Are the Denver Nuggets headed for a decline this season? According to NBA reporter Tim MacMahon, this appears to be the case as he picks out the one team he envisions taking a step back in the 2024-25 season. Is he right? Which other teams will accompany his choice?<\/p>\n
ESPN writer and NBA reporter Tim MacMahon stated on\u00a0<\/span>NBA Today<\/span><\/a><\/em> earlier this week that the former champion\u00a0<\/span>Denver Nuggets<\/span><\/a>\u00a0are his pick to decline the most in the Western Conference. While this may seem like a drastic take considering who leads the Nuggets\u2014<\/span>Nikola Jokic<\/span><\/a>\u2014MacMahon pointed out that the loss of\u00a0<\/span>Kentavious Caldwell-Pope<\/span><\/a>\u00a0will significantly impact the Nuggets’ 2024-25 season.\u00a0<\/span>MacMahon stressed Denver’s recent history<\/span><\/a>\u00a0of letting championship pieces walk in free agency.<\/span><\/p>\n “\u2026you lose KCP, [I mean] keep championship players. The Lakers learned the hard way, and the Nuggets are doing the same thing here. That’s on the heels of losing Bruce Brown last year; that’s two finishing pieces to their championship puzzle.<\/em>” MacMahon pointed out.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n MacMahon’s point is spot on in this regard. Having lost Bruce Brown<\/a> and now Caldwell-Pope in back-to-back free agencies is a harsh reality. He also alluded to his shaky trust in\u00a0<\/span>Jamal Murray<\/span><\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n However, MacMahon’s\u00a0<\/span>NBA Today<\/span><\/em>\u00a0counterpart Zach Lowe wasn’t ready to throw Denver off the deep end so quickly. He isn’t prepared to write off Jokic like that. Jokic is still the best player in the league. Yes, they came up short last year in the playoffs. However, even without<\/span>\u00a0Brown<\/span>, they still tied with the\u00a0<\/span>Oklahoma City Thunder<\/span><\/a>\u00a0for first in the West and won their first playoff round against the Los Angeles Lakers. The Nuggets are far from a declining team, considering their core of Jokic, Murray,\u00a0<\/span>Aaron Gordon<\/span><\/a>, and\u00a0<\/span>Michael Porter Jr.<\/span><\/a>\u00a0remains intact.<\/span><\/p>\n This conversation came on the heels of NBA senior writer Kevin Pelton’s position that the three teams who will take a big step back this season are the Los Angeles Clippers, the Los Angeles Lakers, and the Minnesota Timberwolves<\/a>.<\/p>\n Lowe echoed the Timberwolves as a team he feels shaky about.<\/p>\n “\u2026decline is too strong a word. I think Minnesota will be a top-four team in the Western Conference again this year, but after getting to the conference finals, that doesn’t mean anything. The proof is in the pudding, and there’s just something in my stomach\u2026like they’re the logical pick to make the finals, and I just can’t get there.<\/em>“<\/p><\/blockquote>\nOther West Teams to Decline<\/h3>\n