What in the Hell Can the Nuggets Do?

[PhilBlackson]

They’re pretty much stuck since both Murray & MP Jr are overpaid and they’re mid at best at drafting. They need to draft steal after steal. For lack of better comparison they need to do what Masai did years back and get guys like OG, Pascal, Powell and FVV type players late in the drafts or undrafted but really they’re already running out of time to do that with Jok dead in the middle of his prime.

But that’s the kind of drafting run they need and it has to be done within a 2-3 timeline tops. Which obv don’t see happening so they won’t be able to stack their roster around those guys. At best at this point, I think they have to see what they can get for Aaron Gordon, in the hopes to turn one great rotation player, into 3 good ones and send Murray to Europe for the best stem cell treatment money can buy on his knees or they’re pretty much f**ked.

[AleksandarN]

They’re pretty much stuck since both Murray & MP Jr are overpaid and they’re mid at best at drafting. They need to draft steal after steal. For lack of better comparison they need to do what Masai did years back and get guys like OG, Pascal, Powell and FVV type players late in the drafts or undrafted but really they’re already running out of time to do that with Jok dead in the middle of his prime.

But that’s the kind of drafting run they need and it has to be done within a 2-3 timeline tops. Which obv don’t see happening so they won’t be able to stack their roster around those guys. At best at this point, I think they have to see what they can get for Aaron Gordon, in the hopes to turn one great rotation player, into 3 good ones and send Murray to Europe for the best stem cell treatment money can buy on his knees or they’re pretty much f**ked.

The have CB and Peyton in late first round. They did well in the draft.

[One_and_Done]

They’re pretty much stuck since both Murray & MP Jr are overpaid and they’re mid at best at drafting. They need to draft steal after steal. For lack of better comparison they need to do what Masai did years back and get guys like OG, Pascal, Powell and FVV type players late in the drafts or undrafted but really they’re already running out of time to do that with Jok dead in the middle of his prime.

But that’s the kind of drafting run they need and it has to be done within a 2-3 timeline tops. Which obv don’t see happening so they won’t be able to stack their roster around those guys. At best at this point, I think they have to see what they can get for Aaron Gordon, in the hopes to turn one great rotation player, into 3 good ones and send Murray to Europe for the best stem cell treatment money can buy on his knees or they’re pretty much f**ked.

The have CB and Peyton in late first round. They did well in the draft.

Remember that when they lose again this season.

[PhilBlackson]

They’re pretty much stuck since both Murray & MP Jr are overpaid and they’re mid at best at drafting. They need to draft steal after steal. For lack of better comparison they need to do what Masai did years back and get guys like OG, Pascal, Powell and FVV type players late in the drafts or undrafted but really they’re already running out of time to do that with Jok dead in the middle of his prime.

But that’s the kind of drafting run they need and it has to be done within a 2-3 timeline tops. Which obv don’t see happening so they won’t be able to stack their roster around those guys. At best at this point, I think they have to see what they can get for Aaron Gordon, in the hopes to turn one great rotation player, into 3 good ones and send Murray to Europe for the best stem cell treatment money can buy on his knees or they’re pretty much f**ked.

The have CB and Peyton in late first round. They did well in the draft.

Their mid prospects at best and do very little to affect the team’s ceiling at all hence their current circumstance.

[BigGargamel]

They’re pretty much stuck since both Murray & MP Jr are overpaid and they’re mid at best at drafting. They need to draft steal after steal. For lack of better comparison they need to do what Masai did years back and get guys like OG, Pascal, Powell and FVV type players late in the drafts or undrafted but really they’re already running out of time to do that with Jok dead in the middle of his prime.

But that’s the kind of drafting run they need and it has to be done within a 2-3 timeline tops. Which obv don’t see happening so they won’t be able to stack their roster around those guys. At best at this point, I think they have to see what they can get for Aaron Gordon, in the hopes to turn one great rotation player, into 3 good ones and send Murray to Europe for the best stem cell treatment money can buy on his knees or they’re pretty much f**ked.

The have CB and Peyton in late first round. They did well in the draft.

Their mid prospects at best and do very little to affect the team’s ceiling at all hence their current circumstance.

Calling Christian Braun "mid" makes no sense. That dude is a solid starter and absolute steal relative to where he was drafted. You're just looking for potential contributors in the 20's, and Braun has easily exceeded that. He's arguably been Denver's second best player this season.

Not sure what you're expecting from a team that drafts in the 20's every year, but landing a Siakam or Jimmy Butler is EXTREMELY rare. Braun, Watson, Strawther, Bones (before he went crazy). Denver had a good track record of getting rotation guys where they were picked. Denver has had a very good track record at drafting late first rounders.

[PhilBlackson]

The have CB and Peyton in late first round. They did well in the draft.

Their mid prospects at best and do very little to affect the team’s ceiling at all hence their current circumstance.

Calling Christian Braun "mid" shows you're just another guy who doesn't really know about this team acting like you do. That dude is a solid starter and absolute steal relative to where he was drafted. You're just looking for potential contributors in the 20's, and Braun has easily exceeded that. He's arguably been Denver's second best player this season.

Not sure what you're expecting from a team that drafts in the 20's every year, but landing a Siakam or Jimmy Butler is EXTREMELY rare. Braun, Watson, Bones (before he went crazy). Denver had a good track record of getting rotation guys where they were picked.

No calling him a mid player is what he is. He’s just a solid player, nothing more which is mid, your feelings be damned hence why he’s not moving the needle for the Nuggets. For most teams, yes all you’re looking for is contributors or mid players late in the 1st and yes he’s that, no argument on that end.

But that’s not the discussion, the discussion is what they’d need to do to become true contenders again and just getting “contributors” is not enough. I’m not saying the likely outcome, only the outcome that would be necessary. So yes in order for DEN to compete again they’d need to add players late in the draft more comparable to Siakam, OG etc or they will continue to decline as they are.

Braun, Watson and Bones type players will continue to do much of nothing to change their fate…as stated they need a run something like Masai had which is an EXCELLENT one to save what they have and that’s not what’s happening. You may not like the truth but that’s what it is.

[wco81]

Most memorable thing about CB was from his draft night, where he was with his goal-level MILF mother.

[MarcusBrody]

Their mid prospects at best and do very little to affect the team’s ceiling at all hence their current circumstance.

Calling Christian Braun "mid" shows you're just another guy who doesn't really know about this team acting like you do. That dude is a solid starter and absolute steal relative to where he was drafted. You're just looking for potential contributors in the 20's, and Braun has easily exceeded that. He's arguably been Denver's second best player this season.

Not sure what you're expecting from a team that drafts in the 20's every year, but landing a Siakam or Jimmy Butler is EXTREMELY rare. Braun, Watson, Bones (before he went crazy). Denver had a good track record of getting rotation guys where they were picked.

No calling him a mid player is what he is. He’s just a solid player, nothing more which is mid, your feelings be damned hence why he’s not moving the needle for the Nuggets. For most teams, yes all you’re looking for is contributors or mid players late in the 1st and yes he’s that, no argument on that end.

But that’s not the discussion, the discussion is what they’d need to do to become true contenders again and just getting “contributors” is not enough. I’m not saying the likely outcome, only the outcome that would be necessary. So yes in order for DEN to compete again they’d need to add players late in the draft more comparable to Siakam, OG etc or they will continue to decline as they are.

Braun, Watson and Bones type players will continue to do much of nothing to change their fate…as stated they need a run something like Masai had which is an EXCELLENT one to save what they have and that’s not what’s happening. You may not like the truth but that’s what it is.

I think your disagreement is that you initially said the Nuggets were mid at drafting, which is what Big Gargamel was responding to. Getting a solid starter in the low twenties is good drafting. Getting a solid contributor with the 30th pick is good drafting.

Now that's good drafting for that position, not mid. Those two (especially Braun) have kept the franchise from steeply declining with the exit of BB and KCP and Murray playing relatively poorly. If you'd called them "mid" players, that's fair (assuming solid but non-star starters are mid), but that's not mid drafting given where the Nuggets drafted. If you look at that draft, outside of Walker Kessler (taken one spot after Braun and I doubt they'd trade Braun for him now, though he'd be useful player for the Nuggets too), I can't really see anyone who was available to the Nuggets who they might have considered drafting over their choices with three years of hindsight. That means it was pretty good drafting.

[PhilBlackson]

Calling Christian Braun "mid" shows you're just another guy who doesn't really know about this team acting like you do. That dude is a solid starter and absolute steal relative to where he was drafted. You're just looking for potential contributors in the 20's, and Braun has easily exceeded that. He's arguably been Denver's second best player this season.

Not sure what you're expecting from a team that drafts in the 20's every year, but landing a Siakam or Jimmy Butler is EXTREMELY rare. Braun, Watson, Bones (before he went crazy). Denver had a good track record of getting rotation guys where they were picked.

No calling him a mid player is what he is. He’s just a solid player, nothing more which is mid, your feelings be damned hence why he’s not moving the needle for the Nuggets. For most teams, yes all you’re looking for is contributors or mid players late in the 1st and yes he’s that, no argument on that end.

But that’s not the discussion, the discussion is what they’d need to do to become true contenders again and just getting “contributors” is not enough. I’m not saying the likely outcome, only the outcome that would be necessary. So yes in order for DEN to compete again they’d need to add players late in the draft more comparable to Siakam, OG etc or they will continue to decline as they are.

Braun, Watson and Bones type players will continue to do much of nothing to change their fate…as stated they need a run something like Masai had which is an EXCELLENT one to save what they have and that’s not what’s happening. You may not like the truth but that’s what it is.

I think your disagreement is that you initially said the Nuggets were mid at drafting, which is what Big Gargamel was responding to. Getting a solid starter in the low twenties is good drafting. Getting a solid contributor with the 30th pick is good drafting.

Now that's good drafting for that position, not mid. Those two (especially Braun) have kept the franchise from steeply declining with the exit of BB and KCP and Murray playing relatively poorly. If you'd called them "mid" players, that's fair (assuming solid but non-star starters are mid), but that's not mid drafting given where the Nuggets drafted. If you look at that draft, outside of Walker Kessler (taken one spot after Braun and I doubt they'd trade Braun for him now, though he'd be useful player for the Nuggets too), I can't really see anyone who was available to the Nuggets who they might have considered drafting over their choices with three years of hindsight. That means it was pretty good drafting.

While YOU would have point, sure but all you need to do is literally read the first sentence of his response lol he immediately disagrees with Braun being referred to as mid so HE is not merely responding to their level of drafting but the players themselves. I also don't think they've stopped the decline hence why they didn't come close since those guys left and why this thread exists.

You say good drafting, I'd say decent. With good drafting, there should be at least a player (or two) that helps raise the ceiling back up, those players didn't even level things out and DEN not bottoming out has far more to do with Jokic raising his level & the "core" remaining largely in tact than average play of that collection of players. These are all players that just fall into a rotation, there are a ton of players like them across the league and truthfully I don't even know how "good" they are versus Jokic is absolutely masterful at knowing how to use the pieces around himself. Regardless the point stands that in order for DEN to get back on the road to contention they'll have to do a much better at drafting than they have because aside from Gordon, they don't have much they can really move to get the kind of value they need to raise the ceiling of their team

[MarcusBrody]

No calling him a mid player is what he is. He’s just a solid player, nothing more which is mid, your feelings be damned hence why he’s not moving the needle for the Nuggets. For most teams, yes all you’re looking for is contributors or mid players late in the 1st and yes he’s that, no argument on that end.

But that’s not the discussion, the discussion is what they’d need to do to become true contenders again and just getting “contributors” is not enough. I’m not saying the likely outcome, only the outcome that would be necessary. So yes in order for DEN to compete again they’d need to add players late in the draft more comparable to Siakam, OG etc or they will continue to decline as they are.

Braun, Watson and Bones type players will continue to do much of nothing to change their fate…as stated they need a run something like Masai had which is an EXCELLENT one to save what they have and that’s not what’s happening. You may not like the truth but that’s what it is.

I think your disagreement is that you initially said the Nuggets were mid at drafting, which is what Big Gargamel was responding to. Getting a solid starter in the low twenties is good drafting. Getting a solid contributor with the 30th pick is good drafting.

Now that's good drafting for that position, not mid. Those two (especially Braun) have kept the franchise from steeply declining with the exit of BB and KCP and Murray playing relatively poorly. If you'd called them "mid" players, that's fair (assuming solid but non-star starters are mid), but that's not mid drafting given where the Nuggets drafted. If you look at that draft, outside of Walker Kessler (taken one spot after Braun and I doubt they'd trade Braun for him now, though he'd be useful player for the Nuggets too), I can't really see anyone who was available to the Nuggets who they might have considered drafting over their choices with three years of hindsight. That means it was pretty good drafting.

While YOU would have point, sure but all you need to do is literally read the first sentence of his response lol he immediately disagrees with Braun being referred to as mid so HE is not merely responding to their level of drafting but the players themselves. I also don't think they've stopped the decline hence why they didn't come close since those guys left and why this thread exists.

You say good drafting, I'd say decent. With good drafting, there should be at least a player (or two) that helps raise the ceiling back up, those players didn't even level things out and DEN not bottoming out has far more to do with Jokic raising his level & the "core" remaining largely in tact than average play of that collection of players. These are all players that just fall into a rotation, there are a ton of players like them across the league and truthfully I don't even know how "good" they are versus Jokic is absolutely masterful at knowing how to use the pieces around himself. Regardless the point stands that in order for DEN to get back on the road to contention they'll have to do a much better at drafting than they have because aside from Gordon, they don't have much they can really move to get the kind of value they need to raise the ceiling of their team

i think it's hard to hold them to that high of a standard for "good" drafting when there doesn't seem like there was anyone there that would have elevated the team. I mentioned it before, but Braun is playing really well. Better than KCP (a top 10 pick) was last year. That's elevation to me. The problem is the vacancy chain. The two drafted players are filling the roles of the players who left well, but now there are more minutes that have to be filled and again you have to hope that late first round picks Strawther is the next guy up and is a 29th pick second year player) can fill the new hole (assuming Westbrook is filling the Reggie Jackson spot, both for some of Watson/Braun's minutes that they've moved out of and really Jeff Green's minutes that they never really replaced. There are only a couple of sophomores below him on the board playing similar/more minutes than Strawther and GG Jackson and Trayce Jackson-Davis are the only ones I'd trade for Strawther straight up without a second thought.

But I'm not sure i would be so eager to trade for those guys positionally if the Nuggets had this years draft pick. They traded up to draft DaRon Holmes. It seemed like a smart move at a position of need, but he then promptly tore his Achilles, so who knows. But you can't really blame that on their drafting.

Anyway, I think the Nuggets have done reasonably well drafting given their draft position and who was available. I'm very critical of the front office for the unnecessarily early max extensions of MPJ and Murray, but taking a few draft picks in the 20s and turning them into a solid starter in Braun and several rotation players is making the best of what you have in the draft. Every year you're going to get a few random low draft hits, but I don't think many teams have done better than the Nuggets in the last few years drafting in the range that they have.

[Exp0sed]

the discussion is what they’d need to do to become true contenders again and just getting “contributors” is not enough. I’m not saying the likely outcome, only the outcome that would be necessary. So yes in order for DEN to compete again they’d need to add players late in the draft more comparable to Siakam, OG etc or they will continue to decline as they are.

Braun, Watson and Bones type players will continue to do much of nothing to change their fate…as stated they need a run something like Masai had which is an EXCELLENT one to save what they have and that’s not what’s happening. You may not like the truth but that’s what it is.

Bones is a headcase, he's got some talent just isn't taking it seriously (that happens with prospects), Braun is a proven winner and has exceeded expectations and draft slot already and he's still just 23 in his 3rd season and Watson was a solid pick

you have to remember having a durable Jokic as ur franchise player "dooms" you to very late FRPs, it's not like they're picking in the top 10 and whiffing every season and a guy like Braun who may have had a lower ceiling that some other pick they could have made, also had a decent floor and was ready to contribute straight away - which made him an ideal pick for the Nuggets and less so if they were say, a rebuilding bottom feeder

as for the bolded part, i'd say it just isn't the case. Denver is "competing" rn, they are a few months away from being up 20 at home in game 7 of the WCF, that's not "competitive"?

it's hard to compete with the C's who are an all-time stacked team or teams like OKC who are just mind blowingly good. OKC is basically a reincarnation of that great OKC team with multiple young guys who are all-NBA caliber players led by an MVP caliber player. only diff is they traded for their MVP and didn't draft him. even a team like the Mavs, i mean..prime Luka and Kyrie is basically the best backcourt of all times and they have two mobile bigs that fit very well, coupled with multiple shooters and defenders - that's a team that's a contender in any season, any era. top of the league is stacked. my point is that just because Denver aren't the best team in the league and frankly they're a tier below those teams - does not mean they aren't contenders

Denver is a still a really good team whom no contender would like seeing in the playoffs, they ARE a contender even tho it's true, they only have maybe the 4th or 5th highest likelihood to win a chip

[BigGargamel]

No calling him a mid player is what he is. He’s just a solid player, nothing more which is mid, your feelings be damned hence why he’s not moving the needle for the Nuggets. For most teams, yes all you’re looking for is contributors or mid players late in the 1st and yes he’s that, no argument on that end.

But that’s not the discussion, the discussion is what they’d need to do to become true contenders again and just getting “contributors” is not enough. I’m not saying the likely outcome, only the outcome that would be necessary. So yes in order for DEN to compete again they’d need to add players late in the draft more comparable to Siakam, OG etc or they will continue to decline as they are.

Braun, Watson and Bones type players will continue to do much of nothing to change their fate…as stated they need a run something like Masai had which is an EXCELLENT one to save what they have and that’s not what’s happening. You may not like the truth but that’s what it is.

I think your disagreement is that you initially said the Nuggets were mid at drafting, which is what Big Gargamel was responding to. Getting a solid starter in the low twenties is good drafting. Getting a solid contributor with the 30th pick is good drafting.

Now that's good drafting for that position, not mid. Those two (especially Braun) have kept the franchise from steeply declining with the exit of BB and KCP and Murray playing relatively poorly. If you'd called them "mid" players, that's fair (assuming solid but non-star starters are mid), but that's not mid drafting given where the Nuggets drafted. If you look at that draft, outside of Walker Kessler (taken one spot after Braun and I doubt they'd trade Braun for him now, though he'd be useful player for the Nuggets too), I can't really see anyone who was available to the Nuggets who they might have considered drafting over their choices with three years of hindsight. That means it was pretty good drafting.

While YOU would have point, sure but all you need to do is literally read the first sentence of his response lol he immediately disagrees with Braun being referred to as mid so HE is not merely responding to their level of drafting but the players themselves. I also don't think they've stopped the decline hence why they didn't come close since those guys left and why this thread exists.

You say good drafting, I'd say decent. With good drafting, there should be at least a player (or two) that helps raise the ceiling back up, those players didn't even level things out and DEN not bottoming out has far more to do with Jokic raising his level & the "core" remaining largely in tact than average play of that collection of players. These are all players that just fall into a rotation, there are a ton of players like them across the league and truthfully I don't even know how "good" they are versus Jokic is absolutely masterful at knowing how to use the pieces around himself. Regardless the point stands that in order for DEN to get back on the road to contention they'll have to do a much better at drafting than they have because aside from Gordon, they don't have much they can really move to get the kind of value they need to raise the ceiling of their team

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2022_NBA_draft

Look at this list of players drafted after Braun (and Watson for that matter) and let me know what star they could have drafted instead. I really don't know what point you are trying to make here. Denver makes the best of their late first round selections.

News flash. When you are good for over a half of a decade, you draft late in the first round. You aren't finding stars left and right. You try to get rotation players, and they have, with the potential for even greater than that in Braun's case.

[B_Creamy]

They should keep doing whatever they're doing right now

[_NoMas]

Trade MPJ for Cam Johnson/DFS. More depth, shooting and defending

[Lala870]

Trade MPJ for Cam Johnson/DFS. More depth, shooting and defending

If the Nuggets made this happen they would be 1000% better

[BigGargamel]

Trade MPJ for Cam Johnson/DFS. More depth, shooting and defending

This would be a dream come true. No way it happens though unless Denver can find a couple of first round picks to send Brooklyn's way.

[BelgradeNugget]

Their mid prospects at best and do very little to affect the team’s ceiling at all hence their current circumstance.

Calling Christian Braun "mid" shows you're just another guy who doesn't really know about this team acting like you do. That dude is a solid starter and absolute steal relative to where he was drafted. You're just looking for potential contributors in the 20's, and Braun has easily exceeded that. He's arguably been Denver's second best player this season.

Not sure what you're expecting from a team that drafts in the 20's every year, but landing a Siakam or Jimmy Butler is EXTREMELY rare. Braun, Watson, Bones (before he went crazy). Denver had a good track record of getting rotation guys where they were picked.

No calling him a mid player is what he is. He’s just a solid player, nothing more which is mid, your feelings be damned hence why he’s not moving the needle for the Nuggets. For most teams, yes all you’re looking for is contributors or mid players late in the 1st and yes he’s that, no argument on that end.

But that’s not the discussion, the discussion is what they’d need to do to become true contenders again and just getting “contributors” is not enough. I’m not saying the likely outcome, only the outcome that would be necessary. So yes in order for DEN to compete again they’d need to add players late in the draft more comparable to Siakam, OG etc or they will continue to decline as they are.

Braun, Watson and Bones type players will continue to do much of nothing to change their fate…as stated they need a run something like Masai had which is an EXCELLENT one to save what they have and that’s not what’s happening. You may not like the truth but that’s what it is.

Just a little reminder. Braun's 3rd season so far is better than 3rd season of Norman Powell, Delon Wright, OG Anunoby and Fred VanVleet. He is on par with Pascal Siakam. I know Pascal was big in the playoffs championship run, but so far very close.

Watson's 3rd season is on par with OG Anunoby, Delon Wright, Fred VanVleet. Better than Norman Powell. Worst than Pascal Siakam.

Julian Strawther so far is having better 2nd season offensively than any of Toronto or Nuggets players mentioned.

So it is still early, we don't know how their careers will look but so far Nuggets young players have better start than Raptors had.

[naabzor]

They just need Murray to wake up.

[Manimal]

Even with all the injuries and mediocre play, they're still only 1 game back in the loss column of the 2 seed. The West is deep with good teams, but there aren't any dominant teams at this point. You could make a case for the Thunder, but they haven't proven anything when it matters and could very well choke in the playoffs again. Wouldn't take much for Denver to make it back to the finals this year, since Jokic is just that much better than everyone else.

[Wolfgang630]

They’re FINALLY something. The last time I saw Denver name for any relevant player was AG. About damn time. Good names across the board

Read on Twitter

?s=46&t=XO0PgrZjS-uU8MmGKL8grQ

I would love Poole off the bench. Jordan Clarkson is good too