Denver reporter: Nuggets may need to break up the team

[Pointgod]

If they lose, the guy they’ll need to move is Porter and decide what to do with KCP. Porter just seems very hot and cold and if he’s not scoring, hitting threes then how else is he contributing? I know Calvin Booth had an interesting draft strategy of targeting older rookies but how does that help if they’re not getting any burn?

[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/

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

They will need a back up PG next season with Conley getting older.

[amcoolio]

Porter Jr. is going to turn into a Tobias Harris problem/contract for Denver, the most obvious move would be to trade him while they can

[life_saver]

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

They will need a back up PG next season with Conley getting older.

yeah..the main goal over next few years is going to be finding a long term PG solution but for now, my guess is Wolves will most likely bring back McLaughlin who is a minimum contract for the backup PG position...I doubt there is a team out there who will offer him more than that and he has been with Wolves since start of his career.

[life_saver]

Porter Jr. is going to turn into a Tobias Harris problem/contract for Denver, the most obvious move would be to trade him while they can

MPJ atleast has one elite skill...something which Tobias lacks. MPJ is an elite C&S guy and opposition will never ignore him...his gravity has some value and dude is an elite C&S guy.

[amcoolio]

Porter Jr. is going to turn into a Tobias Harris problem/contract for Denver, the most obvious move would be to trade him while they can

MPJ atleast has one elite skill...something which Tobias lacks. MPJ is an elite C&S guy and opposition will never ignore him...his gravity has some value and dude is an elite C&S guy.

I agree, however it does appear if Denver loses that if he's one of your max guys that is just isn't enough. Teams really have to get it right with their two max slots in order to win championships with the new apron rules. It's why the Lakers are cooked if LeBron stays. There is just no way to win a championship with old LeBron and AD as your two slots.

[AleksandarN]

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

They will need a back up PG next season with Conley getting older.

yeah..the main goal over next few years is going to be finding a long term PG solution but for now, my guess is Wolves will most likely bring back McLaughlin who is a minimum contract for the backup PG position...I doubt there is a team out there who will offer him more than that and he has been with Wolves since start of his career.

If they don’t win it this year do you think the wolves entertain possibly moving away from KAT. That’s the one player they could get real assets from to improve the team. KAT’s contract is huge is he worth 50 million when you have two other max contracts

[JustBuzzin]

They still have Jokic. They just need to retool a little bit.

I would see what Murray could fetch.

There is a Serbian pg Topic who could be a top 5 pick. What about calling up San Antonio/Charlotte/Detroit/Washington and see if I can get Topic/fillers + draft picks. That's sets them up for another major trade down the line using MPJ and those picks.


Let me know Denver fans. I could be a damn good GM this is just a random thought off the top of my head.

[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.

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

It's unrealistic. How in the heck can they obtain another "star guard" who is better than Murray?

[ryguy613]

Holy Overreaction Batman!!!!!

[JustBuzzin]

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

It's unrealistic. How in the heck can they obtain another "star guard" who is better than Murray?

Murray is replaceable. The dude was literally shook in these first 2 games. Jokic is the engine they can easily build around him.

Murray is the only player they could get value for without trading future assets. Which is why I suggested the Serbian pg Nikola Topic who is a projected top 5 pick. Get someone Jokic is comfortable with and knows how he plays and another Serbian he can help mentor into possibly the next franchise player. They get picks in which they can use MPJ/picks for a star later down the line.

That's just what I would do though.

[Special_Puppy]

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

It's unrealistic. How in the heck can they obtain another "star guard" who is better than Murray?

Murray is replaceable. The dude was literally shook in these first 2 games. Jokic is the engine they can easily build around him.

Murray is the only player they could get value for without trading future assets. Which is why I suggested the Serbian pg Nikola Topic who is a projected top 5 pick. Get someone Jokic is comfortable with and knows how he plays and another Serbian he can help mentor into possibly the next franchise player. They get picks in which they can use MPJ/picks for a star later down the line.

That's just what I would do though.

Rolling the dice on Topic is crazy, but Murray is definitely replaceable.

[JustBuzzin]

It's unrealistic. How in the heck can they obtain another "star guard" who is better than Murray?

Murray is replaceable. The dude was literally shook in these first 2 games. Jokic is the engine they can easily build around him.

Murray is the only player they could get value for without trading future assets. Which is why I suggested the Serbian pg Nikola Topic who is a projected top 5 pick. Get someone Jokic is comfortable with and knows how he plays and another Serbian he can help mentor into possibly the next franchise player. They get picks in which they can use MPJ/picks for a star later down the line.

That's just what I would do though.

Rolling the dice on Topic is crazy, but Murray is definitely replaceable.

Is it really a roll of the dice when that trade leads to a bigger trade?

Denver would be getting future picks from said lottery team. They can use those future picks to add with MPJ for a major player down the line + they get a young PG on a rookie contract who also already is familiar with Jokic.

[CobraCommander]

This sounds like a panic move by some bloggers.

Blow it up? Are they crazy??

[docholliday99]

They will need a back up PG next season with Conley getting older.

yeah..the main goal over next few years is going to be finding a long term PG solution but for now, my guess is Wolves will most likely bring back McLaughlin who is a minimum contract for the backup PG position...I doubt there is a team out there who will offer him more than that and he has been with Wolves since start of his career.

If they don’t win it this year do you think the wolves entertain possibly moving away from KAT. That’s the one player they could get real assets from to improve the team. KAT’s contract is huge is he worth 50 million when you have two other max contracts

After watching Naz and crew go 5-out on offense and then dismantle the Nuggets on defense, I would think Gobert will be the odd man out - he's weeks away from 32 and has 1+PO left. Yes he's DPOY but to me a big part of that is due to the entire team.

But Conley, without him in the line-up, the wolves went 30-28 last season and this season 3-3...basically they become a .500 ball club. If they can find someone to groom or land another vet that wants to win, then Minny's in a great spot. That's the spot that would worry me the most if I was a Wolves fan.

[docholliday99]

It's unrealistic. How in the heck can they obtain another "star guard" who is better than Murray?

Murray is replaceable. The dude was literally shook in these first 2 games. Jokic is the engine they can easily build around him.

Murray is the only player they could get value for without trading future assets. Which is why I suggested the Serbian pg Nikola Topic who is a projected top 5 pick. Get someone Jokic is comfortable with and knows how he plays and another Serbian he can help mentor into possibly the next franchise player. They get picks in which they can use MPJ/picks for a star later down the line.

That's just what I would do though.

Rolling the dice on Topic is crazy, but Murray is definitely replaceable.

Players like Murray are not easily replaced. When teams have them, they don't let them go.

[nate33]

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

It's unrealistic. How in the heck can they obtain another "star guard" who is better than Murray?

Murray is replaceable. The dude was literally shook in these first 2 games. Jokic is the engine they can easily build around him.

Murray is the only player they could get value for without trading future assets. Which is why I suggested the Serbian pg Nikola Topic who is a projected top 5 pick. Get someone Jokic is comfortable with and knows how he plays and another Serbian he can help mentor into possibly the next franchise player. They get picks in which they can use MPJ/picks for a star later down the line.

That's just what I would do though.

Okay then. Who is going to send you a top 3 pick for a 27-year-old Murray being paid $36M and having just one year left on his deal?

[Mr B]

They can start by sending Jokic to Dallas for Tim Hardaway Jr and Mark Cuban.

[___Rand___]

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

I'm not surprised at Finch being as good as he is. I recall Nurse speaking highly of him when Finch was hired as Raptors' assistant, in a way he hadn't spoken of other assistants. And Finch didn't last a season as TWolves hired him mid-season. It surprised me at the initial lack of success he had with TWolves. I thought maybe the big egos weren't listening to him. But I am glad he's got their attention now. I am surprised at the lack of adjustments Malone showed in last game. He's going to have to do something different. But if Murray is hampered by a bum calf, maybe there's not much he can do. Their offense depends so much on Jokic Murray 2 man game.

[TheShow2021]

Players like Murray are not easily replaced. When teams have them, they don't let them go.

Murray is literally an average starting PG. Some of these are obviously better, the others are debatable.

In no particular order:
1)Shai
2) Luka
3) Brunson
4) Haliburton
5) Kyrie
6) Curry
7) Young
8) Fox
9) Maxey
10) Dame
11) Cade
12) White
13) Garland
14) VanVleet
15) Morant
16) LaMelo
17) Jrue
18) Harden
19) Dejounte
20). Donovan Mitchell (tweeter)

And imagine how much better any of these players would look playing off of Jokic.