Media Day Notes

[Powder Blue]

Just scanned the media day content and a couple worthy tidbits are that neither IT or MPJ are cleared for camp. JV is out of a boot but not cleared for 5-on-5 yet. Much of the talk is the same stuff we've heard every year, not all that interesting to me.

https://www.denverstiffs.com/2018/9/24/17895886/denver-nuggets-2018-media-day-storystream

[NuggetsWY]

Just scanned the media day content and a couple worthy tidbits are that neither IT or MPJ are cleared for camp. JV is out of a boot but not cleared for 5-on-5 yet. Much of the talk is the same stuff we've heard every year, not all that interesting to me.

https://www.denverstiffs.com/2018/9/24/17895886/denver-nuggets-2018-media-day-storystream

Thanks for the update the link. My thoughts are the same as others have already said, we'll be fine until these guys are ready to play. Rushing them back too early is a stupid thing to do. Our starting-5 is set. We have enough depth at all positions that it shouldn't be an issue. Color me happy - at least regarding the roster.

[THE J0KER]

Some quotes:
(these links are not directed to full transcripts of interviews, but full version you can listen via audio option)

Tim Connelly and Michael Malone

The way [Gary Harris] views himself and he views our team” is something Denver appreciates. They would like Gary Harris to become a leader, and for Harris, Jokic and Murray to all find their voice with this team.
...
“Nikola’s our best player...he is the centerpiece of all that we do.” Malone underlined that Nikola Jokic is one of the best players in the NBA and finding the confidence and swagger to be not one of the best players but a franchise player. The fact that he “only cares about team success” is vital to Denver’s future.
...
Our depth is still amongst one of the best in the league... we have good versatility
...
- Defensive expectations: “We can’t get much worse,” said Malone.
...
- Michael Porter Jr. is also not going to be rushed, and Jarred Vanderbilt is “out of the boot” but not yet back to resuming basketball activities. Denver will be cautious with both of their injured-but-talented rookies.

Arturas Karnisovas

“Paul Millsap is full and healthy and ready to go.”
...
“We’re going to wait until [Isaiah Thomas] is healthy... we’ll have to wait a little bit until he is healthy.”
...
“There’s no timeline for Michael [Porter Jr]... He’s been working every day with our trainers.”

Isaiah Thomas

My biggest thing about making my decision coming here was Michael Malone but also the environment, the culture. From playing against these guys it seemed like they loved being around each other and I wanted that back.
...
One thing I said when I signed here is, the difference between this team, it seems like they don’t just play with each other they play for each other. They like playing together.
...
I wanted to go somewhere where somebody was going to let me be Isaiah Thomas. Michael Malone...one of our fist conversations when we played in Sacramento together, there was a group of people that wanted me to be John Stockton. I’ve only seen highlights of John Stockton, I don’t know how to be him. Mike Malone brought be aside and said, I don’t want you to be John Stockton. I want you to be Isaiah Thomas. So when he called me that first time in free agency, he said, ‘when you come here and if you come here, I want you to be Isaiah Thomas. I want you to be that leader in the locker room. I want you to get on guys. I don’t want you to hold nothing back.

Monte Morris

Morris says he is ready for the pressure of being a full-time player and having the responsibility of helping the Nuggets to the playoffs. He says the Nuggets are calling Isaiah Thomas “Stephen A. Smith” for his propensity to talk in the locker room already.

“I can’t wait to get out there and pick people up 94 feet... I can’t control whether I make shots or not, but I made a promise to Malone that my energy will always be there.”

Nikola Jokic

Jokic feels as though he’s in the best shape of his life right now and that he thinks he did a “really good job” this summer. He specifically mentions the fact that he ran “thousands” of sprints in the offseason and that he’s “bigger, better, stronger” than before
...
Jokic states that he was upset at the tough ending to last season, especially while watching the playoffs. Jokic even opines that the Nuggets were better than a couple of teams that made the playoffs last season.
...
Jokic points to the Dallas team that won a title in 2011 as a team to look at to model themselves after, as they did not have a “Superteam” but still won the title. He goes on to say that maybe they need to be like that team.
...
He says that they know what Thomas is capable of by looking at what he did in Boston, as basketball “has never seen that before” with a player his size. He says that Thomas is keeping the players together in the locker room and that he’s glad he’s assumed that role for them.

Michael Porter Jr.

Porter is currently working “a lot of core stuff” as he takes the steps through rehab to get back on the court, but says he won the shooting contest with Isaiah Thomas and that there’s no place in the NBA that would be better for him than Denver

Jarred Vanderbilt

anderbilt said that in college he picked rebounding as a way to stand out with a limited role, but that he feels like he can do more and show more in the NBA. He brought up Lamar Odom and Ben Simmons as diverse-skill comparisons, and talked about his relationship with Michael Porter Jr. over the years as they pushed each other throughout their prep and camp circuit careers.

Malik Beasley

One of his most interesting quotes surrounded his personal improvement. When asked what he worked on this summer, Beasley cited “becoming an elite shooter” first and foremost. He knows that in order to survive in today’s NBA as a bench guard, he has to improve as a shooter. It would boost Denver’s bench considerably if he became a consistent threat.

Juancho Hernangomez

Last year was so tough. I’m really thankful for learning about that year and trying to be ready for this year.

Trey Lyles

Coach Michael Malone brought up Lyles playing more at small forward in his own interview, which Lyles did play at Kentucky. When asked about it, Lyles said, “Playing a face-up 4 is kind of like playing the 3 anyway.” He also said whether it was the 3, the 4 or the 5, he’s game for using that route for more minutes.

Paul Millsap

On the chemistry between him and Nikola Jokic:
Way more comfortable than last year. Being able to play...40-something games last year, being able to watch 40-something games and watch how he plays from the bench, I think it helped me out a lot. Watching that and also just geting out there and just playing my game, I think it’s going to be good chemistry.
...
On whether or not Jokic should be more “selfish”
I wouldn’t say selfish, I’d say more aggressive. The term is more aggressive. When he plays at that aggression level that we know he can play at, he’s getting a triple-double evey night.
...
I have, I feel full range of motion right now. I’ll actually show you guys. (Shows media his wrist flexibility). I’m not tying to sugar coat anything or cover anything up. It feels great. It doesn’t hurt or affect anything.