Welcome to the first offseason Nuggets mailbag where we answer fan questions from our Twitter and Instagram accounts. Topics for this edition of the mailbag include Michael Porter Jr.'s offensive growth, Denver's youthful bench, X-factors next season, Peyton Watson's ceiling, the team's defensive capabilities, and much more.
Before we get into it, however, it should be known that none of the answers provided reflect the thoughts and opinions of the front office and coaching staff. Also, be sure to follow us on Twitter, Instagram, and any of our other social channels to stay up to date for when we do our next mailbag column.
Now, onto your questions!
@CollectCanyon on Twitter: How do you evaluate the team’s defensive capabilities for the next season?
I think we got a pretty good feel for Denver’s defensive ceiling in the postseason. In the 2022-23 regular season, the group was average on that end of the floor and ranked 17th overall in defensive efficiency. Then the playoffs rolled around, and Denver jumped all the way up to 4th in defensive rating.
At the center of that uptick was Nikola Jokić, who caused opponents to shoot 1.6 percent worse than normal throughout the postseason (a sneak preview: I’ll be writing about Jokić’s defense in more detail in the coming weeks). But other players stepped up too. Michael Porter Jr. grew tremendously as a team defender and swung multiple playoff games with his help defense near the rim. Aaron Gordon held both Kevin Durant and Karl-Anthony Towns under 40 percent shooting when he was matched up with them in the playoffs.
Can Denver finish as high as top-5 in defensive rating in the upcoming regular season? That much remains to be seen, but Michael Malone’s group has shown they can defend at that level when it matters most.
@alex.zhang on Instagram: What are your expectations for the relatively younger Nuggets bench this upcoming season?
This is a great question because it illustrates just how unique the 2023-24 Nuggets are in terms of construction. Most contenders' benches are filled with veterans looking to "ring chase." Last year’s Nuggets team is a splendid example of that: Ish Smith, DeAndre Jordan, and Jeff Green all collected their first-ever championship rings as 35-and-older veterans.
This group is different. Most of Denver’s bench fixtures are first- and second-year players: Christian Braun, Peyton Watson, Jalen Pickett, Hunter Tyson, and Julian Strawther. Even someone like Zeke Nnaji, who is entering his fourth NBA season, has received just under 2,000 total NBA minutes. Behind Denver's starting lineup is a group of mostly unproven and hungry hoopers.
As such, expectations should be measured, especially early on. There will be growing pains, like there are for any team, while each player learns on the fly how exactly to contribute to a championship team. If everything clicks, however, and Denver can build a viable rotation out of young players, that bodes well for the team’s longevity as a potential dynasty.
@WarrenGreenwoo3 on Twitter: Were you surprised that the Nuggets let (Thomas) Bryant go and kept DeAndre Jordan?
Not at all. And that isn’t to say anything about Thomas Bryant. In fact, I wouldn’t be shocked at all if he ends up being a total steal for the Miami HEAT.
But DeAndre Jordan’s veteran leadership cannot be overlooked. I heard many stories throughout the season about Jordan passing down wisdom to his younger teammates, and that type of impact cannot be overstated. He's always been a vocal leader, whether he’s on the court or off it, and Jeff Green’s exit made 'DJ' even more irreplaceable. You need guys that hold the locker room together with accountability, all while being likable, and Jordan fits that billing to a tee.
@LucasNavarreteM on Twitter: Could unlocking MPJ's offensive potential be the key towards a back-to-back (championship)?
Oh hey, funny you ask this! I just wrote about this exact topic for the latest edition of ‘The Leap,’ our mini-series profiling the in-postseason growth of some of Denver’s cornerstone players.
In short, you’re dead on the money. Realistically, Michael Porter Jr. is just scratching the surface of his lofty offensive ceiling. He’s already one of the best shooters on planet Earth, and he’s been excellent at finishing near the rim since entering the league. Next up is building out an in-between game, and he showed flashes of what that may look like by nailing numerous floaters in Denver’s closeout Game 5 victory in the NBA Finals.
Speaking of Game 5, MPJ also gave fans a preview of just how ridiculous of an offensive force he can be in transition. He’s always been an excellent rebounder, and so taking the ball up himself gives him ample opportunity to create buckets for himself or his teammates. Denver finished with 19 fastbreak points in Game 5, the most they scored against Miami’s staunch transition defense all series, and MPJ was a big catalyst to that.
There are other things that could be worth exploring with Porter Jr.
Using him more as a “pick and pop” screener for Jokić and Murray could unlock new elements of his three-point shooting game. Having him occasionally run the pick-and-roll could be worth a shot, too. Why not!
Murray and Jokić’s two-man game will obviously be the centerpiece for this potential Mile High juggernaut, but continued progression from MPJ would just add extra layers to the offense.
@angeIickat on Twitter: How does the locker room energy fluctuate during the season and how do they motivate each other?
Great question! A quick disclaimer: before I came to Denver, I covered the Brooklyn Nets. So, I’ve seen many different groups and types of locker rooms.
Denver’s locker room last season was like no other locker room I’ve ever been in. The group was tight. Really tight. Guys were laughing and poking fun at each other after nearly every game... even during the intensity of the playoffs. But Denver also had vocal leaders that addressed the group in times of need. That’s why retaining someone like the aforementioned Jordan was so crucial.
If you don’t believe me, here’s what Bruce Brown had to say about the locker room in late May.
“I would say just vibes in the locker room after practice. Usually, the last few teams I've been on, practice is over, everyone showers and everyone gets out. But here, I sit in my locker for like 30, 40 minutes like it's college, just joking, laughing, and having a good time with the fellas. Some of them leave early because they have families, obviously, but when they don't have to go home right away, we just sit in the locker room cracking jokes and having a good time."
I love this quote.
@jessmandoe on Instagram: Who is our new bench 5?
My guess would be that it depends on the opponent.
Jordan is a more conventional center in that he plays in defensive schemes that favor his ability to hang back near the rim and deter close-range shots. As such, I would think he'd be a good backup option against teams with a more two-point-heavy shot profile. Think, like, the Oklahoma City Thunder.
Zeke Nnaji, meanwhile, is a little bit more of a new-age big man because of his ability to switch between positions and guard smaller players. His aptitude for defending the perimeter could be especially valuable against teams that hoist a plethora of three-pointers. The Golden State Warriors or the Sacramento Kings come to mind in this scenario.
It works in Denver’s favor that their backup big men differ so heavily in terms of skillset. Malone’s group is malleable and matchup-proof.
@horacekariuki on Instagram: How much hope is the team putting on Jamal Murray to become a superstar who can play with the bench and produce consistently good offense?
Once again, I think we got a pretty good feel for what that looks like during last season’s postseason run. Murray was, without a doubt, a superstar in a dominant championship run. And he was remarkably consistent while doing so, particularly in big moments.
Denver’s two-most played lineups with just Murray on the floor (and no Jokić) were dramatically positive: a +8.8 net rating and a +9.9 net rating. Both lineups were of the small-ball variety and featured Aaron Gordon and/or Jeff Green at center, so clearly giving Murray as much space as possible to cook works in Denver’s favor.
A ‘five-out' bench unit with Murray running the show and the four remaining players stashed along the perimeter might be the key to unlocking Murray as the bench brigade leader.
@d_jimenez231 on Instagram: Will Peyton Watson be in the rotation? How has his game progressed this offseason?
Denver’s front office and coaching staff are high on Watson and feel he can be a contributor as early as next year based on the discussions I've had.
So, yes, I would expect him to be a part of the rotation.
You saw the flashes of his offensive growth in Summer League. Watson used Las Vegas to explore the limits of his game, handle the ball more, and create for himself a little bit on offense in a largely inconsequential environment. He hit a couple of pull-up jumpers from the midrange, looked comfortable driving to the rim against closeouts, and tossed out some amazing dimes.
Shooting from a distance will be his biggest swing skill in the NBA, but the 20-year-old's potential is undeniable. He’s a ridiculous athlete with all of the tools in the world at his disposal. A gamer, too. Just insanely competitive.
@alex.zhang on Instagram: Which veterans do you see taking larger leadership roles that players like Jeff Green had?
Jordan is the obvious answer. Reggie Jackson, too. But I’d like to throw Justin Holiday’s hat in the ring for this question.
Holiday has historically earned high praise for the example he’s set in locker rooms, and he’s a 10-year veteran that commands respect from his peers because of his longevity.
Not to mention, he’s played on 9 different teams, meaning that he has ample experience with a variety of different cultures, players, and coaching staffs. Engaging with that many personalities within the workplace is one heck of a way to improve your people skills, and I would be shocked if we don't hear about Holiday's positive impact within the locker room at some point next year.
@_1k.andrew05 on Instagram: Are the rookies gonna get minutes?
I would think so. Denver's bench is fairly young, so it’d be prudent to see what each of the rookies has to offer while building out a playoff rotation.
Hunter Tyson’s success in Summer League should not be ignored, and he showed that he’s so much more than just a shooter. His ability to put the ball on the floor when run off the three-point line should make him playable against aggressive, swarming defenses. He’s a multifaced offensive threat with a lights-out three-point stroke, and that type of archetype tends to thrive in today’s league.
Jalen Pickett’s feel as a floor general could be incredibly valuable when looking to replace Bruce Brown’s impact (more on this in a second). The back-to-the-basket game is legit, and he looked comfortable defending within NBA schemes.
Lastly, Julian Strawther’s deep floor spacing from 28 feet out is a highly covetable skill in the NBA. He showcased growth as a ball-handler toward the tail-end of Summer League. If he can continue to improve as a creator while competing on defense, he projects as a two-way contributor as early as next season.
@luka.t_philosophy on Instagram: Who is going to replace Bruce Brown?
More than likely, it’ll be by committee. Reggie Jackson is the ideal fill-in for Brown’s pick-and-roll craft among the reserves. Pickett is another possibility to lead Denver’s bench offense.
Christian Braun is a pretty viable candidate to replace Brown’s tenacious and physical perimeter defense. Watson’s athleticism and shot-blocking prowess could help in this regard, as well.
Brown averaged the most fastbreak points of any Nugget in the postseason, and so that’s where Michael Porter Jr.’s improvements in transition could come into play.
Brown is a $45 million player for a reason; he combines all of these valuable skills into one. Replacing his impact one-for-one was always going to be impossible for the Nuggets due to salary cap constraints. The best Denver can do is approximate his impact across multiple rotation players, and I think that’s certainly possible.
@krish.patel.26 on Instagram: Biggest X-Factor for this upcoming season?
I haven’t mentioned him much in this mailbag, so let’s talk a bit about Christian Braun.
He’s already a strong individual defender that can handle multiple types of assignments. He also has excellent feel on the offensive end. Braun became the fourth rookie to drop at least 15 points in an NBA Finals game largely because of his ability to cut off-ball.
Braun becoming a more efficient shooter on a higher volume of three-point shots would be a massive boost for Denver. It would keep him on the floor against pretty much any opponent if it's no longer possible to sag off him when he’s stashed in the corners.
Allowing Braun to handle the ball and initiate the occasional set could be worth exploring. Why not? The NBA season is long, and the Nuggets already know they have what it takes to win an NBA title. Exploring their young players’ games without giving up too much ground in the standings is, in my eyes, a worthwhile gamble. The payout could be a deep, versatile, and athletic back-end of the rotation.
Braun has already shown he’s a playoff-caliber rotation player as a rookie. If he’s got another gear to his game, watch out.
@costlund27 on Instagram: Biggest threat for the Nuggets?
Phoenix. They added Bradley Beal to form a Big 3 with Kevin Durant and Devin Booker. I like their other offseason additions a lot, as well. Keita Bates-Diop and Yuta Watanabe were among my favorite free agents in this year’s class, and I mentioned both in my free agency preview. Drew Eubanks graded out as one of the best big men at switching screens last year. Getting Eric Gordon for the veteran’s minimum could be a huge bargain, as well. There’s no denying that Phoenix improved this offseason.
The Los Angeles Lakers also got better by adding Gabe Vincent and Taurean Prince to their core. Though, their ceiling is closely tied to the health of Anthony Davis and LeBron James, the latter of whom turns 39 in December.
A sleeper in the Western Conference might be the Minnesota Timberwolves. The Nuggets had zero answers for Anthony Edwards in the first round, especially when Minnesota leaned into more pick-and-roll reps for Edwards at the tail-end of the series. Edwards averaged a ridiculous 31.6 points per game, which was the most that any player put up against Denver’s defense in the postseason.
Out East, the HEAT could be tough for the Nuggets if they can get a deal done for Damian Lillard. Miami’s defense held Denver to 115.3 points per 100 possessions in the Finals, the lowest offensive rating the Nuggets put up against any playoff opponent. It was the HEAT's offense that was the problem. Miami averaged just 96.4 points per game on 40.7 percent overall shooting and 34.3 from three-point range. Lillard is fresh off turning in his best season to date by averaging a career-high 32.2 points per game on a career-best 46.3 from the field and 37.1 percent from three. His entrance alone could turn the HEAT into a nightmarish two-way contender.