What did Josh Kroenke, Ben Tenzer, Jon Wallace and Nikola Jokić learn while watching the NBA Finals?
Hopefully, they saw that being big, strong and physical is the best way for the Denver Nuggets to get back to that hallowed place. And that they need more, not less, if they’re going to get back to being a contender in the NBA’s Western Conference.
For starters, while the rest of the league was fawning over Victor Wembanyama and his fellow kids on the San Antonio Spurs, the New York Knicks decided to get physical with the future ‘face of the league.’ Mitchell Robinson (a free agent, BTW) isn’t a very good offensive player, but the bruising seven-footer did a heck of a job defending (aka pushing around) the 7’5” Wemby in the Knicks’ five-game series win.
Was anyone at Ball Arena taking notes?
While the Knicks are said to be making re-signing Robinson a priority, there are other seven footers out there who can potentially help Denver go against Wemby, the Chet Holmgren-Isiah Hartenstein combo in Oklahoma City, and the trio of bigs Minnesota throws at the Nuggets.
As currently constructed, and with Jonas Valančiūnas unlikely to return to the Mile High, the Nuggets don’t have the answers underneath.
Jokić isn’t getting any younger, so asking him to suddenly get better at being a rim protector is pointless. Joker is an offensive machine, but for the Nuggets to return to the promised land, he needs big-time help at the other end.
Some help would come from a fully healthy Aaron Gordon, of course, but depending on a full season of full-time, vintage ‘AG’ is also sort of pointless, right?
While Nuggets Nation gets wrapped up in what may or may not happen with Peyton Watson, the bigger need is in the front court. Are they listening down there at Ball Arena?
The contract status of Finals MVP Jalen Brunson became an important point, as well. Brunson reportedly took a significantly reduced contract from the Knicks two years ago that allowed the team the financial flexibility needed to build a championship roster.
By contrast, the Nuggets were giving Joker a max deal back then, and are preparing to do so again this summer.
Has Jokić earned a new supermax deal from the Nuggets? Absolutely. His resume speaks for itself. But do the Nuggets’ brass have the onions to at least check and see if their best player would be willing to take a little less, like Brunson did – or perhaps spread out some money via deferred compensation – in order to help his current team navigate the increasingly hostile NBA salary cap?
It’s been done in other leagues with other superstars before. Tom Brady. Patrick Mahomes. Now Brunson. It could work. They have to at least ask.
If they give Joker the full $280 million supermax deal, he will take up $70 million of cap space for the next four seasons. He’d become the highest paid player in NBA history, and the Nuggets would be forced to part with a key player, or perhaps two, before next season.
Team Joker would be thrilled. But it’s hard to imagine the Nuggets being a better team in that scenario.
Kroenke is reportedly considering “running it back” next season – which would include going over the second “apron” of the salary cap – in order to make another run at the Finals. If you have been watching this team for the past two seasons, you’re well aware that’s a flawed approach.
Significant changes are needed for the Nuggets to become the championship team the Knicks have built. Hopefully those in charge at Ball Arena took note.
