After falling quick to the eventual champion, the Oklahoma Metropolis Thunder, within the second spherical, the Denver Nuggets realized they didn’t have sufficient to enrich Nikola Jokic. Denver got here into this offseason with the purpose of surrounding Jokic with extra expertise and depth. They’ve completed that purpose this summer season.
They swapped Michael Porter Jr. for the extra constant and versatile Cam Johnson. They introduced in Tim Hardaway so as to add extra scoring and taking pictures off the bench. They introduced again Bruce Brown, who was with the workforce once they gained all of it in 2023.
Arguably the most important transfer, although, was bringing in Jonas Valanciunas from Sacramento, giving Denver a beneficial backup middle for Jokic. It is a weak point the Nuggets have spent years making an attempt to resolve. Valanciunas, nonetheless, has a profitable supply to hitch European energy Panathinaikos and has already verbally dedicated to the workforce.
Denver doesn’t wish to let him out of his contract, however Valanciunas has indicated that he’s keen to carry out to get what he desires. If that’s actually the case, then the Nuggets have to have a look at different choices through commerce.
The Nuggets ought to goal Blazers middle Robert Williams III
At any time when Jokic goes to the bench, Denver has been one of many worst groups within the league. Final season when Jokic sat, the Nuggets had a -9.8 web score and a 106.0 offensive score. The -9.8 web score could be the second-worst within the league.
Williams is just not the playmaker that Jokic is, however he’s an environment friendly offensive participant. For his profession, he averages seven factors per sport on 72 % taking pictures. Most of his pictures do come within the paint, however being that environment friendly is spectacular.
He thrives in choose and roll conditions and would offer Denver with an extra lob menace alongside Aaron Gordon. The Nuggets may run a extra diluted two man sport with Jamal Murray and Williams that might enable their non-Jokic offense to remain afloat.
Including Williams could be a low-risk, high-reward transfer
Defensively, Williams is likely one of the finest rim protectors within the sport. He averages virtually two blocks per sport for his profession, has completed within the high ten in Defensive Participant of the 12 months voting, and has been on an All-Defensive workforce.
This previous season, opponents shot 35.5 % from the sphere towards Williams, and on pictures inside six toes, rivals shot solely 41 % towards him.
The problem with Williams is his well being. The final time he performed over 60 video games was in 2022 (the one time he has finished so), and he has performed solely 26 video games over the past two seasons. For Denver, although, he would have a low-leverage position, and he would doubtless be managed so the workforce may have him prepared for the playoffs.
Valanciunas has made it clear that he desires to proceed his profession elsewhere. The free agent marketplace for facilities is extraordinarily skinny, so the Nuggets need to look to commerce for one. Portland has additionally begun to ship off their veterans like DeAndre Ayton and Anfernee Simons, so it wouldn’t be stunning to see them try this with Williams. He would additionally doubtless come at a low price, making his match with Denver much more attractive.
