron ducking strikes completely scan as cheapness from possession, even when there may be advantage to preserving flexibility shifting ahead.
That is all a sport of danger and reward. Denver may have risked restricted flexibility sooner or later to bringing KCP again and attempting to win the championship proper now whereas Jokic continues to be at its peak. As an alternative, it’s risking lowering its championship odds this 12 months to probably elongate the crew’s window round Jokic.
The massive mistake Sales space made was paying Zeke Nnaji, his first spherical decide from 2020. Nnaji simply wasn’t adequate to play actual minutes final season at the same time as Denver badly wanted a backup huge man. He’s making virtually $9 million per 12 months this season on a de-escalating contract. It certain would have been good to have that cash free to attempt to maintain Caldwell-Pope round.
Sales space provided an extremely sincere evaluation of his want to develop the younger core forward of final season even when it value his crew the 2024 title. Right here’s what he instructed The Ringer’s Kevin O’Connor:
“I simply need dudes that we attempt to develop, and it’s sustainable,” Nuggets GM Calvin Sales space instructed me final August. “If it prices us the possibility to win a championship this 12 months, so be it. It’s well worth the funding. It’s extra about profitable three out of six, three out of seven, 4 out of eight than it’s about attempting to go back-to-back.”
Denver didn’t win the championship in 2024, but it surely additionally didn’t actually develop its younger gamers. Solely Braun was within the playoff rotation, whereas Watson was largely a wholesome scratch within the second spherical and Strawther was damage.
There’s additionally the Jamal Murray piece to think about right here. Murray was underwhelming all through the 2024 playoffs and by no means appeared totally wholesome. He was dangerous within the 2024 Paris Olympics for Canada, too. By the way in which, he’s additionally due for an enormous extension with the Nuggets that also hasn’t been signed. Can Murray get again to being the second greatest participant on a title crew, or is he already beginning to slip?
Denver ought to nonetheless be excellent regardless, however with Oklahoma Metropolis loading up, Dallas reworking its roster, and different challengers persevering with to emerge, it feels just like the Nuggets are simply attempting to maintain tempo within the West at a time when they need to be main the pack. Denver may have simply re-signed KCP and discovered its payroll crunch later. As an alternative, it’s making an enormous wager on a bunch of unproven expertise across the sport’s greatest participant.
Jokic deserves to have multiple ring on his finger by the point his profession is over. The Nuggets are making extremely daring — and low cost! — strikes that can both look genius or extremely silly after this season.
