A year ago, the Denver Nuggets were at the top of world basketball. They won their first ever NBA championship with the best player in the world, Nikola JokicJokic dominated LeBron James and the LA Lakers in the Western Conference Finals, then crushed the Miami Heat in the NBA FinalsWith an average age of 26.5, it looked like a dynasty was emerging. They lost a few players on the fringes (Jeff Green And Bruce Brown) but then finished first in the regular season (tied for first). The Denver Nuggets’ surprise playoff elimination by the Minnesota Timberwolves opens the door to many questions. Namely… should the Denver Nuggets be worried next season?
Nuggets of worry
The 2020 Lakers won during a pandemic, and the 2021 Bucks won in a truncated, COVID-filled follow-up season. The 2022 Warriors felt like the last hurrah of a former dynasty. The 2023 Denver Nuggets looked different. Jamal Murray has returned to form, and Michael Porter Jr. Jokic had a generally healthy season. I felt like he was certified by some of the best players in league history. A championship title again for the first time in half a decade seemed inevitable.
In hindsight, the distress signals were still there. Murray missed a good chunk of the 2023-24 season. Enough to miss the All-Star game again (Jamal Murray has never been on an All-Star team). The hope of internal development saw their young star recruit Christian Braun Nikola Jokic played all summer, earning an Olympic bronze medal for his efforts. He played 79 of 82 games to make up for the lack of depth. Building a third NBA MVP in four years seems great now, but looking back, the wear and tear will add up. Nikola Jokic also played all summer, earning an Olympic bronze medal for his efforts.
The Nuggets didn’t have a pick in the NBA Draft this summer, so bringing in younger players isn’t an option. They are who they are, but we don’t know if that’s enough anymore.
Mile-High Contest
The competition in the West is tougher than ever. Teams have had four years since Jokic won his first MVP award to fill out their rosters against him. The Minnesota Timberwolves, a division rival led by a young superstar Anthony Edwardsstacked star centers on their roster. It proved effective as they eliminated the Denver Nuggets in last season’s playoffs.
The Oklahoma City Thunder are a division rival that counters the Nuggets’ roster with depth. The Thunder have one of the youngest rosters in the league with enough future draft picks to afford a year of rehab for this year’s lottery pick (Nikola Theme was selected 12th in the entire NBA Draft and will miss next season for the Thunder). The wave of players the Thunder are delivering, including MVP candidate Shai Gilgeous-Alexanderdevastates opponents. Depth also insulates the Thunder’s roster from injury disruptions.
There are plenty of other contenders eager to test their meddling against Denver. The Lakers, the Western Conference champions, the Dallas Mavericks, and others will all be in attendance. Plus, the West is loaded with talent at Jokic’s position (Victor Wembanyama, Anthony Davis, Alpen Sengunetc.). The competition is of a high level.
Pouch of goodness nuggets
There are some positives to look forward to. Michael Porter Jr. played 81 games last season, which is a miracle given his injury history. A healthy offseason could allow him to reach new levels of play.
Former MVP Russell Westbrook Westbrook was the only significant addition to the roster this offseason. Expect Westbrook to help counteract some of the scoring lulls when Nikola Jokic takes over. The hope is that Westbrook is a net gain for a minimum salary.
Home-court advantage is real. The Denver Nuggets ranked sixth in the NBA in attendance last season and had the league’s second-best home record.
And of course, they have Jokic. Winner of three NBA MVP awards and one NBA Finals MVP award since 2021Team USA dragged former NBA MVP Joel Embiid on the roster to counter Jokic in a tight Olympic match. Despite Boston Celtics win the championshipThe road to glory always goes through a mile high.
Jokic definitely acts differently when he’s not on American soil 😂😂pic.twitter.com/aEtGBPx2F1
— Hate Report (@HaterReport_) August 24, 2024
Distractions
Porter Jr.’s major family problems were only a minor distraction during the playoffs. After a full offseason, is MPJ coming back mentally ready to play? Jamal Murray’s poor play this summer will raise questions during training camp, which is set to begin in a few weeks. Coach Malone will answer questions about Jokic’s mileage, the loss of Kentavious Caldwell-Pape in free agency (Orlando Magic) and the integration of Westbrook. Should the Denver Nuggets be worried about the upcoming season?
Jamal Murray at the Olympics so far:
5.7 points per game
33% FG
10% 3PT(h/t @StadiumLiveApp ) pic.twitter.com/XRZv8TEL81
— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) August 2, 2024
I would be. Reinforcements are needed to maintain a spot at the top. Denver has a lot of mountains but few reinforcements on the horizon. Any setback in Jokic’s health or Murray’s play could upend what was once a thriving dynasty. Maybe this era of the NBA It feels a lot like the 1970s, when dynasties were disappearing (the new collective bargaining agreement is partly to blame). Time will tell. Expect the competition to be fierce, as the race for the 2025 NBA championship seems wide open.
Photo credit for featured cover image: Getty Images.
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