Denver Nuggets 20(20-)21 starting lineup

[THE J0KER]

We played the 2020 playoff mostly with the Murray-Harris-Grant-Millsap-Jokic starting lineup. Right now only Murray and Jokic are sure to be starters in the upcoming 2020-21 season. Grant is gone, maybe Millsap too (even if he stays it is a big question will he be the starter again at 36). Harris will maybe hold his starter's SG job, maybe will be traded, maybe will be replaced with Barton. Until Denver not sign or trade for some notable name, the only sure new starter is (of course) Michael Porter jr.

The front office tried to get Jrue Holiday via trade and to re-sign Jeramy Grant, to create a super-competitive starting lineup (Murray-Jrue-Porter-Grant-Jokic would be TOP3 contenders!), but unfortunately failed. I will not blame them too much, desperate Bucks package offer for Jrue is really big, and 20M Detroit offered Grant per season is much more than 15M-16M I expected that is his price.

After first free agency night, our starting lineup is:
Murray-Harris-Barton-Porter-Jokic
or maybe
Murray-(Harris/Barton)-Porter-(Bol/Green)-Jokic

[Mac1958]

We played the 2020 playoff mostly with the Murray-Harris-Grant-Millsap-Jokic starting lineup. Right now only Murray and Jokic are sure to be starters in the upcoming 2020-21 season. Grant is gone, maybe Millsap too (even if he stays it is a big question will he be the starter again at 36). Harris will maybe hold his starter's SG job, maybe will be traded, maybe will be replaced with Barton. Until Denver not sign or trade for some notable name, the only sure new starter is (of course) Michael Porter jr.

The front office tried to get Jrue Holiday via trade and to re-sign Jeramy Grant, to create a super-competitive starting lineup (Murray-Jrue-Porter-Grant-Jokic would be TOP3 contenders!), but unfortunately failed. I will not blame them too much, desperate Bucks package offer for Jrue is really big, and 20M Detroit offered Grant per season is much more than 15M-16M I expected that is his price.

After first free agency night, our starting lineup is:
Murray-Harris-Barton-Porter-Jokic
or maybe
Murray-(Harris/Barton)-Porter-(Bol/Green)-Jokic

Losing three regular-rotation bigs (Millsap, Grant, Plumlee) from a Western Conference finalist is definitely a big deal. It's hard to imagine that Nnaji will be able to contribute much, but I guess you never know. And I hadn't thought about Porter at the 4, but I don't know if he's a fit there. Green? Rotation maybe, but not a starter.

And I'm definitely having my doubts about Harris. That vaunted depth has definitely thinned out.

Yikes. I assume the FO is on the phone.

[NuggetsWY]

I expect Green to be a starter. He's got an acceptable, but not great 3pt shot. 7 pts & 6 boards in 21 minutes last year and that's fine for Denver. Remember that he's not going to be the focus of the offense. His points will come from hustle and hopefully he'll increase his offensive rebounding. Our offense is based on Jokic & Murray along with the wings.

Remember also, that we do not need massive minutes from Green. We'll have to see what other big(s) the Nuggets sign plus Bol, Cancar, Porter can all play some minutes at PF.

[skywalker33]

Our current (15-man) roster looks something like this:

PG Murray, Morris, Campazzo, Dozier
SG Harris, Barton, Hampton
SF Porter Jr, Diop-Bates, Cancar
PF Green, Bol
C Jokic, Bol, Nnaji

2-way PG Howard, PF Cook (?)

Looks like we can use another PF (Millsap ?) unless MPJ or KDB/Cancar are pulling double duty. I could see Nnaji getting some mins there while the position is in flux

[NuggetsWY]

Looking a little better - in fact, I'm liking what I see

Jokic - Hartenstein
Green - Millsap - Bol - Nnaji
Porter - Barton - Cancar
Harris - Hampton
Murray - Morris - Dozier - Campazzo

Two-Way - Howard

Bol & Nnaji are a little too light to truly be centers, so I'll call them PFs.

Malone's Nine-Man Rotation?
Jokic - Hartenstein
Green - Millsap
Porter - Barton
Harris - [Barton & Murray]
Murray - Morris

[THE J0KER]

In the playoff, not more than 10 players will be used. Injuries and some changes are possible, but I see it right now like this:

PG Murray(25), Morris(23)
SG Harris(25), Murray(13), Barton(10)
SF Porter(25), Barton(13), Green(5), Bol(5)
PF Millsap(20), Bol(10), Green(10), Porter(8)
C Jokic(38), Hartenstein(7), Millsap(3)

PLAYOFF PLAYING TIME: Murray(38), JOKIC(38), Porter(33), Harris(25), Barton(23), Morris(23), Millsap(23), Green(15), Bol(15), Hartenstein(7)

[eathb_au]

I lean towards MPJ (needs to 100% happen) and Green starting too. Basically solves our rebounding and floor spacing issues from the playoffs

[The Rebel]

I don't see anyway that Millsap don't start, but I think his minutes will be very limited throughout most of the season. I see the rotation being pretty big early in the season and gradually being cut down as guys get hurt and young guys outplay the older guys.

To start the season
Murray (28)/ Morris (20)
Harris (20)/ Campazzo (20)/ Morris (4)/ Barton (4)
MPJ (25)/ Barton (23)
Millsap (15)/ Green (15 mpg)/ Bol (18)
Jokic (28)/ Hartenstein (15)/ Green (3)

By the trade deadline I Hope to see a trade for a better starting PF, and if the new/young guys play well enough we might.

[psimanic1]

Denver’s Bol Bol has agreed to a new two-year, $4.2M deal with the Nuggets, his agents Andrew Morrison and Sam Rose of CAA Sports tell @TheAthleticNBA @Stadium.

[vtime]

Look for Millsap to start and then for Porter to slide from the 3 to the 4 when Barton subs in. Green is your primary backup center. If Bol or Nnaji impress this can change. Nice mix of young guys in Denver.

[skywalker33]

Look for Millsap to start and then for Porter to slide from the 3 to the 4 when Barton subs in. Green is your primary backup center. If Bol or Nnaji impress this can change. Nice mix of young guys in Denver.

What you're suggesting really devalues Green and at 6'8" we're not gonna be playing small ball much. Hartenstein looks like a better fit at backup C and Green's defensive skills would be best served at PF. Add in Bol and we do have some questions to answer, gonna be interesting to see how it plays out.

Just to add in some rumors, heard Nuggets Insider Chris Dempsey suggest that Bol and MPJ could be seeing some playing time together, now wouldn't that be interesting.

[The Rebel]

Look for Millsap to start and then for Porter to slide from the 3 to the 4 when Barton subs in. Green is your primary backup center. If Bol or Nnaji impress this can change. Nice mix of young guys in Denver.

What you're suggesting really devalues Green and at 6'8" we're not gonna be playing small ball much. Hartenstein looks like a better fit at backup C and Green's defensive skills would be best served at PF. Add in Bol and we do have some questions to answer, gonna be interesting to see how it plays out.

Just to add in some rumors, heard Nuggets Insider Chris Dempsey suggest that Bol and MPJ could be seeing some playing time together, now wouldn't that be interesting.

On offense

I think Barton is going to spend a lot more time at SG than MPJ will play PF.

I think that Hartenstein and Bol are going to compete for backup Center minutes

Early in the season I see Green and Millsap playing 15 mpg each with Bol and Cancar competing for the rest of the minutes at backup PF.

I see Murray and Morris being on the court 52 mpg with Harris getting about 24 mpg and Campazzo competing with BArton and Dozier for the rest of the minutes at SG.

Our deep bench will be Hampton who can work as a combo guard, HOward who is a very good spot up shooter. Nnaji who is a developing spot up shooter, one of Bol or Hart who can pass and hit jumpshots at C, Cancar who may develop into a bench scorer or defender/ shooter, Whittington who is a good spot up shooter, and one of Dozier or Campazzo who will are likely used as combo guards.


It makes sense with our draft and free agent period that they have a very specific plan. Hartenstein and Bol are good enough passers that we can run the same offense when Jokic leaves the court so we do not have the same mess we did in the playoffs. The guards will run the primary pick and roll type offense, with SF MPJ/Barton being the primary kick out guys, and MIllsap and Green both good spot up shooters at PF with 1 of the guards also spotted up or cutting to the rim. In other words we finally have a team built around Jokic and Murray that we have wanted for years.

[Riko]

In the Regular season, if everyone is healty, I expect something like this:

Murray (30)/ Morris (18)
Harris (18)/ Campazzo (18)/ Dozier (12)
MPJ (24)/ Barton (24)
Millsap (20)/ Green (22)/ MPJ (6)
Jokic (32)/ Bol Bol (12)/ Hartestein (4)

The minutes may variates but imho the starting five of Murray-Harris-MPJ-Millsap-Jokic gives Denver both defense and spacing. Morris-Campazzo combo is quite unlikely since they are both short players so I can see Harris and Millsap start the games and be the the first to rest.
I don't see the rookies playing until last 20 games of the season or, if they are real deal, something sooner.

In the PO, unless something happen we will see a shorter rotation,

Murray (38)/ Morris (10)
Harris (18)/ Campazzo (18)/ Barton (8)/ Morris (4)
MPJ (26)/ Barton (22)
Millsap (18)/ Green (24)/ MPJ (6)
Jokic (36)/ Bol Bol (8)/ Millsap (4)

So 4 player Murray-Jokic-MPJ-Barton with 30 minutes or more and 5-6 more players rotation.

[THE J0KER]

Personally, I think Barton will be traded as soon as possible, but I have no idea for who (for guard, forward, FC-big, or asset).

If H'stain falls as backup-C option it still doesn't mean we need another center, because when Jokic is on the bench, Nuggets with oversized SF Porter and oversized PF Bol can play Millsap and Green on center spot without fear about rebounds vs opponents 2nd units.

If Barton stays, I expecting to see about third of Porter playing time on PF spot.

Harris is the big mystery, will he be healthy, will his offense at least little bit recovers? In that case he will join Jokic-Murray-MPJ in 30mpg club.

[FilNugsFan]

Starting Bol alongside MPJ and Jokic at the front, then Murray and Harris as backcourt is my dream lineup. But with the acquisition of Green and Millsap re-signing, I expect one of them gets to start. Best guess would be Murray, Harris, MPJ, Millsap and Jokic.

[TunaFish]

Starting Bol alongside MPJ and Jokic at the front, then Murray and Harris as backcourt is my dream lineup. But with the acquisition of Green and Millsap re-signing, I expect one of them gets to start. Best guess would be Murray, Harris, MPJ, Millsap and Jokic.

Can't argue with that. Murray, Harris, MPJ, Millsap and Jokic seems about right to start. I don't expect Millsap at the finish, however.

That's amazingly close with the opinions of the rest of the board with the exception of those who like Green to start instead of Millsap. That's a reasonable point of view too.

Now, watch Malone cross us all up.

[NuggetsWY]

Starting Bol alongside MPJ and Jokic at the front, then Murray and Harris as backcourt is my dream lineup. But with the acquisition of Green and Millsap re-signing, I expect one of them gets to start. Best guess would be Murray, Harris, MPJ, Millsap and Jokic.

Can't argue with that. Murray, Harris, MPJ, Millsap and Jokic seems about right to start. I don't expect Millsap at the finish, however.

That's amazingly close with the opinions of the rest of the board with the exception of those who like Green to start instead of Millsap. That's a reasonable point of view too.

Now, watch Malone cross us all up.

[THE J0KER]

Unlike other teams, two weeks before the start of the season we still don't know our starting lineup. Actually, thanks to Malone, we know only 2 starters

But the good news is that everyone is healthy.

Here are opening night starting lineups by chances (my projection), without Murray-SG scenarios (ie Morris, Campazzo, Dozier, Hampton at PG):

[NuggetsWY]

Jokic
Green - Millsap
Porter - Barton
Harris - Barton
Murray

I see seven players as potential starters and they will be the seven key players this year IMO.

It seems likely Green will start ahead of Millsap - but at the start of the season, Malone just might start Millsap. My bet would be Green starts.

Argument could be made that Barton might start ahead of Porter - especially at the start of the season. But my bet would be Porter starts.

Argument could be made that Barton might start ahead of Harris - but that seems very unlikely. Harris' defense seems more essential for the starting lineup.

Looking at it from a different perspective, Millsap & Barton seem like better bench candidates. The skills they bring work equally well off the bench as they do starting - and maybe even better off the bench. Porter could be a decent choice off the bench too. So it just seems that SF is the most likely to differ from my expectations.

[TunaFish]

Not sure of the accuracy but if this is correct, Jokic is 284 lbs.

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