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With reigning NBA MVP Nikola Jokic on their roster, the Denver Nuggets are looking to catapult themselves into legitimate championship contention in 2021-22. Denver ended with a 47-25 record at the conclusion of last regular season, which was good for the third seed in the Western Conference.
Ahead of them were the Utah Jazz and eventual Western Conference champion Phoenix Suns. That same Suns team was the postseason downfall for the Denver Nuggets, who were swept in the second round.
For Michael Malone and the coaching staff, acclimating to newly acquired Aaron Gordon while simulatously adapting to the loss of Jamal Murray proved to be challenging. Murray suffered a torn ACL in April, which will keep him out for a large majority of the 2021-22 regular season.
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Denver will need an acclimiation of improvements from across their roster to make up for Murray's production of more than 20 points a night. Considering the contracts that the front office was willing to hand out this offseason, Michael Porter Jr. and Aaron Gordon seem to be the two candidates who need to fill Murray's offensive void the most.
Denver Nuggets' roster moves so far in the 2021-22 NBA season
With minimal roster turnover, let's start with some of the longterm commitments that were made by the Denver Nuggets this offseason. Michael Porter Jr. emerged last season as one of the best three-point shooters in the league, which is rare for a 6'10" player. The Nuggets clearly think Porter is just scratching the surface of his potential, understandably considering he is 23-years-old.
What better way to show that belief than signing him to a five-year, $207-million contract. This could prove to be a mistake in the years to come, but who knows what the young wings development curve will entail.
Aaron Gordon was traded for in the middle of last season, but he is still one of the notable changes going into 2021-22 now that there is a full offseason with the Denver Nuggets under his belt. Gordon inked a four-year, $86-million extension with his new home this offseason as well.
With Paul Milsap departing for Brooklyn, Gordon will look to fill the defensive frontcourt role alongside Jokic. Aside from Milsap, there were only minimal roster losses for the Denver Nuggets this past offseason. Continuity is a major leg up for teams at the beginning of the NBA season, and the Nuggets should benefit from that early on.
The primary additions were Jeff Green and rookie Nah'Shon "Bones" Hyland. If given adequate playing time, both of those names could provide a few minutes for the Denver Nuggets but are not expected to alter the ceiling of this team next year.
Important storylines for Denver Nuggets' training camp
1. Who will replace Jamal Murray's production?
Nikola Jokic is the clear engine of the Denver Nuggets, but Jamal Murray has grown to compliment the MVP so well, and vice versa. Before going down with his ACL tear, Murray was averaging 21.2 points, 4.8 assists and 4.0 rebounds while shooting 47.7 percent from the field, 40.8 percent from three, and 86.9 percent from the free throw line.
Replacing that level of production is no easy task, not to mention that Murray averaged the most minutes per game throughout the 48 games he was available for last season. Off-ball movement and scoring can come from more Michael Porter Jr. growth, Aaron Gordon growing more comfortable, and Will Barton having more of a feature role.
The issue is more so by having a perimeter creation threat to ease the workload and opponents focus on Jokic down low. Porter would need significant improvement in his handling, Gordon has not shown that ability as a pull-up shooter, maybe Barton can but he's proven to be streaky.
All three of those players will need to take notable steps forward in the absence of Jamal Murray for a majority of the 2021-22 regular season. Who knows, maybe even someone like Austin Rivers or PJ Dozier steps up.
2. Will Michael Malone be willing to play the young guys?
Head coach Michael Malone is known for not being willing to trust rookies in the NBA and allowing them to learn by making mistakes. It's a hard line to tread for any team with championship aspirations, but rookies can make a significant impact year one on rare occasions.
When talking about replacing Jamal Murray, Nah'Shon "Bones" Hyland plays a eerily similar brand of basketball to Murray. In his breakout sophomore season at VCU, the 6'3" guard averaged 19.5 points, 2.1 assists and 4.7 rebounds while shooting 44.7 percent from the field, 37.1 percent from three, and 86.2 percent from the free throw line.
That impressive three-point conversion rate came on 7.8 attempts from beyond the arc per showing. While his playmaking is suspect at this point in time, Hyland has the upside to create for himself on the perimeter, shoot off the bounce, and function as an ideal off-ball compliment to Jokic.
Again, we will see if Hyland is given a few chances for the Denver Nuggets or if Coach Malone will keep him on a short leash as we have seen with past rookies. Other young players who could emerge this season, but can't be penciled in yet are Zeke Nnaji and Bol Bol.
3. Can Nikola Jokic take another jump?
It's easy to forget that Nikola Jokic is only 25-years-old. Coming off an MVP season, it feels weird to ask if there is another step the Serbian big man can take, but it's not out of the realm of possibility.
His 2020-21 season averages are 26.4 points, 10.8 rebounds, 8.0 assists, and 1.3 steals while shooting 56.6 percent from the field, 38.8 percent from three, and 86.8 percent from the free throw line. Those numbers make it apparent why he was the easy choice to take home the MVP.
So, what would another jump in his game even look like? On the offensive end, it's hard to ask for more. It would have to come in the form of an improved handle, more aggressiveness in drawing fouls, or an increased comfort from the perimeter. But, Jokic is already contending for the best offensive hub in the league - a real area with room for growth is on defense.
While Jokic has grown in his defensive capabilities, timing, and understanding throughout his time in the league, he is still prone to being attacked there. If the reigning MVP can place additional focus on anchoring the Denver Nuggets defense, the team as a whole becomes that much more dangerous.
Any additional growth on that end of the ball, or somehow dominating even more so on offense in 2021-22 would change the Denver Nuggets trajectory.
Predicted starting lineup for the Denver Nuggets heading into 2021-22 NBA season
Jamal Murray would typically be apart of the initial five on the floor, but there seems to already be a clear candidate to start in his place. The starting five for Michael Malone's Denver Nuggets should be pretty straightforward, unless a decision is made to spice up the starting point guard.
Here is the predicted 2021-22 Denver Nuggets starting lineup:
Point Guard: Monte Morris; Shooting Guard: Will Barton; Small Forward: Michael Porter Jr.; Power Forward: Aaron Gordon; Center: Nikola Jokic.
