Denver reporter: Nuggets may need to break up the team

[AleksandarN]

Let's pretend they really can't beat the Wolves, not this year and not the next.

Don't blow it up. Keep being a top team and wait your chance. Another team might eliminate the Wolves. There might be an injury.

You keep going far and hope that one year things go your way.

You don't blow a championship team with a player like Jokic. Nuggets aren't the Lakers or something who can acquire top talent here and there. They have Jokic, they ride Jokic and try to make small moves to improve the team.

I don’t think the wolves are unbeatable against Denver. But people have to realize this Wolves team will have several players getting huge salary increases starting next year. Their cap will increase by 20 million while losing bench pieces. Pushing them further into the second apron. With less draft picks to supplement their core. It is more likely that the Twolves break up their core if they lose this round than the Nuggets do if they lose this series. Also once you hit the second apron it is hard to get reinforcements.

https://hoopshype.com/salaries/minnesota_timberwolves/

[winforlose]

Rather than agree or disagree with the take, I will simply ask, what are the trade values of the other 4 starters? Assume you keep Joker no matter what, but everyone else is available for a price. I don’t think Braun or Watson have established themselves enough yet to get a good return. I don’t think Reggie Jackson or Justin Holiday have a significant trade value. But KCP, MPJ, Gordon, and especially Murray all have significant value. The next logical step in this conversation is moving from should they make changes, to what specific changes should they make? Are you trying to get smaller, bigger, more athletic, cheaper, ect…? Especially if you are gonna lose KCP anyway.

[Oscirus]

can the nuggets at least lose the series before we declare them dead? Holy moly

[Special_Puppy]

Everyone but Jokic+AG should be on the table.

AG in the dunker's spot is sabotaging Jokic for a few key matchups. They can double Jokic without getting hurt by AG. In those matchups they would be much better offensively with a guy who could simply hit a wide open corner 3. He absolutely has to go as more teams evolve to this emerging meta. He and Jamal are the two guys I am trading first.

AG is on a relatively good contract and is just too perfect next to Jokic. He's the Nuggets with the second best RAPM behind Jokic https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1mhwOLqPu2F9026EQiVxFPIN1t9RGafGpl-dokaIsm9c/edit#gid=923517192

[levon]

Everyone but Jokic+AG should be on the table.

AG in the dunker's spot is sabotaging Jokic for a few key matchups. They can double Jokic without getting hurt by AG. In those matchups they would be much better offensively with a guy who could simply hit a wide open corner 3. He absolutely has to go as more teams evolve to this emerging meta. He and Jamal are the two guys I am trading first.

AG is on a relatively good contract and is just too perfect next to Jokic. He's the Nuggets with the second best RAPM behind Jokic https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1mhwOLqPu2F9026EQiVxFPIN1t9RGafGpl-dokaIsm9c/edit#gid=923517192

Gordon makes them a contender. Not MPJ, not even Murray. Gordon makes the whole big rotation work with Jokic defensively and connects everything.

[Special_Puppy]

Let's pretend they really can't beat the Wolves, not this year and not the next.

Don't blow it up. Keep being a top team and wait your chance. Another team might eliminate the Wolves. There might be an injury.

You keep going far and hope that one year things go your way.

You don't blow a championship team with a player like Jokic. Nuggets aren't the Lakers or something who can acquire top talent here and there. They have Jokic, they ride Jokic and try to make small moves to improve the team.

I don’t think the wolves are unbeatable against Denver. But people have to realize this Wolves team will have several players getting huge salary increases starting next year. Their cap will increase by 20 million while losing bench pieces. Pushing them further into the second apron. With less draft picks to supplement their core. It is more likely that the Twolves break up their core if they lose this round than the Nuggets do if they lose this series. Also once you hit the second apron it is hard to get reinforcements.

https://hoopshype.com/salaries/minnesota_timberwolves/

Also I imagine the Nuggets could have beaten the Wolves this year if Murray+KCP were healthy

[___Rand___]

They have to add talent to their current roster, not break up their current roster.

This

It's just that the length and athleticism of TWolves are a difficult match up for Nuggets. You don't break up a team because you have a bad match up against another strong contender. You tweak the lineup. You also tweak your schemes. The growth they expected from the bench hasn't happened. They gotta find better role players.

[WentzerWuver]

They are already in the tax before resigning KCP they likely will need to move MPJ for a cheaper contract.

Detroit is obviously desperate I wonder Denver would take on Stewart for MPJ, or if they'd want Stewart + Ivey.

I doubt Detroit would give up both but I could see them moving one to add a legit scorer like MPJ to a team desperate to add talent.

Pistons would offer "I punch drunk that Suns backup center guy" Stewart and Grimes. Ivey, Duren and C are the untouchables.

Grimes is better than Ivey, who is still growing.

https://youtu.be/ETrSPhePyKM?si=x0NieaoR8o3cldQd

Didn't you get the memo?

[ItsDanger]

Jokic and Murray want a break before Olympics.

[CobraCommander]

FWIW, while I don’t agree with breaking up the Nuggets, I wanted to point out that the DNVR guys are legit, not like the national media just trying to generate click-bait.

They're totally legit, especially Mares (who made this remark)

He didn’t say break the team up though. Retooling maybe if they fail in this fashion by getting swept.

Every team retools tho- what does that mean

You wouldn’t move Murray, Jokic or Gordon or MPJ - because you need to give me a comp that is better at equal or better salary.

Plus all those guys have higher upsides playing with Jokic and everyone in the league knows it

Murray is the Canadian Booker - good enough to be a leading man on a bad team or the second best on a champion. Who would you get back that is that good? Murray can be the best guy on the court any given night - who you gonna get back for Murray that can be that ?


Either way you get my point - these guys one year removed from raising the banner and you want to start over around jokic like this is broken while the truth is - the wolves just might be the team of destiny and you watch what they do and decide how to match them because you are the second best team on earth IF they sweep you -

No one thinks Dallas or OKC or Boston sweeps Denver.

[ibraheim718]

They need to retool.

[CobraCommander]

They have to add talent to their current roster, not break up their current roster.

This

It's just that the length and athleticism of TWolves are a difficult match up for Nuggets. You don't break up a team because you have a bad match up against another strong contender. You tweak the lineup. You also tweak your schemes. The growth they expected from the bench hasn't happened. They gotta find better role players.

These guys get it -

You keep the core that can beat everyone but the wolves and you work on improving around the edges to match up better with the wolves -
Scheme matters too-

They been out coached - it’s odd -

Plus if Edwards IS Mikes son in body and soul, the league is playing for second anyway lol

To beat prime Mike they made a documentary where they took all the attributes of all of the best players of that era and increased their size and strength and made Mike play with cartoons and Mike still won cause he was just that good… ifs Edwards really is that… rack up some second places and call it a career

[nate33]

Gordon is awesome. Murray is a perfect fit with Jokic and should remain affordable because he's not quite an elite guard. KCP is effective relative to his contract.

The real issue is Porter. He is neither a dynamic scorer nor a very good defender, yet he is being paid a ton. If they could unload him and then replace him with two MLE-tier players, they might be better off.

[Special_Puppy]

Gordon is awesome. Murray is a perfect fit with Jokic and should remain affordable because he's not quite an elite guard. KCP is effective relative to his contract.

The real issue is Porter. He is neither a dynamic scorer nor a very good defender, yet he is being paid a ton. If they could unload him and then replace him with two MLE-tier players, they might be better off.

Murray is going to make $36 million next year and hasn't been healthy for 3 out of the 4 past post-seasons. Totally reasonable to think that the Nuggets should pair Jokic with another star guard

[GameChannel]

Spurs will take Jokic off your hands, Nuggets.

The new twin-towers. Wemby+Jokic connection!

[Woodsanity]

Honestly would consider trading Murray if somehow you can get an all star guard in return.

Its highly unlikely though but someone like Donovan Mitchell (like I said very unlikely) who is far more consistent and not as injury prone.

[CobraCommander]

Honestly would consider trading Murray if somehow you can get an all star guard in return.

Its highly unlikely though but someone like Donovan Mitchell (like I said very unlikely) who is far more consistent and not as injury prone.

You really think Mitchell is a upgrade over Murray?

lol

Everyone’s numbers better when they the first option - why does this point allude people

[Laimbeer]

Denver fans are the worst. I've lived here for 3 decades and the second something isn't right everyone bitches. Its sad honestly. How about you just let the series play out. F--- this guy.

No that's a misread IMO.

What he's saying makes sense.

If a team built to beat you has solved what you do, you may need to alter the equation.

The guy knows the team and he knows ball.

I think he's right. We have to see if Denver is prepared to make real changes.

Did the nuggets have the wolves solved last season?

Sent from my Pixel 6 using RealGM mobile app

[AleksandarN]

Murray’s issue is health

[life_saver]

Let's pretend they really can't beat the Wolves, not this year and not the next.

Don't blow it up. Keep being a top team and wait your chance. Another team might eliminate the Wolves. There might be an injury.

You keep going far and hope that one year things go your way.

You don't blow a championship team with a player like Jokic. Nuggets aren't the Lakers or something who can acquire top talent here and there. They have Jokic, they ride Jokic and try to make small moves to improve the team.

I don’t think the wolves are unbeatable against Denver. But people have to realize this Wolves team will have several players getting huge salary increases starting next year. Their cap will increase by 20 million while losing bench pieces. Pushing them further into the second apron. With less draft picks to supplement their core. It is more likely that the Twolves break up their core if they lose this round than the Nuggets do if they lose this series. Also once you hit the second apron it is hard to get reinforcements.

https://hoopshype.com/salaries/minnesota_timberwolves/

Wolves have all of the top7 rotation players signed up for next season. Problem likely starts from 2025-26 season when NAW, Naz will be free agents and Conley would also be like really old but for now, all the starters + Naz, NAW are under contracts for next season too