Monte Morris

[NuggetsWY]

I haven't complained much about Morris' lack of Nuggets' time. Craig didn't play every game while he spent his time with the Nuggets and it was said that practicing with the Nuggets was more important than playing. So why didn't Morris get some practice time also?

Consider that Barton played most of the backup PG minutes until D.Harris was acquired (although Mudiay had more minutes than you might think). Certainly Morris might have been able to help. Take a look at his stat line in the G-League:

35 games - 35 mpg - 18.5 pts on 48-36-85 shooting - 5 reb - 7 ast w/2 TO - 2 stls

If he can do that as Murray's backup (with fewer minutes of course), it'd be nice for next year. Oh yeah, he's been playing PG & SG.

[skywalker33]

G-League and NBA are two different animals,hard to think those stats will equate. I think he'll be better than Harris but he'll need seasoning for sure

[MidMountain]

Having not seen him play NBA basketball, I'd be very wary of thinking of him as a rotation player.

[NuggetsWY]

Agree that G-League is very different - but other teams seem able to find players there. How will we know if we don't let him practice with the Nuggets and play some garbage time minutes (although Malone seldom recognizes "garbage time").

My ideal rotation at PG is the starter (Murray) and a young PG learning and a veteran. The last two can swap minutes depending on game situation, etc. I think Morris might make an ideal 3rd PG as he develops. Remember he's also 23 years old, so not as young as most rookies these days.

[skywalker33]

Agree that G-League is very different - but other teams seem able to find players there. How will we know if we don't let him practice with the Nuggets and play some garbage time minutes (although Malone seldom recognizes "garbage time").

My ideal rotation at PG is the starter (Murray) and a young PG learning and a veteran. The last two can swap minutes depending on game situation, etc. I think Morris might make an ideal 3rd PG as he develops. Remember he's also 23 years old, so not as young as most rookies these days.

Sure he'll play in the SL again this year, Nuggets have also seen him in practice and a few games so they have a better idea than we do (I hope). His great handles are exactly what Malone likes, just needs a bit of trust

[youngthegiant]

Hoping Denver gives him the back up pg reigns to finish the season. Devin Harris has been very underwhelming, Barton is pretty much the pg again.

[NuggetsWY]

During tonight's game, they said Craig can play every game for a week or so.

I'm betting Morris could play every game to the end of the season. Malone likes to leave rookies on the bench because that's where he believes they learn more than if they play. Evidently he isn't interested in Morris. It would no longer surprise me if the Nuggets traded him or released him or just let his contract expire in the G-League --- that's too bad. He may never be a starter in the NBA, but he just might. But I do believe he'd make a decent backup.

[Zaccaibone]

I hope he can get some playing time.

[NuggetsWY]

Don't understand why the Nuggets bothered to sign him to a Two-Way; they didn't use him. Anyway, here's one opinion suggesting he might be a good backup PG for the Nuggets (which is my opinion).

https://nugglove.com/2018/04/19/denver-nuggets-back-point-guard-next-year/3/

[skywalker33]

Don't understand why the Nuggets bothered to sign him to a Two-Way; they didn't use him. Anyway, here's one opinion suggesting he might be a good backup PG for the Nuggets (which is my opinion).

https://nugglove.com/2018/04/19/denver-nuggets-back-point-guard-next-year/3/

So do you believe PT is the ONLY way to develop young players ? G-league surely benefitted him why is that bad?

[NuggetsWY]

Don't understand why the Nuggets bothered to sign him to a Two-Way; they didn't use him. Anyway, here's one opinion suggesting he might be a good backup PG for the Nuggets (which is my opinion).

https://nugglove.com/2018/04/19/denver-nuggets-back-point-guard-next-year/3/

So do you believe PT is the ONLY way to develop young players ? G-league surely benefitted him why is that bad?

Well, I don't believe in our head coach's teaching since our offense is "give Jokic the ball" (and that's the right approach) and our defense is "why bother?" So yeah, PT is the only way for young Nuggets to learn IMO. Yes, the G-League benefited Morris but when I say "he did great in the G-League" everyone says "that isn't the NBA and doesn't mean much". It's hard to argue with them on that, so again, playing garbage time minutes is where NBA learning begins. Of course Malone doesn't often give his young players even those minutes. This is Beasley's second year and look how little Malone used him.

People talk about our terrible bench. We have what we think are some decent players on the bench but they aren't developing because they aren't playing. Even Lyles, who played well while Millsap was out, didn't play much at all down the stretch.

This is a topic which leaves me extremely frustrated with no idea what reasoning the Nuggets use.

[skywalker33]

Don't understand why the Nuggets bothered to sign him to a Two-Way; they didn't use him. Anyway, here's one opinion suggesting he might be a good backup PG for the Nuggets (which is my opinion).

https://nugglove.com/2018/04/19/denver-nuggets-back-point-guard-next-year/3/

So do you believe PT is the ONLY way to develop young players ? G-league surely benefitted him why is that bad?

Well, I don't believe in our head coach's teaching since our offense is "give Jokic the ball" (and that's the right approach) and our defense is "why bother?" So yeah, PT is the only way for young Nuggets to learn IMO. Yes, the G-League benefited Morris but when I say "he did great in the G-League" everyone says "that isn't the NBA and doesn't mean much". It's hard to argue with them on that, so again, playing garbage time minutes is where NBA learning begins. Of course Malone doesn't often give his young players even those minutes. This is Beasley's second year and look how little Malone used him.

People talk about our terrible bench. We have what we think are some decent players on the bench but they aren't developing because they aren't playing. Even Lyles, who played well while Millsap was out, didn't play much at all down the stretch.

This is a topic which leaves me extremely frustrated with no idea what reasoning the Nuggets use.

Mudiay got PLENTY of PT his first two years, never got better.

NHL has the minors...it works
MLB has their farm system....it works
NFL has the practice squad....seems to work

All seems to allow good players get better and so-so players make a living, why doesn't the G-league work for you ??

Our bench has depth and has been decimated by injuries to our starters. Rarely did we not get full use of what our bench was supposed to be. Beasley has been buried behind a starter SG who has All-Star potential and a solid 6th MOTY candidate....do you want to play him at SF where he'd be over-matched ?? And even getting some mins (including the SL) he showed he's not ready, are you willing to throw him to the wolves and ruin whatever confidence he had to make you happy and get him that PT over Barton and Harris ????

And we didn't play that bad down the stretch other than the MEM, MAVS and LAL games, 13-8 since MAR with those 3 unexpected losses.

[NuggetsWY]

My problem isn't with the G-League, it's with the Nuggets' implementation of the G-League. First, they let other teams control the teaching of our players. That might not be too bad. But Malone has kept rookies with the team and not played them much. They put Beasley in the G-League for one year and then bring him to the big club and don't play him much. It's the inconsistencies. Play rookie Mudiay and set him up to fail and never give him G-League time. What is their approach to G-League? I can't see any pattern. Granted, every player is different, but there should still be some consistency somewhere.