According to Mike Singer of the Denver Post, the Denver Nuggets are locking in Calvin Booth and the entire front office with contract extensions through the 2024-25 season.
News: #Nuggets GM Calvin Booth has reached a multiyear extension that will keep him in Denver, at least, through the 2024-'25 season, league sources told @denverpost.https://t.co/fRsjEml6A7
— Mike Singer (@msinger) October 2, 2022
The report was subsequently confirmed by Mile High Sports, including that the entire front office would receive extensions as well.
Michael Malone had some glowing comments on Media Day last week about Calvin Booth and the job he did in improving the roster this off-season:
“Through the draft, through free agency, through trades, I think Calvin has addressed, from our conversations, the importance to add players that can aid in [fixing our weaknesses], and it starts on the defensive end of the floor.”
– Michael Malone, Denver Nuggets head coach
After Tim Connelly departed for the Minnesota Timberwolves this offseason, there were some questions regarding Denver’s ability to finalize the roster around Nikola Jokić, Jamal Murray, and Michael Porter Jr., namely the ability to add impactful defensive players.
Calvin Booth put those fears to rest. Stepping in for Connelly as the lead decision maker, Booth prioritized size, athleticism, versatility, and defensive impact in just about every move he made. The Nuggets exchanged long term guards Monte Morris and Will Barton for wing Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and guard Ish Smith. The Nuggets also agreed to a contract extension with Caldwell-Pope to ensure he’s around for the next three seasons. Booth also helped get versatile guard/wing Bruce Brown to Denver, pairing him with Caldwell-Pope as two legitimately impactful perimeter defenders.
If Booth stopped at just Caldwell-Pope and Brown, he would get a passing grade for the off-season. He doubled down on wing defenders in the draft though, adding Christian Braun and Peyton Watson with late round first round picks. The Nuggets also selected French big man Ismael Kamagate in the second round, who they think very highly of as a versatile big man defender going forward.
The moves Booth made gave Nuggets ownership plenty of confidence in the direction of the team. The Nuggets are seen nationally as a contender due to their off-season moves, and the stability created gives the Nuggets multiple opportunities for the next few years to break out of the Western Conference for their first NBA Finals appearance in franchise history.
That’s why the Nuggets decided to lock in Booth, as well as many of the front office personnel around him. Tommy Balcetis, Denver’s new assistant GM is among the group. He has been with the organization since 2013 when Connelly first arrived in Denver. The Nuggets also added new members to the front office this offseason, from Drew Nicholas as their director of scouting and former NBA player Jared Jeffries as a regional college scout.
There’s a level of stability and continuity the Nuggets have looked to maintain. Changes and additions have been made, and there’s certainly a different feel to the organization after Connelly departed. Still, change can be good, and the Nuggets appear to be reaping the benefits of a strong group.
Time will tell whether the Nuggets’ personnel changes pay off, but Nuggets ownership appears comfortable with the direction of the team and has put pen to paper as a result.