Few groups have had as robust of an offseason because the Denver Nuggets. They traded starter Michael Porter Jr. and changed him with 4 rotation gamers, together with including a backup heart.
The Nuggets have already got Jonas Valanciunas at backup heart, and so they simply bought clarification about his future with the crew. Nevertheless, Chicago Bulls heart Nikola Vucevic could change into accessible on the buyout market. And if Valanciunas is not understanding, then the Nuggets may very well be a darkish horse crew to signal him through the season.
Whereas that would not be capable of supply him a beginning position with Nikola Jokic clearly filling that, they might pay him greater than different contenders may. In spite of everything, they nonetheless have full entry to their $14.1 million mid-level exception.
The Nuggets would not use all of it, however they might use between $5 million and $7 million of it to attempt to lure him to Denver.
Does Nikola Vucevic make sense for the Denver Nuggets?
Whether or not Vucevic is sensible for the Nuggets relies on how good (or dangerous) Valanciunas is. Valanciunas was a longtime starter however will settle into a task as a low-minutes backup heart.
If he can crash the glass, rating within the paint, and hit the occasional three, then he must be greater than high quality backing up Jokic. He ought to nonetheless have sufficient within the tank to try this, although the drama surrounding him doubtlessly signing with a Greek crew raises questions.
He confirmed that he’ll play for the Nuggets subsequent season, however will his coronary heart be in it? If it isn’t then, he may battle to fill a small however extremely priceless position for Denver. That is the place Vucevic may doubtlessly are available in.
Vucevic won’t be the one buyout candidate for the Nuggets
Regardless that he has his defensive limitations, he was wildly productive final season for the Chicago Bulls. He posted practically 19 factors per recreation and in addition averaged 10.1 rebounds and drilled 40.2% from three.
Usually these participant sorts can be out of the Nuggets attain. However he’s 34 and a half years previous, and the Bulls have did not commerce him regardless of him being on the block for greater than a 12 months. If Valanciunas falls flat and Vucevic is purchased out, then the Nuggets may and will scoop him up.
Nevertheless, if Valanciunas does work out, then the Nuggets is perhaps higher served pursuing one other buyout candidate, Malcolm Brogdon. He’d give Denver a pure backup level guard and has traditionally been a terrific shooter, doubtlessly filling two wants for the minimal.
All in all, the Nuggets have choices in case one among their low season strikes would not work out. In that case, Vucevic or Brogdan would make good sense for Denver.
