What Denver Nuggets can learn from Indiana and OKC
On the latest episode of Pickaxe and Roll, Ryan Blackburn breaks down how the Oklahoma City Thunder and Indiana Pacers made the NBA Finals and what the Denver Nuggets can learn from them.
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9 Comments
No team is copying what the Thunder and Pacers are doing/have done. Both teams were set up through lucky trades revolved around Paul George that ended up working out in their favor and are years and years in the making.
If they can learn anything, start by moving off of Murray. Maybe he could be that Paul George style lucky trade piece. Murray surely has most trade value on the team and seeing all these far fetched MPJ trades is getting old. Why would these teams with younger and better wings like TM3 and Cam Johnson, want to move off them for a more expensive less dimensional player?
When you have bad contracts, and no assets, you can only trade for disfunctional players or other bad contracts.. that Always happens: Simmons for Harden, Westbrook for CP3, Westbrook for the Washington achille's guy.. you had the Lavine chance and you passed.. you still have 2 bad contracts.. you have to find now another chance and you wont find another Better than that..
Fans are being too loyal with Murray because he helped bring Denver their 1st ever Championship. A lot of fans also can’t seem to accept that he’s been part of the problem ever since. I watch every single game. Murray is clearly half a step slower than most rest if gaurd play throughout the league. He hasn’t provided the production or value of a max player on a contender. He’s been #3 level a good $20million overpaid. MPJ has actually provided better production overall for a #3-#5 player as the best floor spacing 3 pt shooter on the team. Both contracts suck. Murray’s is actually worse given what he SHOULD be in that Robin role to the best player on the planet. That’s why I say trade Murray RIGHT NOW! He surely has to still have some trade value…it’s only going to diminish. The only way Murray is saved and his $208 million contract will be accepted is if they somehow pull off a trade for Durant level player, while still keeping Murray and the starting core. Can’t add Braun to package just to get a Durant. That’s a major piece that would be missing. Is the league gifting us a Luka type trade?
Move away from Jamal and mpj!
In regards to your point about hustle. I think that this is one of the was the change to DA from Malone might be very helpful. Hustle and being too tentative don't go together. Players under Malone, especially young ones, were terrified to make a mistake and get the hook which isn't conducive to hustle.
Honestly, I tire of the trade debate. We dont really have the assets atm, get over it. Its my belief the reshuffle answer is right in front of our noses. We need a plus defender in place of MPJ in the starting lineup, and we need bench scoring. Fine, so install Watson as a named starter and let him play and develop along side the starters…the guys best equipped to do it. Put MPJ on the bench and let him play less minutes and against second unit guys, where he will bring his considerable scoring skill with Russ or Jalen along with Julian and Holmes. MPJ would have to work on getting his own shots and wouldn't be nearly as reliant on being fed at a spot.
Denver starters are #1 in scoring in the league, and bench is maybe the worst. So shuffle the units a bit and bring a plus defender to improve starting defense and bringing a plus shooter to the 2nd unit.
If even one develops, its a net win. If both do, its perfect. If neither do, you know for certain you need to make a move and will likely be in a better position to do so at thst point versus making a potentially disastrous move breaking up the team needlessly.
Watson can shoot the corner 3, can attack close outs, rebound, do some ball handling and shot creation, can pass….just needs to develop but what he already is changes the starting unit in very interesting ways. Now you have forwards thst can both slide out or catch the lobs, crash, and have 3 solid on ball defenders, taking some pressure off of Murray if needed.
Its a winning move. I hope the Nuggets see it.
With the benefit of hindsight, what OKC got with the Paul George trade would be like the Nuggets trading Murray to the Mavs this summer for Cooper Flagg, a couple role players, and 5 future first round picks. Call Nico and see if he's interested!
Denver fans have had unwarranted loyalty to MPJ and Murray for years. This finals shows importance of athletic hustle players around offensive creator. Waited multple years for Murray and MPJ to play hard and smart- not holding my breath.