Denver Nuggets Team Review

 

2022-23 Finish: 50-32

 

Season Highlight:

*Sorry this took so long. We had a writer end up passing on the article and I kept forgetting to finish it off*

The Denver Nuggets were one of six 50 win teams in the Western Conference showing how tough the conference is at the top and how weak it was at the bottom to sustain it. This resulted in a 5^th seed finish and a match up with the Wolves in round 1. It was a dynamite series which saw Steph and Klay go full bore into the Butler/Barnes duo and show them how it�s done. The series win was a great one, which even prompted Wolves changes. They then Came to a halt against the Blazers, but can take solace in winning a series!

 

Season Lowlight:

Although not so much a single lowlight but Steph Currys�s regression from human flame thrower to a mid tier shooter would have to be the seasons lowlight. Curry had never shot below 45 percent from the field, 40 percent from 3 and �checks the states page 3 times� 97 percent from the free throw line since the inception of the league until last season�Stephs 2022-23 campaign shooting were splits of 42/35/87. Going from one of the face of efficiency in recent seasons to well below had to be a shock to Steph, the nuggets organisation and the whole of the Denver community. Not sure if it was done to the coaches settings, the league as a whole becoming less and less efficient as the season wore on, injuries to his teammates or a combination of the three but this would have to be the most surprising lowlight for what still turned out to be an excellent season for the Nuggets and Digga. (Via Joshua)

 

Best Trade:

Nuggets get: Domantas Sabonis and Usman Garuba
Nuggets send: Dwight Powell, Pat Connaughton, Ayo Dosunmu, Pick 20 and Denver 2025 1^st Round Pick

Talk about a blockbuster for the Nugs! They needed a big man in the worst way and found one of the better bigs that isn�t a 2k athletic nut job, as well as a nice young prospect big man to boot. For, basically a couple of 1sts that are and will be non-lottery. Great return.

 

Worst Trade:

Nuggets get: Phoenix 2027 2^nd round pick
Nuggets send: Alondes Williams

Ok, so there�s nothing at all wrong with this trade but the Nuggets only made 2 trades all year, and if the other one is the best trade, then by defacto?

 

Other Notable Trades:

No other trades.

 

Free Agency:

The Nuggets were devastated early in the picture with Willy Hernangomez asking to go back to Spain, and them then opting to decline his Team Option. This made him a UFA, but also, gone. Otherwise, the Nuggets were all round clearing house and refreshing the roster around a handful of locked in talent at the top end. This sees mostly UFAs and none that really would be wanted back, anyhow.

Serge Ibaba � UFA, no contract, won�t be back.

Willy Hernangomez � UFA, Back in Spain, won�t be back.

Usman Garuba � UFA, unlucky turn of events being waived in the NBA breaking his 1^st round contract, meaning he�s an early UFA. Would love him back.

Anthony Lamb � UFA, no contract, won�t be back.

Keon Johnson � UFA, wanted and will be back.

 

 

Star:

Stephen Curry

The team is paying 3 guys a max contract but only one of them is a superstar in the one and only Steph Curry. League MVP and offensive engine. For Denver, they go only as far as Curry takes them. The man had a down year, more because of the engine than anything else where he �only� averaged 26 points per game and looked like a human PG rather than the alien we know and love. If this team is to keep up the top, it will be Steph carrying them there.

 

Flop:

Domantas Sabonis

Man is this harsh�but this guy is a legit 20ppg guy in the NBA and a tough opponent on both ends of the court, and yet here, he still only manages 13ppg on 64/29/75 splits. His defensive impact was not there and while he did make it a double double with 16 rebounds a game he still lacks the in game impact of what you�d expect from a player of huis NBA caliber and in engine that led to less than stellar NBA bigs really outperforming their ranking here in the NSL. The Nuggets need Domantas to catch up to his NBA self real quick to warrant the new mega contract, too.

 

 

Draft Grades:

No Picks. No Draft.

 

The Future:

The Nuggets future looks to still on the rise with Steph unlikely to fall off a cliff just yet. As long as Steph exists, the team exists. Maybe he gets traded? But then that�s a tough one cause he�s now on $52mil and he�s 35 and basically someone is going to be left holding the bag. His game shouldn�t change though as he gets older which means he should be strong until the end. That said, around him, they�re still rock solid. Domantas is a top 10 ESPN guy this new season, Steph is #2 in the NSL and Jalen Johnson is now looking like he�ll be in line for a break out year. MPJ and Klay are healthy and performing and they have some solid young talent even without picks this year, and the man has an eye for prospects too. They�ll try and ride the Curry wave as far as it can take them for as long as it will take them and this year they�ll be trying to go back to the top.

  C: Domantas Sabonis / _____________ / Neemias Queta
PF: Jalen Johnson / ___________ / Patrick Baldwin Jr
SF: Michael Porter Jr. / Max Christie
SG: Klay Thompson / Gary Trent Jnr.
PG: Steph Curry / Nashon Hyland / Ricky Rubio