The Denver Nuggets are probably the most fascinating groups within the NBA getting 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 very best participant on this planet. The Nuggets appeared poised to repeat as champions final season as Jokic’s earned his third MVP, however a nagging harm to Jamal Murray on the incorrect time and a obtrusive lack of depth finally price Denver a back-to-back bid when the Minnesota Timberwolves knocked them out in a traditional seven-game second spherical collection.
Jokic turns 30 in Feb. of this season, and stays very a lot within the prime of his profession. You’ll assume a workforce constructed round a singular, historic expertise like Jokic could be going all-in on surrounding him with veterans who match the workforce’s proof of idea from its 2023 championship, however as a substitute Denver has bled expertise the final two summers.
Bruce Brown and Jeff Inexperienced left the workforce in free company in the summertime of 2023 following the title run. This summer season noticed an excellent greater deflection: Kentavious Caldwell-Pope — arguably the workforce’s finest 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 interchange the lack of these key veterans. Lead government Calvin Sales space has been clear in his want to see a gaggle of youthful gamers he drafted over the previous few years get an opportunity to develop into greater roles. Youthful gamers on rookie contracts make much less cash, and that offers the Nuggets extra flexibility with the extra punitive ‘second apron’ hanging over the workforce. There’s just one downside: head coach Mike Malone didn’t assume they have been ok to deal with large minutes down the stretch final 12 months.
It doesn’t take a genius to attach the dots that Malone and Sales space won’t completely be seeing eye-to-eye on enjoying time. ESPN’s Zach Lowe talked about that chance on the newest episode of his important podcast, The Lowe Submit, which has in fact been aggregated in every single place. “There are rumblings,” Lowe stated on his podcast this week. “Rumblings! That the teaching workers and entrance workplace, or not less than the pinnacle 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 won’t 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. However it’s uncommon. pic.twitter.com/JjsIng7bDg
— Jake Shapiro (@Shapalicious) Could 23, 2024
By shedding KCP and signing solely Russell Westbrook this summer season, Sales space has basically compelled Malone’s hand this season to play his younger guys. That group consists of Christian Braun, Peyton Watson, Julian Strawther, Jalen Pickett, and Hunter Tyson. The Nuggets are already down one promising teenager after rookie DaRon Holmes III tore his ACL at summer season league.
Denver shedding KCP is one in every of a number of free company deflections — together with the Clippers shedding Paul George — that shall 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 workforce constructing avenues and elevated its luxurious tax transferring ahead. These apron ducking strikes completely scan as cheapness from possession, even when there’s advantage to maintaining flexibility transferring ahead.
That is all a recreation of threat and reward. Denver might have risked restricted flexibility sooner or later to bringing KCP again and making an attempt to win the championship proper now whereas Jokic continues to be at its peak. As a substitute, it’s risking lowering its championship odds this 12 months to doubtlessly elongate the workforce’s window round Jokic.
The massive mistake Sales space made was paying Zeke Nnaji, his first spherical choose from 2020. Nnaji simply wasn’t ok to play actual minutes final season at the same time as Denver badly wanted a backup large man. He’s making virtually $9 million per 12 months this season on a de-escalating contract. It positive would have been good to have that cash free to attempt to preserve Caldwell-Pope round.
Sales space supplied an extremely sincere evaluation of his want to develop the younger core forward of final season even when it price his workforce 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 successful three out of six, three out of seven, 4 out of eight than it’s about making an attempt to go back-to-back.”
Denver didn’t win the championship in 2024, however it 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 contemplate right here. Murray was underwhelming all through the 2024 playoffs and by no means appeared totally wholesome. He was unhealthy 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 finest participant on a title workforce, or is he already beginning to slip?
Denver ought to nonetheless be superb regardless, however with Oklahoma Metropolis loading up, Dallas transforming its roster, and different challengers persevering with to emerge, it feels just like the Nuggets are simply making an attempt to maintain tempo within the West at a time when they need to be main the pack. Denver might have simply re-signed KCP and found out its payroll crunch later. As a substitute, it’s making an enormous guess on a bunch of unproven expertise across the recreation’s finest participant.
Jokic deserves to have a couple of 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.
