Some McNuggets of Information
Potential rebrand for the Denver Nuggets?
Most people haven't really paid much attention to Denver over the past few years. Why would they? Filled with bad contracts, mismatching talents, and lacking exciting young players with upside, the Nuggets haven't exactly been a team worth watching. Calling them stuck on the treadmill of mediocrity would actually be a compliment based on how their past few seasons have gone. Hell, this article is being written because the Nuggets have gone 5-4 since acquiring Chris Paul, which to most people is completely insignificant, but for the Nuggets is a full 23% improvement over their season long winning percentage. So let's talk about what's happened lately, and what's to come for the (currently) Denver Nuggets.Potential rebrand for the Denver Nuggets?
Before we get started though, no, the Denver Nuggets are not rebranding any time soon.
The Recent Moves
The Nuggets have added a number of players since the start of the season, with 5 new players in Nuggets jerseys since the start of the season (not including the most recent trade with the Kings). They added former sixth man of the year and recent champion Lance Stephenson, who has now been traded for twice by GM Myles Nelson (back in 2014 with the Dallas Mavericks). Two point guards, sure fire HOF candidate Chris Paul and steady-handed Tyler Ennis, were also brought into the fold. Most recently, the Nuggets acquired two forwards, Dwight Powell and Landry Fields (who has reportedly been cut in response to the Kings trade), from the New York Knicks, expected to bring some defense and rebounding to a team sorely lacking it. How has each player performed so far?
Stephenson: 15.5 ppg, 41.8% FG, 84.3% STOP (23 games, 7-16 record)
Ennis: 6.5 ppg, 4.5 apg, 0.8 topg, 45.9% 3PT, 68.5% STOP (23 games, 7-16 record)
Paul: 11 ppg, 6.7 apg, 2.7 topg, 42.7% FG, 90.6% STOP (9 games, 5-4 record)
Powell: Only played 13 minutes thus far (2 games, 2-0 record)
The Latest Move
Denver just traded starting center Mitch McGary to the Sacramento Kings for a trio of players, veteran point guard Deron Williams, exciting young wing Kelly Oubre, and promising young big man Ndoye Yossou. This move has been met with mixed reactions, but the Nuggets really believe in this move. Nelson was quoted recently as saying he sees a potential future for Kelly Oubre similar to quality rotation player Al-Farouq Aminu, and he sees Youssou as a rotation big man with his ability to rebound on the defensive end and block shots. While it remains to be seen whether this move works out for the Nuggets or not, it at least looks like it has some intriguing potential.
The Mainstays
How about the rest of the players, you ask? What about Denver Nugget great Monte Morris, you cry? Have no fear, we are here to tell you how the rest of the team has done.
Al Jefferson: 16.3 ppg, 7.4 rpg, 54.7% FG
Monte Morris: 10.8 ppg, 2.8 apg, 44.3% FG, 33.7% 3PT, 77.5% STOP (22 mpg)
Rodney Hood: 7.3 ppg, 3.1 rpg, 47.7% FG, 47.1% 3PT (20.1 mpg)
Miles Plumlee: 7.8 ppg, 5.9 rpg, 1 bpg (19.1 mpg)
Malcolm Delaney: 6.1 ppg, 76.3% STOP
Mindaugus Kuzminskas: 3.9 ppg, 29.8% 3PT
A bit of a mixed bag, which is to be expected from a 12-25 team. It looks like the Nuggets were wrong about their 2nd round gambles, hoping that they could be decent contributors as ready now players. Delaney has been the best of the bunch, as his steady defense and ability to get to the line provides a little value. Kuzminskas was supposed to be a shooter, and may still be as he adjusts to the level of CSL defenses. Plumlee has come on much stronger of late, playing really well off of CP3, but his rebounding and defense has been his usual solid level all year long. Morris and Hood have both been good scorers off the bench, especially Hood who has been absolutely on fire from deep all year long.
Jefferson has been the real coup though, as he's been one of the most efficient scorers and on a good volume as well. Among the top 15 in field goal percentage, Jefferson is 4th in points per game. He's played primarily PF, making him a good rebounder for his position as well. And while Denver plans on keeping him to help them get back to .500 (which would put them in the hunt for the 8th seed), the fact that he only has one more year of guaranteed money on his contract has made him an attractive trade target for a few contenders around the league.
So What's Next?
Head Coach Brian Shaw has actually made this quite clear, stating after a game recently, "We are looking to win as many games as we can be this year. We want to go out and compete every single night. I know I've received some questions as to what that means for our young guys and their development, but we are a young team. Some of our best players are our youngest players. So I'm putting them on the court, not just because it will help them develop their game, but also because they are already very talented."
GM Nelson has made it clear that no player is safe on the Nuggets roster. In a recent podcast with well-respected Englishman Coach Fury, he mentioned that they aren't attached to anyone on the roster. "We are always looking to improve," Nelson wrote to this author in a recent email, "and we will do that by any means necessary. Our goal has always been to put the best team together we possibly can."
With 45 games left in the season, the Nuggets have plenty of time to try and pull their season back together. For once, people in Denver finally have a reason to watch their team grow. Because if not, Denver may need to seek that McNugget sponsorship.
2028