When J.J. Hickson is on your team’s list of recent free agency wins, there’s a good chance your team doesn’t have much other success to boast about. Such is the case for the Denver Nuggets.
On Tuesday, HoopsHype revealed their list of “The top Nugget free agent signings in recent history,” which included 2013 signing Hickson at No. 10.
Sadly, the news doesn’t get much better from there.
HoopsHype goes all the way back to Dale Ellis in 1994 to find free agent signings of note for Denver. (Not a good sign.)
Ellis, a journeyman who spent 17 years in the league with six teams, is one of only three players on the list who ranks inside the top-10 in any of Denver’s career leaders rankings. Ellis ranks sixth all-time in 3-pointers with 448 over his three seasons with Denver.
Andre Miller and Chris Andersen each find themselves among Denver’s all-time leaders, although both had multiple stints in Denver. (Both were acquired initially as free agents, the re-acquired later in their careers via trade.) Miller is No. 3 on Denver’s all-time assists board, but also ranks No. 6 in turnovers. Andersen is tied with Alex English for 5th all-time with 624 shots blocked.
Ironically, the Nuggets’ top free agent signing off recent memory according to HoopsHype, Kenyon Martin, does not factor in to any of Denver’s all-time statistical lists.
Martin did enjoy six straight years of playoff success during his time in Denver, although the Nuggets made it out of the first round just once during that stretch.
HoopsHype had very few positives to point out about Denver’s recent free agency signings, even throwing some shade at their No. 4 pick, Earl Boykins:
“The pint-sized Boykins brought instant off the bench for the Nuggets during four seasons. Defense? Not so much.”
None of this bodes particularly well for the Nuggets, who are trying to acquire a big-name free agent that will get them back into the playoffs after missing the postseason for four consecutive seasons.
Denver for years has struggled to attract marquee free agents and retain big-name trade players upon the expiration of their contracts. This list is both evidence of that and a warning sign for the future.
The full list, according to HoopsHype, is as follows…
No. 10 – J.J. Hickson, 2013
No. 9 – Voshon Lenard, 2003
No. 8 – George McCloud, 1999
No. 7 – Greg Buckner, 2004
No. 6 – Al Harrington, 2010
No. 5 – Dale Ellis, 1994
No. 4 – Earl Boykins, 2003
No. 3 – Chris Andersen, 2001
No. 2 – Andre Miller, 2003
No. 1 – Kenyon Martin, 2004