RealGM

When our offense struggles, we tend to stand outside and lob bricks. Clearly our best offense is when Jokic has the ball in the high post and people are moving around him. How they move doesn't matter, he'll find the nano-second when someone is open. What we need is plays that are not focused on the ball but focused on setting picks for other players to give them a small opening - easy bucket.

Our defense was definitely better this year but we still are not good at switching - covering the second and third pass. Also, when a big is switched on a small outside (and of course a small is covering a big down low); we are not good at switching. It isn't just about switching back but find someone else to switch that's a better match until we have switched back to matchups we like. Plumlee is especially bad at covering smalls outside. He seems to think it's a challenge and he accepts it. I like that, but it doesn't work. It usually results in an open step-back or an open drive right past him. Malone's emphasis on 3pt defense may be somewhat responsible for this, but Jokic & Millsap seem to deal with it a little better - but not adequately in my opinion.

We have our starting center and starting guards and a couple of nice backup guards and an adequate backup center. At forward, we aren't sure what we have beyond Millsap and he isn't our long-term answer. Who will be our starting forwards in 2-3 years? We need to sign a FA or make a trade or develop our own. Porter, Vanderbilt, Craig, Hernangomez all seem capable of contributing. They may be enough, they may not. We need to figure this one out this year and if we don't have two solid starting forwards by the end of the year, we should be ready to take that last step next off-season.

Full disclosure: I voted FORWARDS - my 2nd choice would be DEFENSE - then OFFENSE

Past two seasons we have the same #1 roster problem - SMALL FORWARD starter. Previous biggest roster problem (2016-17) was PF with an outdated style, but all eventual benefits which we should make from Millsap>>>Faried was nullified by the fact Gallinari>>>Chandler or Gallinari>>>Barton, so all the improvements which we have in previous two seasons comes from individual improvements of Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray (plus Morris/Beasley from the bench this season). We have a very promising rookie Porter jr for the next season at SF spot, but let be clear, SF is the last spot where you should expect instant success from a young player. Former Nuggets Carmelo Anthony was one of just a few exceptions of that rule. Out of all active players which can play SF, the only exceptions with notable already rookie season was LeBron James and Kevin Durant, partly Jayson Tatum too, and nobody else! Just check miserable stats of the first season of all-star level (or close) SF's such as Giannis, Leonard, George, Butler, Draymond Green, DeRozan, Tobias Harris, Covington... and you will realize why is unrealistic to expect instant successful season from Michael Porter jr already in 2019-20 even if he is really real deal as we all hope, so the biggest roster problem we have in 2017-18 and 2018-19 is still there for upcoming 2019-20 if we ignore it. Barton is not a solution, he is a problem, Craig is just a defensive specialist, and great and cheap backup option but not a starter, while Beasley is basically SG, undersized for many opponent SF's. If we do not find the way to hold Millsap for a reasonable price, we don't need starter-level forward but two, including ones of (semi)star level!

Everybody sees the writing on the wall. Even the national press is speculating about what will happen with Millsap and his contract. Everybody's guess seems to be that the Nuggets will extend him after exercising their option to end his contract. Maybe.

The elephant in the room is that MIllsap looked "older" during stretches of the playoffs and the "good" Millsap appeared too briefly. They couldn't rest him enough or it just wasn't there for him enough.

I know that older bigs can play later in their careers due to their size and strength. Millsap's game appears to me to be equally based on quickness and speed. I am guessing that his game will have to change if he continues to lose a step. He probably knows it and that may help resigning him to a cheaper contract, if they want.

The Nuggets must see this as well. This off season may be about finding another solution at power forward. Can they find that upgrade now in free agency? Either Millsap comes cheap and/or they can't find his replacement.

How the Nuggets handle this will be their biggest priority.

TunaFish wrote:Everybody sees the writing on the wall. Even the national press is speculating about what will happen with Millsap and his contract. Everybody's guess seems to be that the Nuggets will extend him after exercising their option to end his contract. Maybe.

The elephant in the room is that MIllsap looked "older" during stretches of the playoffs and the "good" Millsap appeared too briefly. They couldn't rest him enough or it just wasn't there for him enough.

I know that older bigs can play later in their careers due to their size and strength. Millsap's game appears to me to be equally based on quickness and speed. I am guessing that his game will have to change if he continues to lose a step. He probably knows it and that may help resigning him to a cheaper contract, if they want.

The Nuggets must see this as well. This off season may be about finding another solution at power forward. Can they find that upgrade now in free agency? Either Millsap comes cheap and/or they can't find his replacement.

How the Nuggets handle this will be their biggest priority.

It does seem apparent that the Nuggets will decline Millsap and he will resign a smaller extension, I can see the Nuggets letting him go out on his own terms ,one of their patented PR moves. I just hope Millsap takes Vandebilt under his wing, returns a favor to the Nuggets.

Juancho has a make or break year with the Nuggets in 2019, I'm still not sold on his as a starter but he's been around enough to know he has to produce, he's slid by on pure grace. He has to be able to stay healthy and outplay Barton or Torrey or he's trade-bait. Cancar is the wildcard, nobody knows what he'll bring or if he'll even get on the court IF he comes gets to join the team.

I do not see how anybody could have watched the playoffs and not see forward as our biggest priority?

most important emphasis is getting rid of Barton.

U hova wrote:most important emphasis is getting rid of Barton.

Yeah, I get that but as much as I don't like him on the Nuggets, he's still not my top priority - but I should have added that to the OP Poll. My bad - sorry about that!

My guess is Julius Randle opts out of his contract. Would he be someone worth going after? Creating the cap space wouldn't be easy, but he is only 24 and could help when the offense stagnates. Maybe decline Millsap, try to dump Barton but may have to move Plumlee instead, and see if that chunk of space is enough to sign Randle. Use the room exception after that for a backup center.

Or to really go crazy:
1. Decline Millsaps
2. Plumlee+MPJ+?(not sure if additional value is needed) for Tauren Prince
3. Sign Randle starting at $20m
4. Resign Millsap for about 10m
5. Room exception for backup C
OPTIONAL 6. Harris+Barton for Conley (Gives you a playoff vet and good player but doesn't quite fit the timeline so not sure if it is worth it or not)

Doesn't help your defensive problems much but:
Murray/Morris
Harris/Beasley
Prince/Craig/Barton
Randle/Millsap
Jokic/Cheap FA

VCfor3 wrote:2. Plumlee+MPJ+?(not sure if additional value is needed) for Tauren Prince
3. Sign Randle starting at $20m

I like Prince but that’s probably not gonna happen. It would be foolish to trade MPJ before seeing what he can produce on the court and its thought he has a very high value among the FO. Then how much value would a 2nd Plumlee have in ATL ??

I like Randle too but $20M would be a big overpay we’d regret, can’t say I think he’d be a perfect running mate for Jokic, but that’s just my opinion.

I agree we need to reduce Millsap’s salary (and/or at least move him back to the bench)

skywalker33 wrote:

VCfor3 wrote:2. Plumlee+MPJ+?(not sure if additional value is needed) for Tauren Prince
3. Sign Randle starting at $20m

I like Prince but that’s probably not gonna happen. It would be foolish to trade MPJ before seeing what he can produce on the court and its thought he has a very high value among the FO. Then how much value would a 2nd Plumlee have in ATL ??

I like Randle too but $20M would be a big overpay we’d regret, can’t say I think he’d be a perfect running mate for Jokic, but that’s just my opinion.

I agree we need to reduce Millsap’s salary (and/or at least move him back to the bench)

Ideally you'd get Randle for less but was just kinda throwing out a number. As for Plumlee, he was a salary dump more than anything to Atlanta which is why I had included MPJ as opposed to a 2020 1st but you could probably work something out where you keep MPJ especially with the drop foot stuff that came out recently.

VCfor3 wrote:
Ideally you'd get Randle for less but was just kinda throwing out a number. As for Plumlee, he was a salary dump more than anything to Atlanta which is why I had included MPJ as opposed to a 2020 1st but you could probably work something out where you keep MPJ especially with the drop foot stuff that came out recently.

I sure wouldn’t mind Randle, moreso off the bench and as a part-time starter.

As for Plumlee, I am not sold on Welsh being seasoned enough yet and with just one more year, unless we need the salary cap space THIS year I’d just as soon keep him until Welsh is ready and let his salary expire into next years cap when we need to pay Murray, Beasley and Juancho (?)

skywalker33 wrote:

VCfor3 wrote:
Ideally you'd get Randle for less but was just kinda throwing out a number. As for Plumlee, he was a salary dump more than anything to Atlanta which is why I had included MPJ as opposed to a 2020 1st but you could probably work something out where you keep MPJ especially with the drop foot stuff that came out recently.

I sure wouldn’t mind Randle, moreso off the bench and as a part-time starter.

As for Plumlee, I am not sold on Welsh being seasoned enough yet and with just one more year, unless we need the salary cap space THIS year I’d just as soon keep him until Welsh is ready and let his salary expire into next years cap when we need to pay Murray, Beasley and Juancho (?)

I guess you could decline Millsap as well as your other cap holds and then maybe have enough to get Randle if you don't bring Millsap back (or you use the room exception if he takes a discount). That would let you keep Plumlee.

I wouldn't totally object to Randle but he doesn't seem like a great fit next to Jokic. Players around Jokic need to be "motion" players. However, Randle has a good a decent shot, so for the right salary ... why not? Randle next to Porter? Sounds like it might work.

I like Tauren Prince too. He's a solid defender with a decent shot and I think he'd fit well in Denver. But no way we should trade Porter - his potential is too high.

Harris+Barton for Conley is a no-go for me. Conley is great but he's best with the ball in his hands and we want it in Jokic's hands.

The Rebel wrote:I have no interest in fighting for a 4 seed, I have an interest in what is going to take this team to a championship. We are lucky enough to have a top 5 player in the NBA this year, we have some young proven talent that has shown some very good ability, and we have some issues that have to be addressed.
Namely we still do not have a true 2nd option, Murray may develop into that, MPJ might as well, but this summer there are several guys available on the free agent market that can be great 2nd options. Why limit that opportunity for a backup Center, an aging PF, or an injury prone SG?
It was not the young guys who let us down in the playoffs, Jokic, Murray, Harris, Beasley, and even Morris all had their moments. Millsap was clearly outplayed in the Spurs series, and disappeared often against the Trailblazers. Barton was terrible and destroyed any lineup he was in. Plumlee is in 7 of our 9 negative net ratings in the playoffs (minimum 10 minutes played together) including our worst 6.
Championship teams do not have many bad contracts, they have dependable veterans, and they have limited injury issues. If you are happy being a team that will likely get home court and make the 2nd round than I can understand staying stagnant, if you want to win a championship, than the window is opening now and should be open for the next 3 or 4 years as long as Jokic and Murray continue to improve. They cannot do it alone and depending on the Millsap deal this or next season is the only opportunities we will have to get a top flight free agent without having to trade multiple assets for an upgrade. I would rather they take the risk to go for it now as opposed to hoping that guys like Plumlee suddenly become effective in the playoffs.

I will use this quote from The Rebel from another offseason thread to explain what we really need. Together with TOP5 (TOP10 anyway) Nikola Jokic, for "real contender" status you need to have two other TOP40 players (one of them can be just TOP50 actually), two others TOP100 (one of them can be just TOP120 actually), and at least two useful bench players TOP150 (one of them can be just TOP200 actually), plus at least TOP15 (better half) coach. Teams with TOP10/TOP40x2/TOP100x2/CoachTOP15/OKbench profiles this season was TOR, MIL, PHI, HOU (healthy GSW is in a league of its own). We are in the first next group of teams, together with Boston, Indiana (with healthy Oladipo), Portland (with healthy Nurkic), and Oklahoma.

For the next (four) season(s) (super)star Jokic is there. Coach Malone improved very much this season and he is already near TOP15 coach, and we already have two (3+ actually) bench players of TOP150 level (or very close) in Plumlee, Beasley, Morris, Craig. Jamal Murray was already around TOP50 this season and with expected better consistency we can count him as TOP40 for the upcoming season. Declining aging veteran Millsap is former 4-time all-star but not TOP40 player anymore, as well as Garry Harris with turbulent stagnation season behind. They are both TOP100 players.

So, what we need to be in the group of real 2019-20 contenders is another TOP40 player instead of out of TOP150 starter Barton. I trust in MPJ talent, but even if he is a future all-star his probably best case scenario in a rookie season is TOP100 level. As a small market team to get TOP40 player we need to overpay 25M those who is worth 20M, or overpay 30M for those with 25M market value (those worth 30+ millions will not come to Denver anyway). The alternative is to get him via trade. In both cases, we need to decline Millsap 30M team option and dump Plumlee and Barton, and maybe to trade Harris. That TOP40 newcomer can't be center or point guard, but forward (SF or PF), and if we use Harris for a trade, it can be also SG or combo guard.

FREE AGENTS TO WATCH:
Too good to be true (ignore list): Kavin Durant, Kawhi Leonard, Jimmy Butler, Klay Thompson
TOP40/TOP50 players but wrong position (ignore list 2): Kemba Walker, D’Angelo Russell, Nikola Vucevic, DeMarcus Cousins, Marc Gasol, DeAndre Jordan
Guards in case Harris is going to be traded: Kyrie Irving, Malcolm Brogdon
FORWARDS: Tobias Harris, Khris Middleton, Kristaps Porzingis

TRADE TARGETS: Bradley Beal, Lauri Markkanen, Robert Covington, Aaron Gordon, Josh Richardson
OVERPAID CONTRACTS if we can get something else too and dump Barton+Plumlee: Kevin Love, Blake Griffin, Gordon Hayward, Otto Porter, Danilo Gallinari


TOP100 options
FREE AGENTS: Julius Randle, Bojan Bogdanovic, JJ Redick, Danny Green, Nikola Mirotic, Thaddeus Young, Kelly Oubre, Marcus Morris, Rudy Gay, Trevor Ariza, Thomas Bryant, Jabari Parker
TRADE TARGETS: TJ Warren, Joakim Noah, Bogdan Bogdanovic

VCfor3 wrote:

skywalker33 wrote:

VCfor3 wrote:
Ideally you'd get Randle for less but was just kinda throwing out a number. As for Plumlee, he was a salary dump more than anything to Atlanta which is why I had included MPJ as opposed to a 2020 1st but you could probably work something out where you keep MPJ especially with the drop foot stuff that came out recently.

I sure wouldn’t mind Randle, moreso off the bench and as a part-time starter.

As for Plumlee, I am not sold on Welsh being seasoned enough yet and with just one more year, unless we need the salary cap space THIS year I’d just as soon keep him until Welsh is ready and let his salary expire into next years cap when we need to pay Murray, Beasley and Juancho (?)

I guess you could decline Millsap as well as your other cap holds and then maybe have enough to get Randle if you don't bring Millsap back (or you use the room exception if he takes a discount). That would let you keep Plumlee.

I don't see any way that the Nuggets bring in Randle, for all the hype he gets he gives up as much on defense as he gets on offense. His terrible defense makes him an automatic no for me, and considering the way that Millsap is usually used on the better big for the 1st 3 quarters against all but the biggest guys like Embiid, they will not be able to do that with Randle putting an even bigger workload on Jokic.

I honestly would rather pay Millsap $30 million a year for the next 2 years than to bring in Randle.

THE J0KER wrote:

Spoiler:

The Rebel wrote:I have no interest in fighting for a 4 seed, I have an interest in what is going to take this team to a championship. We are lucky enough to have a top 5 player in the NBA this year, we have some young proven talent that has shown some very good ability, and we have some issues that have to be addressed.
Namely we still do not have a true 2nd option, Murray may develop into that, MPJ might as well, but this summer there are several guys available on the free agent market that can be great 2nd options. Why limit that opportunity for a backup Center, an aging PF, or an injury prone SG?
It was not the young guys who let us down in the playoffs, Jokic, Murray, Harris, Beasley, and even Morris all had their moments. Millsap was clearly outplayed in the Spurs series, and disappeared often against the Trailblazers. Barton was terrible and destroyed any lineup he was in. Plumlee is in 7 of our 9 negative net ratings in the playoffs (minimum 10 minutes played together) including our worst 6.
Championship teams do not have many bad contracts, they have dependable veterans, and they have limited injury issues. If you are happy being a team that will likely get home court and make the 2nd round than I can understand staying stagnant, if you want to win a championship, than the window is opening now and should be open for the next 3 or 4 years as long as Jokic and Murray continue to improve. They cannot do it alone and depending on the Millsap deal this or next season is the only opportunities we will have to get a top flight free agent without having to trade multiple assets for an upgrade. I would rather they take the risk to go for it now as opposed to hoping that guys like Plumlee suddenly become effective in the playoffs.

I will use this quote from The Rebel from another offseason thread to explain what we really need. Together with TOP5 (TOP10 anyway) Nikola Jokic, for "real contender" status you need to have two other TOP40 players (one of them can be just TOP50 actually), two others TOP100 (one of them can be just TOP120 actually), and at least two useful bench players TOP150 (one of them can be just TOP200 actually), plus at least TOP15 (better half) coach. Teams with TOP10/TOP40x2/TOP100x2/CoachTOP15/OKbench profiles this season was TOR, MIL, PHI, HOU (healthy GSW is in a league of its own). We are in the first next group of teams, together with Boston, Indiana (with healthy Oladipo), Portland (with healthy Nurkic), and Oklahoma.

For the next (four) season(s) (super)star Jokic is there. Coach Malone improved very much this season and he is already near TOP15 coach, and we already have two (3+ actually) bench players of TOP150 level (or very close) in Plumlee, Beasley, Morris, Craig. Jamal Murray was already around TOP50 this season and with expected better consistency we can count him as TOP40 for the upcoming season. Declining aging veteran Millsap is former 4-time all-star but not TOP40 player anymore, as well as Garry Harris with turbulent stagnation season behind. They are both TOP100 players.

So, what we need to be in the group of real 2019-20 contenders is another TOP40 player instead of out of TOP150 starter Barton. I trust in MPJ talent, but even if he is a future all-star his probably best case scenario in a rookie season is TOP100 level. As a small market team to get TOP40 player we need to overpay 25M those who is worth 20M, or overpay 30M for those with 25M market value (those worth 30+ millions will not come to Denver anyway). The alternative is to get him via trade. In both cases, we need to decline Millsap 30M team option and dump Plumlee and Barton, and maybe to trade Harris. That TOP40 newcomer can't be center or point guard, but forward (SF or PF), and if we use Harris for a trade, it can be also SG or combo guard.

FREE AGENTS TO WATCH:
Too good to be true (ignore list): Kavin Durant, Kawhi Leonard, Jimmy Butler, Klay Thompson
TOP40/TOP50 players but wrong position (ignore list 2): Kemba Walker, D’Angelo Russell, Nikola Vucevic, DeMarcus Cousins, Marc Gasol, DeAndre Jordan
Guards in case Harris is going to be traded: Kyrie Irving, Malcolm Brogdon
FORWARDS: Tobias Harris, Khris Middleton, Kristaps Porzingis

TRADE TARGETS: Bradley Beal, Lauri Markkanen, Robert Covington, Aaron Gordon, Josh Richardson
OVERPAID CONTRACTS if we can get something else too and dump Barton+Plumlee: Kevin Love, Blake Griffin, Gordon Hayward, Otto Porter, Danilo Gallinari


TOP100 options
FREE AGENTS: Julius Randle, Bojan Bogdanovic, JJ Redick, Danny Green, Nikola Mirotic, Thaddeus Young, Kelly Oubre, Marcus Morris, Rudy Gay, Trevor Ariza, Thomas Bryant, Jabari Parker
TRADE TARGETS: TJ Warren, Joakim Noah, Bogdan Bogdanovic

I never put top 40 player or anything else like that, because I do not believe that team building works like that. Just like during the season when we discussed the 76ers and I told you that they were going to have the same results this year as last, fit is just as important as talent in the NBA.

Due to fit I have no interest in 90% of your list.

We need an all star type talent that is a true 2nd option, or we need dependable shooters at SF and PF, both have to be good all around defenders for our defense to work, and they have to be willing to set screens and do the dirty work if they are not able to unseat Murray as our 2nd best player.

The sad part is that Barton late in 2017-2018 was the player we needed at starting SF, but it appears to me he only played that way to get the starting job and a big contract, now he has to go.

Millsap is better for us than any of the power forwards on your list as well outside of Porzingis who is restricted and staying in Dallas. The only one on your list that can even come close is Thaddeus Young as a defender but he isn't exactly young either.

Assuming Barton is going to be moved.

My free agent wish list is
Klay Thompson
Kris Middleton

If we lose Millsap than I want
Thad Young

If Millsap is coming back or we get an upgrade at PF than I would settle for
Danny Green
Trevor Ariza
Rudy Gay

If Plumlee is moved than I want
Aron Baynes
Thomas Bryant


I think all make us better next year than we were this year, and all fit what we are trying to do.

One guy I would love for us to go get is Derick Favors. The Jazz desperately need another ball dominate scorer, so Barton would fit a huge need for them and most fans/analysts think that they really need a stretch 4 to spread the floor with Gobert being terrible 5 feet and out on offense. If we could convince them to do Barton straight up for Favors it would leave them enough room under the salary cap to sign someone like Mirotic to be their starting 4.

For us we can opt out of Millsap's deal and sign him for 3 years with the understanding he will come off the bench to preserve his health and energy, with Jokic, Favors, and Millsap being our primary bigs we can then flip Plumlee's expiring deal in a sign and trade for a starting SF if we can land one of our targets.

I would be thrilled if we could flip Plumlee along with Juancho or a future protected pick for someone like Danny Green (if the Raptors lose Kawhi they are going to have to rebuild).

Leaving us a lineup of
Murray/ Morris/ Goodwin
Harris/ Beasley/ Craig
Green/ MPJ/ Juancho
Favors/ Millsap/ Vanderbilt
Jokic/ Favors/ Welsh

As much as I believe our most important need is both forward slots; I definitely want the right players or I'm content to wait and see what develops out of Porter, Vanderbilt, Cancar, Hernangomez, Craig, and Lyles (if he returns).

If we sign a FA or make a trade for a forward, he needs to be solid on defense both team & one-on-one as well as having a decent shot from at least 20 feet. It's also important that he is young enough to still be significant for 3-5 years.

If there is a second type of player we should be looking at it, it should be someone like Redick. No, we do not need another guard but Redick is a non-stop motion guy and those are the types that are going to really benefit from Jokic.

NuggetsWY wrote:

Spoiler:

As much as I believe our most important need is both forward slots; I definitely want the right players or I'm content to wait and see what develops out of Porter, Vanderbilt, Cancar, Hernangomez, Craig, and Lyles (if he returns).

If we sign a FA or make a trade for a forward, he needs to be solid on defense both team & one-on-one as well as having a decent shot from at least 20 feet. It's also important that he is young enough to still be significant for 3-5 years.

If there is a second type of player we should be looking at it, it should be someone like Redick. No, we do not need another guard but Redick is a non-stop motion guy and those are the types that are going to really benefit from Jokic.

With someone like JJ Redick in a roster we would not for sure missed 17 threes in the row in a most important game in this decade, and we will be in a position to trade Harris for much more needed classy forward.

The Rebel wrote:I never put top 40 player or anything else like that, because I do not believe that team building works like that. Just like during the season when we discussed the 76ers and I told you that they were going to have the same results this year as last, fit is just as important as talent in the NBA.

Due to fit I have no interest in 90% of your list.

Spoiler:

We need an all star type talent that is a true 2nd option, or we need dependable shooters at SF and PF, both have to be good all around defenders for our defense to work, and they have to be willing to set screens and do the dirty work if they are not able to unseat Murray as our 2nd best player.

The sad part is that Barton late in 2017-2018 was the player we needed at starting SF, but it appears to me he only played that way to get the starting job and a big contract, now he has to go.

Millsap is better for us than any of the power forwards on your list as well outside of Porzingis who is restricted and staying in Dallas. The only one on your list that can even come close is Thaddeus Young as a defender but he isn't exactly young either.

Assuming Barton is going to be moved.

My free agent wish list is
Klay Thompson
Kris Middleton

If we lose Millsap than I want
Thad Young

If Millsap is coming back or we get an upgrade at PF than I would settle for
Danny Green
Trevor Ariza
Rudy Gay

If Plumlee is moved than I want
Aron Baynes
Thomas Bryant


I think all make us better next year than we were this year, and all fit what we are trying to do.

I use your quote as a prelude for my point why zero roster changes would be a very big mistake for our odds to be contenders next season, despite we are the youngest team this playoff. That TOP5-TOP40x2-TOP100x2 roster scheme where we missing one TOP40 (or at least TOP50) level player is just my simplification to explain how things work in most cases once NBA playoff starts.

Toronto doesn't need such a scheme last season to have the best record on the East without superstar player, but once playoff starts, a team with a superstar trashed them out. Big credit to their FO which is not happy with #1 Conference seed and conference semifinal, so they fired "Coach of the Year", and during this season they changed THREE players from starting lineup. So they have a superstar in Kawhi, TOP40 players in Siakam and Lowry, TOP100 in Gasol and Green, notable bench players lead by Ibaka, and a very good coach. Result? They won the East and doing what we are supposed to do if we changed Barton with a TOP50 level SF which was I cried for all season long - they challenging Durant-less Warriors!

Talking about Sixers this season, they do a similar job as Raptors by adding two new big names during the season (Butler and T.Harris), and they are clearly way impressive than Nuggets in the postseason if you are not biased. We lose semifinal vs Portland playing without Nurkic, their third best player and best defender, despite we have home court advantage, and previously we almost lose vs worse than ever in this century San Antonio team. Sixers in 1st round trashed talented Nets team 4-1 after upset in game#1 in series where Philadelphia star center fighting with an injury. In spectacular semifinal series, despite their best player Embiid health problems, and despite playing without home court advantage, Toronto superteam beat them in game 7 thanks to lucky last second beat-buzzer! Their 2019 roster actually not followed that my scheme, their bench and coach are not enough good, but together with TOP10 Embiid and TOP100 Redick they actually have three TOP40 players (Butler, Simmons, Harris), so that was definitely a profile of an NBA title contender in a normal random season, when no superteams like Jordan Bulls or current Warriors.

And talking about players, I was with a reason more focused on how much is realistic transfer to Denver than how who would fit. You don't need to explain to me why would Klay be perfect for this Nuggets team, or what is wrong with current Hayward, Otto Porter, Gallinari, Griffin or Love contracts and injury history, but unlike Klay Thompson, they are actually available for Denver, and we also can use their "bad contract" status to dump our own bad deals (Barton, Plumlee).