If the Nuggets lose in the first round, it’s time to consider the unthinkable
Apr 10, 2023, 6:00 AM
The Nuggets are limping into the playoffs. Anyone who isn’t in total denial can see that fact.
Yes, Denver is the No. 1 seed in the West, something they’ve never been during the franchise’s NBA history. But that’s largely based on how they played during the first 60 games of the season. Since the All-Star break, the Nuggets are just 12-11.
That has the fan base feeling anxious. Normally a fatalistic group – which is understandable, based on the team’s tortured history – Nuggets Nation is rightfully worried as the NBA postseason begins.
Normally, a No. 1 seed wouldn’t be worried about the first round. But in Denver, there will be a lot of hand wringing going on this week, as the Nuggets try to avoid a tough matchup in their first series.
Namely, everyone wants to avoid the Lakers. Nobody in Denver wants any part of a LeBron James, Anthony Davis and the storied franchise that has derailed many Nuggets postseason dreams in the past.
A first-round exit would be a disaster. But it’s not outside the realm of possibility, considering the way Denver is playing of late.
If that happens, changes will be made. Stan and Josh Kroenke can’t possibly think that running it back with the same group would be a viable idea after that type of debacle.
Of course, the obvious thing to do would be to move on from Michael Malone. That’s changing one simple variable, which would help provide the answer to the problem. Before blowing up the roster, it would be prudent to see what the current group would do under a different head coach.
That said, the notion of moving on from the team’s stars would also be on the table. It would have to be.
Michael Porter Jr. and Jamal Murray are high-priced players with injury histories. They’ve never made an All-Star team. And there would be serious questions about their ability to win when it matters most.
But the list of trade candidates shouldn’t end there. Nobody would be untouchable if the Nuggets get beaten in the first round. Denver should listen to offers for everybody.
That includes Nikola Jokic.
Again, this is based on the hypothetical notion that the Nuggets lose in the first round. That’s the only thing that would put the nuclear option on the table. But another early playoff exit would make pushing the button a strong consideration.
If Denver loses in the first round, that will mean they’ve lost three straight postseason series. They’ll be somewhere between 1-12 and 4-12 during that stretch.
Jokic will have only won two out of six series outside of the bubble. He’ll have been bounced twice in the first round, twice in the second round and twice with homecourt advantage.
That would lead to plenty of questions about whether or not the Nuggets can ever win with their uber-talented big man. As good as he’s been in the regular season, where he’s established himself as the best player in franchise history, the playoff failings would be impossible to ignore.
It would also be difficult to think of what type of supporting cast Jokic would need in order to find postseason success. He’s currently surrounded by what general manager Calvin Booth has dubbed the best starting five in the NBA. Murray and MPJ are great talents. Aaron Gordon and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope certainly aren’t weak links.
If the two-time MVP can’t win with this group, who can he win with? And would the Nuggets ever be able to attract those players to the Mile High City?
Thus, maximizing Jokic’s value would be the smart play. And he’ll never garner more in return that he will this offseason.
He’s still under contract through the 2027-28 season, giving anyone who would acquire him five full seasons of service for the haul they’d have to give up. And he’s still playing at a high level, as the center was the favorite to win the MVP award for most of the season, which would’ve made him the first player to win three consecutive trophies since Larry Bird in the early 1980s.
He’d be an attractive addition to almost every team in the NBA. But the Nuggets would only part with him if they received an offer they couldn’t refuse.
For the sake of argument, it’s worth looking at hypotheticals. That helps to establish what it would take for Denver to seriously consider trading Jokic.
Would they take Giannis Antetokounmpo in a swap of former MVPs?
How about Joel Embiid? Or Jayson Tatum?
What about a trio of young stars? If the Thunder offered Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (24 years old and the league’s fourth-leading scorer), Josh Giddey (20, averaging 16.6 points, 7.9 rebounds and 6.2 assists) and Chet Holmgren (20 and last year’s No. 1 overall pick), would that be of interest?
Of course these options would be hard to turn down. The Nuggets would be irresponsible not to consider making these deals.
And that’s the point. No one is saying that Denver needs to panic and trade away their superstar. But if the right offer is on the table, they at least need to consider it.
Another first-round playoff exit would scream that the Nuggets need to go in a different direction. There’s an entire spectrum of options for pulling that off.
There’s the easy one, which is parting ways with Malone. There’s the semi-bumpy one, which is trading away Murray or MPJ. And there’s the grueling one, which is shipping Jokic away for a big-time return.
All should be on the table. All should be options.
That’s what’s at stake when the Nuggets return to the floor next weekend. That’s what could happen if they don’t get it done in the playoffs.
There are no more excuses. Everyone is healthy. It’s time to see if this group, coaches and players, is ready for primetime.
If they aren’t, Denver needs to find some people who are.
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