Could the Denver Nuggets be the NBA’s next dynasty? They have a youthful roster, plenty of promising draft picks to support the starting five, and an experienced head coach at the helm.
Here’s how they might be paving their way to successfully defending their title in the years ahead…
A youthful roster
Take a gander at the birth certificates of Denver’s core team, and you’ll realise what we have: they’re just tapping into their peak years.
Nikola Jokic is 28, Jamal Murray is 26, and Michael Porter Jr. is 24. All three are under contract through to at least 2025 and will likely be offered extensions when the time comes around.
Although the Nuggets may be inexperienced, they have a very knowledgeable head coach in Michael Malone, who will want to take this season’s success and use it as a jumping pad for the seasons ahead.
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Denver beat Miami 4-1 in the Finals as the Nuggets claimed their maiden NBA championship
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An offence that does not quit
Denver have the most stacked offence in the league, and it’s not even close.
Sure, Jokic and Murray have had stiff competition. But when it’s come to the big moments, no attacking duo does it better than a Serbian second-round pick and a Canadian sharpshooter.
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Jokic proved that by shattering Wilt Chamberlain’s record for most triple-doubles in a single post-season.
He was also the front-runner for the MVP award before results went Joel Embiid’s way.
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Finals MVP Nikola Jokic had 28 points, 16 rebounds and four assists as he helped the Denver Nuggets claim their maiden NBA title
Meanwhile, Murray has been just as compelling.
Two years after rupturing his anterior cruciate ligament, he’s finally performing at an all-NBA level. The 26-year-old racked up the most consecutive 20-point performances in an NBA Finals series against the Miami Heat.
Porter Jr. brings up the rear as an elite third option. He, like Murray, is still on his way back from a long-term injury absence and is likely to work towards better form too.
Together, these three have led the Nuggets to the second-fewest win/loss record by a champion in the last 20 years, with only the 2017 Golden State Warriors besting them.
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Smart thinking with free agents
The league has put stricter penalties into place for free spenders, including Denver.
Both Jeff Green and Bruce Brown, essential to the operation, will become free agents at the end of the summer and will get offers far greater than the ones the Nuggets will be putting on the table.
All of which points to a more difficult time negotiating extensions.
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Denver head coach Michael Malone is determined to build a dynasty with the Nuggets following their first NBA title win
Fortunately, Malone has a few tricks up his sleeve. By not amassing a slew of mid-size contracts, he can ensure pay outs for his stars and have room to mull over the remaining options.
That might be an essential detail further down the line as Murray’s contract expires in 2025, and Denver won’t have the means to support three stars on max fees.
If he has to offload a few players, he still has the means to bolster the squad. Expect Christian Braun, Zeke Nnaji, and Peyton Washington to see more game time next year.
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Securing top draft picks
The Nuggets can and should make the most of the upcoming draft to fortify their squad.
Indeed, they’ve already mastered making the salary cap work for them under the new Collective Bargaining Agreement; it would surprise no one if they brought in more youthful faces.
Although they don’t have a first-round pick in 2023 to kick-start that process, they have two very promising leads at no. 37 and 40.
They are also shipping a 2029 first-round pick to the Oklahoma City Thunder for a first-round pick in 2024 and second-round picks in 2023 and 2024.
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Securing the immediate future is the first port of call – and it should be.
Nobody can handle the Nuggets’ offence, their best players are entering their prime, and the upcoming draft offers the possibility of padding out the squad – all hallmarks of a franchise gearing up for supremacy.
Sourse: skysports.com
