Around The NBA : 2024-25 Season

[Ice Man]

I think about their line-up and, on paper, it is pretty ideally suited to playing alongside Joker. My understanding of their failing has been that they were unable to build a decent bench.

That, and the team doesn't have 2nd best player. I mean, Murray is in theory, and on occasion (especially during playoffs) he has been, but mostly he's just another pretty good player.

For example, if I take the '91 Bulls, per any advanced stat Scottie was much better than Murray, and then Horace was about as good as Murray. So, if you match up the '91 Bulls against the '25 Nuggets you get -

Jordan vs. Jokic, call it a wash
Pippen > Murray
Grant > Gordon
Bulls bench > Denver bench

Another way of putting the matter is, great as he was I don't see Mike winning a title with Denver's current crew.

[Dan Z]

Haha. They can ask, but I doubt it'll be a "massive haul".

"Suns Looking For Massive Haul For Kevin Durant":

https://basketball.realgm.com/wiretap/279927/Suns-Looking-For-Massive-Haul-For-Kevin-Durant

[Jcool0]

Read on Twitter

[dumbell78]

I think about their line-up and, on paper, it is pretty ideally suited to playing alongside Joker. My understanding of their failing has been that they were unable to build a decent bench.

That, and the team doesn't have 2nd best player. I mean, Murray is in theory, and on occasion (especially during playoffs) he has been, but mostly he's just another pretty good player.

For example, if I take the '91 Bulls, per any advanced stat Scottie was much better than Murray, and then Horace was about as good as Murray. So, if you match up the '91 Bulls against the '25 Nuggets you get -

Jordan vs. Jokic, call it a wash
Pippen > Murray
Grant > Gordon
Bulls bench > Denver bench

Another way of putting the matter is, great as he was I don't see Mike winning a title with Denver's current crew.

They have had their share of injuries and yes, some latitude can be given. The issue is the guys they bet on to step-up their game, haven't. Braun, Watson, and MPJ haven't done enough. MPJ has been a real disappointment and based on his contract a liability now in my view.

Couple that with what you mentioned, Murray (when healthy) isn't a good enough #2 in my view on a daily basis. He takes a back seat a little too much in my view and rides the Joker train like the rest of the team. Gordon to me is the only one that does his job on a consistent basis.

[WesPeace]

Yeah Nuggets should be more active in getting help to Jokic, otherwise he will leave in 2027-28!
Jokic will not play until 37,38yrs old, he will retire sooner. So he wants to compete in next 4-5 years, then its over for him.

[kodo]

There's not much DEN can do. Murray's new contract has him making about $50M average. Along with Joker, just those two are $100M of your cap.
Aaron Gordon is absolutely required to play alongside with Joker otherwise it's a Vuc situation in the paint defensively, and his new contract is around $34M. So you're almost at cap with 3 must-have guys.

It's hard to add a 4th big name because MPJ makes about $38M and is mostly a roleplayer. They probably should have done the Lavine/MPJ swap. Lavine can do the just shoot catch & shoot 3s from Joker like MPJ, but unlike MPJ he can also just create his own shot and go off for 40+ if the rest of the team is just broke that night. MPJ is a pure C&S guy, 93% of his 3s are assisted. Lavine is only 50% assisted on 3s which makes him one of the most unhelped shooters in the league and nobody shooting off the dribble has 45% like him. He's not a superstar but I don't see a superstar asking for or even getting to Denver.

[MrSparkle]

Pretty much every team with two franchise-max stars is in trouble, short of winning chips (but even then). They’re gonna have to shuffle their secondary starters for cheaper options, or stand pat while losing 1-2 key rotation players each year.

Of course it could be worse than having an MVP like Jokic or Giannis, but both those teams need to figure out how to turn Dame/Jamal/MPJ/AG into cheaper/better depth charts. Hopefully not… as I see their cap dead-end as an opportunity for Chicago to long-shot recruit them.

[jnrjr79]

According to Shams, Mike Malone has been fired.

Wild.

[FriedRise]

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[MissileMike]

According to Shams, Mike Malone has been fired.

Wild.

Seems completely crazy.

[WesPeace]

Sure, fire Booth, but not Malone LOL

He maxed out the team, Nuggets arent even that good.. Murray isnt that good anymore, MPJ dissapointment, Gordon is more constant maybe, but other guys are roleplayers.. Jokic and basically bunch of roleplayers at this phase

[jnrjr79]

Ok, Denver. There's only one way to fix this. Bring AK home.

[babythug23]

Ak go back home

[Jcool0]

Guess Denver is waving the white flag.

[sco]

Read on Twitter

Seems odd ahead of the playoffs...teams get hot. Denver could have easily made it to West Finals.

[kodo]

I would have fired Booth and kept Malone, at least until the new GM hires his own guy.
Timing is crazy, there must have been things going on we're not hearing.

[MissileMike]

Billy is now the 5th longest tenured head coach.

[Jcool0]

Billy is now the 5th longest tenured head coach.

Any normal team would of fired him by now.

[sco]

Billy is now the 5th longest tenured head coach.

Now that's crazy!

[DuckIII]

This is one of the most confusing firings I’ve ever seen. I wonder if there was some sort of acute incident that led to it.