After losing to the Charlotte Hornets in embarrassing fashion Wednesday night, one thing is clear about the Denver Nuggets: they need help.
With a 1-3 record, the 2017-18 campaign has been rocky so far for the Nuggets in all aspects between both coaches and players.
Denver’s prolific offense has been minimized to a dull, clunky showing. There is a noticeable lack of energy and leadership, making the Nuggets play on the court sluggish and lethargic.
The same problems from that kept Denver out of the playoffs last year have plagued them once again this season. Their inability to play a complete game and value the basketball are their core struggles.
As it stands, the Nuggets are averaging 18.8 turnovers per game, behind only the dismal Phoenix Suns for the most in the NBA. This is unacceptable for a team with playoff aspirations.
While Nikola Jokic and Paul Millsap have struggled to gel on the court, one of Denver’s more pressing issue is at the point guard position. The Nuggets opted to roll the dice with Jamal Murray and Emmanuel Mudiay as their primary point guards after deciding to part ways with veteran Jameer Nelson in order to sign forward Richard Jefferson.
Murray and Mudiay are both under the age of 22, making the Nuggets depth a point guard thin and young. That combo has struggled running the team in general, let alone at a high level. While Jokic may be the focal point of the team, it’s essential that Denver adds a point guard to help with their problems all across the board.
Eric Bledsoe and the Phoenix Suns are heading towards a breakup, and the Nuggets need to figure out a way to bring him to the Mile High City.
At 27 years old, Bledsoe is an ideal fit for the Nuggets. He has room to grow his game but has ample experience at playing the point guard position at the NBA level, specifically in the Western Conference. He’s making just $29.5-million-dollars over the next two seasons and would help fix Denver’s problems instantly.
First of all, he can put up points, scoring an average of 18.8 points per game in his five seasons with the Suns. Denver is averaging just 97.3 points per game, ranking 26th in the league. What is extremely troubling, however, is the Nuggets have only managed to score more than 100 points once in their first four games. This team is in need of a spark.
Bledsoe compliments Denver’s roster well. He plays a very consistent style of basketball that would fit in seamlessly with the Nuggets system. With Jokic and Millsap down low Bledsoe would have weapons to work with while also being able to create looks for himself due to the frontcourts presence.
Trading for a player like Bledsoe would give Denver a proven guard and would take pressure off of Jamal Murray to allow him to work on progressing his game for the future.
The Nuggets have been linked to Bledsoe, with Michael Scotto of Basketball Insiders reporting that the teams have been rumored to be in trade discussions invoving Emmanuel Mudiay and other pieces. Dealing Bledsoe for Mudiay and maybe Kenneth Faried would be ideal for the Nuggets as they could kill two birds with one stone.
Mudiay has been somewhat disappointing since entering the league, falling way short of the hype surrounding him when the Nuggets selected him with the 7th overall pick in the 2015 draft. His turnovers are an epidemic and his inability to shoot and finish around the rim is alarming. The fact of the matter is this may be the best chance the Nuggets have at moving on from Mudiay while salvaging something in return.
Faried on the other hand could have a role with this team if he’s willing to buy into it. One of the last relics from the golden age of Nuggets basketball under head coach George Karl, Faried has maintained his belief that he should be starting for the Nuggets. The coaching staff and the rest of the league for that matter view Faried as an energizer off the bench. In that role, Faried could be a difference-maker for Denver; however, with his reluctance to accept that role, it may be best to package him in a deal if one were to come to fruition.
All in all, there are clear-cut problem with the team, and they need to be addressed before things begin to crumble. It’s an 82 game season, but it’s essential that the Nuggets get a grasp on the season if they want even to consider making the playoffs this year.
Adding Bledsoe would be a big-time move for Denver. He would well-round the team and help stabilize play on the court. Also, he would be able to add a level of consistency, having increased his scoring average in every season since 2014.
Denver needs a spark, and with the Suns pinned in a tough situation with Bledsoe, the Nuggets need to get aggressive and pull the trigger on a deal to kick their season into gear and set themselves up for what is to come.
