Situated in an outrageously competitive Western Conference, the Denver Nuggets have recently become an after-thought in the National Basketball Association (NBA). This past season, the team finished 12th in their conference and 24th overall.
Multiple factors have caused the Nuggets to slip into their current status as a sub-par team. Two seasons ago, the Nuggets fired head coach George Karl despite his status of reigning coach of the year.
Karl had taken the Nuggets to nine straight playoff appearances, but only advanced past the first round once. With an up-tempo and fast break reliant scheme, the Nuggets were never built for post-season play, where defense and half-court offense efficiency are pivotal.
Consequentially, Nuggets’ management decided to hire Brian Shaw as their new head coach in 2013. A young coach, Shaw implemented a more defensive-oriented scheme. However, he was not given the right type of players, as the core of the Nuggets has essentially stayed the same over the past two years, revolving around players such as Ty Lawson, Kenneth Faried, Danilo Gallinari, JaVale McGee, Wilson Chandler, Aaron Afflalo and J.J. Hickson. Unable to adapt to a more slow-paced style of basketball, these players largely under-achieved during the past two seasons, leading the team to zero playoff appearances.
The mismatch in playing styles of players and coaches resulted in Shaw being fired last March. Interim coach Melvin Hunt provided some energy down the stretch, but was unable to solidify the team in their last few games. The selection of the next head coach will be a key process in the Nuggets’ future success.
Injuries have also played a large part in recent struggles, as Gallinari and McGee have missed most of the last two seasons. McGee was traded at the trade deadline, as was Afflalo. Wilson Chandler has one year left on his deal and is a prime trade candidate looking ahead to next year.
Kenneth Faried and Ty Lawson are the two major building blocks for the team, but both come with their own red flags in terms of superstar potential.
Lawson is an elite assist man, but sometimes struggles with his shot. Faried lacks defensive skills, and while his offense is improving, he relies on cleaning up rebounds for most of his value. Young guns Jusuf Nurkic, Will Barton and Gary Harris breathed some fresh air into the roster, but aren’t expected to be franchise players.
DU student and Nuggets fan Blaise Mariner gave his opinion of the team moving forward.
“[The Nuggets] are a small market team and should be structured like the San Antonio Spurs. In San Antonio, there isn’t one superstar, but multiple unselfish guys who care about winning more than individual performance,” Mariner said.
In a league dominated by superstars, the Nuggets have been trying to win with a team mentality ever since Carmelo Anthony was traded in 2011.
With Denver also not being a prime location for NBA free agents, the only way to secure another star would be via the draft, a risky and costly approach.
The Nuggets have several solid, if unspectacular, players who could fill roles on championship teams. Soon, they will need to make a monumental decision about getting aggressive about reshaping the roster versus attempting to reach the playoffs with an above average, but underachieving group.
