It’s been just over a year since the Denver Nuggets celebrated their first NBA title, but the vibes around the team have shifted dramatically. Key roster losses, minimal player development, and mounting tensions between the front office and head coach Mike Malone are casting shadows over the team’s prospects. While Nikola Jokic remains an MVP-level player, his supporting cast hasn’t held up their end, leaving the Nuggets in a precarious spot early in the 2024-25 season. The Nuggets need to make at least a trade after the uncertain start to the season that has let a cloud of ‘bad vibes’ hang over the team.
NBA Business: Denver Nuggets Set to Make Key Decisions After ‘Bad Vibes’ Start
Key Departures and Questionable Decisions
The Nuggets’ front office made tough choices this offseason, letting Kentavious Caldwell-Pope. This decision came after letting Bruce Brown and Jeff Green walk in 2023. Caldwell-Pope’s departure, in particular, was to avoid hitting the second luxury tax apron, showing a clear priority for cap management over keeping the team intact. These departures have created noticeable gaps in Denver’s rotation, pushing unproven younger players into major roles. So far, top executive Calvin Booth’s bet on youth isn’t paying off, as the bench struggles with consistency and scoring.
Denver ranks as the league’s worst in bench net rating, posting an atrocious -12.1 through four games (albeit a small sample size). With their limited depth, the Nuggets are relying heavily on their starting unit, especially on Jokic. Notably, he leads the league in touches per game and is fourth in minutes per game. To address this issue, the Nuggets could explore a trade, using Zeke Nnaji’s and Vlatko Cancar’s contracts, possibly combined with Peyton Watson and a future pick swap, to bring in a dependable veteran. The $5.25 million trade exception from the Reggie Jackson trade could further aid this effort.
Jokic and Murray Carry the Load
Jokic continues to anchor the Nuggets, covering for numerous team weaknesses, but the burden on him is enormous. Jamal Murray, meanwhile, appears less explosive than in previous seasons, raising concerns about his ability to support Jokic as a secondary star. Both players, along with Michael Porter Jr., Aaron Gordon, and Christian Braun rank in the top 25 for minutes per game, which is a red flag this early in the season.
Malone is running a tight nine-man rotation, but with five players consuming most of the minutes, Denver is already stretched thin. The potential for injury is looming over the team, and if one of these core players goes down, the Nuggets’ season could quickly spiral out of control.
A Fractured Relationship Between Front Office and Coach
Reports of tension between the front office and Malone are becoming harder to ignore. Malone’s veteran-heavy approach has often clashed with Booth’s focus on youth and financial prudence, especially after letting key veterans go. As Malone pushes his core players to the brink, it’s clear he’s not fully on board with the front office’s vision.
The Nuggets struggled to pull out overtime wins against the Raptors and Nets in a back-to-back stretch. These are teams they would have easily dispatched just 18 months ago en route to their championship. They can’t keep being involved in close games it will mean the starters will play unusually large minutes.
Malone prefers a veteran-heavy approach to youthful experimentation. This veteran-focused approach has driven the Nuggets’ success, but Booth’s strategy assumes the younger players will step up. So far, they haven’t, leaving Denver in a bind. If the team doesn’t shore up its bench soon, Malone’s frustrations could boil over, further straining his relationship with the front office.
Denver’s Options Moving Forward
The Nuggets still have paths to bolster their roster. By aggregating contracts, they could land a mid-level talent to stabilize the bench. Potential trade targets might include a dependable wing or a backup guard, players who can contribute without needing significant touches. However, any move will require careful balancing to stay within financial constraints, a line Booth is determined not to cross. They are hard-capped at the second apron due to signing Dario Saric to the taxpayer’s mid-level exception. That means that they can’t legally go over the second apron. With $5.16 million in space between their total cap holds and the second apron, it’s a delicate game Booth will have to play.
Denver must decide if they’ll proactively address their depth issues or gamble that their current rotation can hold up under the grueling demands of the season. Injuries have already forced their hand in previous years, and with a thin roster, the risk is even greater this time. By leveraging assets like a future pick swap or Watson, the Nuggets could secure the help they desperately need without breaking the bank.
The Bad Vibes Don’t Have To Last If the Nuggets are Willing to Make a Trade
The Denver Nuggets are at a crossroads. Jokic and Murray can’t carry this team alone, and the young players haven’t proven they’re ready for the NBA grind. Denver’s next move could dictate the course of its season, especially if the team hopes to avoid being merely a playoff hopeful. They need to make a move to add experience or risk wasting a prime Jokic season to an injury. To reverse the bad vibes hanging over the team, the Nuggets have to pull the trigger on a trade or risk things getting worse as disappointing results happen over the coming weeks.
The Nuggets have an irreplaceable piece in Jokic, but building around him shouldn’t be this difficult. If the front office and Malone can find common ground, Denver might still turn things around. But with mounting minutes and a shallow bench, they’re running out of time to keep their championship window open.
