Denver Nuggets President of Basketball Operations Tim Connelly knows it is just a matter of time before he sees his assistant general manager Calvin Booth leave the organization.
“I just think he’s unbelievably bright. Some team is going to be very lucky when he’s running their team [in the future],” Connelly gushed to Nuggets.com.
Booth has become an integral part of the Nuggets front office since joining the team in 2018. A former NBA center whose playing career spanned a decade in the league, the 43-year-old has brought invaluable insight and a natural scouting eye to the organization.
“Constantly learning new things and he’s got an innate feel for people in the game,” Connelly said. “Obviously, his playing background [is significant]. Coming from a redshirt at Penn State to a 10-year NBA vet, he’s seen so much.”
READ MORE: Five questions with Calvin Booth
Booth is one of nine black or non-white NBA assistant general managers, according to Real GM. There are 36 assistant GMs in the league. The paucity of diversity in NBA front offices also extends to the president of basketball operations and general manager ranks. There are six lead black executives in the league (Scott Perry, Elton Brand, Masai Ujiri, Koby Altman, James Jones and Trajan Langdon) and an additional non-white President of Basketball Operations in Gersson Rosas. The Nuggets have had two black lead executives in their past, Bernie Bickerstaff and Ujiri, and currently employ a diverse front office with people from different nationalities, races and genders. Connelly acknowledges the importance of having different perspectives when running an organization.
“Our sport is so diverse, so we want our basketball operations staff to be reflective of our sport,” Connelly said. “The more diverse backgrounds and minds we have, the better.”
“Having a range of perspectives and opinions is invaluable to optimize an organization,” Booth added. “People from different backgrounds and views, it helps you make more informed decisions and look at things from a wider scope. I think that’s really important”
Although Booth acknowledges he would love to run an organization at some point, he is thrilled to be working with an NBA contender in the Mile High City.
“It’s really cool to have Tim, one of the most talented executives in the NBA, [say something like that],” Booth said. “He sees something in me when it comes to running an organization at some point in time. He’s always been one of my biggest advocates and I appreciate him for that.”
He added, “I’m enjoying my time here. If this is my last stop working in the front office, I’d be perfectly fine with that. But if there’s an opportunity to be a lead decision maker for a franchise, of course I’d be interested, and I’d have to hear what the team has to say.”