Yahoo Sports senior NBA analyst Kevin O’Connor is joined by Steve Jones from ‘The Dunker Spot’ to discuss how Denver’s offseason moves helps place them back among the top competitors in the Western Conference. Hear the full conversation on “The Kevin O’Connor Show” and subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube or wherever you listen.
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Video Transcript
But let’s move on to, in my opinion, the biggest competitor to knock Oklahoma City off this year, which is the Denver Nuggets, and the Nuggets this offseason were very, very busy.
They traded Michael Porter Junior, they traded Dario Sarge, and they brought in Tim Hardaway Junior, Cam Johnson, Jonas Valentunis, and old friend Bruce Brown.
So this rotation now, when you look at the Nuggets, they go from feeling what was a shallow team, Steve.
To a very deep team at this point with what should be the best backup of Jokic’s career.
And Jonas Valentunis, a ton of guys in the wing position, adding Bruce Brown helps bolster the backcourt as well, so I’m really, really bullish on what the Denver Nuggets can be this season with their new rotation.
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I mean, it’s tough to argue what Denver did.
I think when you look at it, Denver solved this particular issue, this bench issue, this lack of depth issue, we’re never, we’re never gonna have it again.
We’re gonna have some level of versatility.
I think the biggest thing for me is not just the amount of people they added, but the fit.
Like I feel like they fit into what Denver wants to do.
Obviously, we’ve seen what Bruce Brown has done with Denver, but adding Cam Johnson, his ability to do different things offensively and fit in with that system, using him on ball, off ball, and handoffs, off pin downs, get some movement in there.
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That’s great.
But you have Jonas Valentunis who’s gonna help them out.
You have Tim Hardaway, who’s gonna give you a level of shooting.
Especially a willingness, so he’s gonna be a threat out there.
You have optionality within your second unit to a degree, which I think is a little bit more fun.
And so when Jokic comes off, OK, maybe we can keep some of the things we do.
You know, obviously Valentinis isn’t the same player as Jokic, but we can do some handoffs, we can throw it in the post, we can get some cutting.
We can have some.
That is gonna be valuable for our entire team as opposed to, well, Jokic is on the bench, let’s hope pick and roll works or Jamal.
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Murray’s able to cook.
Jokic did not look great defensively in Serbia’s loss in EuroBasket.
He was continually pulled out to the perimeter, targeted, attacked.
And look, you know, in Denver, he’s going to have a lot better help behind him.
He’s going to have Aaron Gordon’s help, maybe some two-big lineups with DeJon Holmes.
We’ll see.
I mean, I’m not ruling that out.
I’m very bullish on what DeJon Holmes can be.
You got better help behind him, but that’s still going to be the formula.
It’s always going to be the formula when you’re facing Denver.
Yeah, I mean, when they had their best success, it was Jokic, do your job.
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We feel comfortable with the help and rotations behind it, and ultimately, we don’t give up easy.
I think that’s just kind of where they’re going to have to live with, or live at, especially in this league.
Teams are going to put them in action.
They’re going to put Jamal Murray in action against wings, and they’re going to try and poke at different things, just be able to problem solve and not be a team who over-rotates or puts yourself in a bad spot or opens things up for teams.
That’s the key for Denver.
They have to be a do-your-job type defense.
I mean, ultimately, for tiers, they are 100% true contenders.
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And to me, I think I would just put them a tick behind OKC out of respect to the Thunder for being the defending champions, but with the Denver Nuggets, man, I have no doubts about this team that they’re going to be deep in the playoffs as long as they’re healthy, and hopefully, I pray to God that we see Denver, OKC part two in the playoffs.
I’m excited for those regular season matchups.
I would be above and beyond stoked for another seven-game series between these two teams.
We’re not even in October yet, but just the idea of that, Steve, that series is so freaking fun, man.
This is your jam.
This is your series right here, Denver OKC.
This is what you want to see, right.
