Protected to say, this Denver Nuggets season just isn’t going in accordance with plan.
Sitting sixth within the West at 13-10 getting into play on Sunday, Denver hasn’t gained greater than two in a row in over a month and look in need of being true title contenders. Most not too long ago, Nikola Jokic dropping 56 factors, 16 rebounds, and eight assists wasn’t sufficient to forestall a loss to the league-worst Wizards. Keep in mind, Washington had misplaced 16 straight video games getting into that contest.
Jokic is having one other monstrous season, second within the league in factors at 31.5 per recreation, second in rebounds at 13.3, and second in assists at 9.8. But, it appears to be one that will get misplaced in historical past as a result of Jamal Murray doesn’t appear to have the identical bounce to his step, the youth that Denver has tried to deliver alongside in Peyton Watson and Julian Strawther are nonetheless marinating, making the losses of Bruce Brown and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope over the past two summers all of the extra obtrusive.
Consequently, the newest from NBA insider Marc Stein’s Substack The Stein Line revealed that Denver is “decided to make modifications to a roster that has supplied little assist for a better-than-ever Nikola Jokic.”
There have been no particulars supplied on who the Nuggets would possibly goal, besides that point out the pathway is proscribed.
Jamal Murray is ineligible for a commerce earlier than the Feb. 6 deadline due to the extension he signed in September, and the identical applies to Aaron Gordon. Michael Porter Jr. might be an attractive piece however the Nuggets are already dead-last in 3-point try frequency and so must be conscious of taking an extra hit in that space relying on who is available in to switch him.
Porter Jr. is averaging 18.9 factors, 7.0 rebounds, and a pair of.9 assists whereas taking pictures a career-low 38.3% from three in 23 video games (excluding the 2021-22 season the place he solely performed 9 video games).
Depth being a significant concern for Denver, it might make sense to see if Porter Jr. can garner a number of high quality function gamers in return who can defend higher whereas additionally increasing the 3-point threats on the roster even when none of them present as singular a risk as Porter Jr. from the surface.
Talking on The Athletic NBA Each day podcast, Nuggets beat reporter for DNVR Sports activities Adam Mares advised a commerce with the Hawks that will contain sending Porter Jr. and wage filler to Atlanta with Bogdan Bogdanovic and probably De’Andre Hunter coming again the opposite method.
That may at the very least theoretically improve Denver’s depth each when it comes to rotation choices and scoring, in addition to the playmaking. Bogdanovic clearly has lots of expertise taking part in with Jokic for Group Serbia.
Atlanta would acquire a nonetheless younger and gifted wing with loads of playoff expertise. Porter Jr. and Trae Younger had been AAU teammates in addition to very shut mates.
In some way, it appears the Nuggets should make some form of change earlier than the deadline to extend its championship odds.
