Denver Nuggets
Key Acquisitions: F Paul Millsap, F JaMychal Green, G RJ Hampton, F/C Zeke Nnaji, C Bol Bol
Key Departures: F Jerami Grant, F Torrey Craig, G Malik Beasley
The Denver Nuggets made NBA postseason history last year as they became the only team ever to overcome 3-1 series deficits twice in the same playoffs. In the first round of the playoffs, the Nuggets came back down 3-1 to the Utah Jazz, and then did the same to a lot of NBA expert’s pick to win the championship, the Los Angeles Clippers.
Now entering this season, the Nuggets have their All-Star center in Nikola Jokic to lead the team as a triple-double threat, but they also have Jamal Murray who broke out as one of the NBA’s best, young guards in the playoffs. In the playoffs, Murray averaged 26.5 points, 6.6 assists, 4.8 rebounds while shooting 50.5% from the floor and 45.3% from three-point range. Murray was arguably one of the toughest players to guard in the Orlando bubble and set some new records for the Nuggets along the way.
The 23-year old guard made a total of 62 3-pointers in his 19-game postseason run, setting the All-Time record for any player 25-years old or younger in a single postseason. Murray scored 40+ points in four games during the Nuggets’ postseason run, including two 50-point games in the first round of the Western Conference playoffs against the Utah Jazz. Murray joined his opponent, Donovan Mitchell, as two of the four players in NBA history to score 50+ points twice in the same playoff series, joining the likes of Michael Jordan (1988) and Allen Iverson (2001).
Outside of Jamal Murray and Nikola Jokic though, the Denver Nuggets do not have any big time threats, especially after losing Jerami Grant to the Detroit Pistons in free agency. Paul Millsap is on the declining end of his career and while he will still provide some scoring and rebounding, he is nothing more than a 10-12 points, 6-7 rebounds performer. The Nuggets will need someone to step up next season and it is expected to be the 6’10” wing, Michael Porter Jr.
When the NBA returned to play down in the Orlando bubble, Michael Porter Jr. was one of the best players after the restart— averaging 22 points, 8.6 rebounds, and shooting 42.2% from three-point range in seven of the Nuggets’ eight final regular-season games. MPJ was named to the All-Seeding Games Second-Team as a result of his play and continued his success in the playoffs where he averaged 11.4 points, 6.7 rebounds, and shot 38.2% in 19 games. The Nuggets expect a big year from him in 2020-21.
Losing both Jerami Grant and Torrey Craig will affect this Nuggets team a lot defensively this year as they do not have a reliable defensive player outside of Gary Harris. This team did not make any big moves this offseason and are putting a lot of their faith into unproven players with potential. For that reason, the Nuggets find themselves as one of the biggest losers of the offseason.
