Nikola Jokic was fourth within the NBA in minutes per recreation final season, which the Denver Nuggets hope to lower through the 2025-26 season after they acquired Jonas Valanciunas from the Sacramento Kings to play backup middle.
“We all know that one of the crucial essential issues we have now to do subsequent season is care for him, and be sure that he’s the most effective model of himself if we’re fortunate sufficient to get to that playoff spot,” stated David Adelman on decreasing Jokic’s minutes. “So yeah, it’s a priority. Nevertheless it must be talked about. It must be achieved the appropriate approach. That’s what we’re gonna do.”
The Nuggets plan on utilizing Valanciunas as a hub on offense with a “level middle” label hooked up to him.
“He’s a bona fide, big-time middle over the past decade who you may put in a bunch of various spots all around the flooring,” Adelman stated. “And after I say ‘level middle,’ I imply somebody you may play via within the half-court. I don’t envision him getting a rebound and pushing the ball up. I do suppose a number of the issues we already do (work with him): taking part in five-out with back-side dribble handoffs, taking part in off the elbows, posting him up towards smaller lineups, his skill to make others higher.
“It’s not the help numbers that matter to me. It’s his skill to start out ball motion via the affect of who he’s. So he’s an infinite get. I’m tremendous enthusiastic about getting him right here, getting him acclimated.”
