The Denver Nuggets are looking to be one of the most stacked teams on paper entering into the 2022-23 NBA season
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The Denver Nuggets made some big reinforcements during the offseason. Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and Bruce Brown were the big players that made their way to the Mile High City during the summer. To add to the excitement, the team will also welcome the return of their two stars, Jamal Murray and Michael Porter Jr. While Murray has been out since the 2021 NBA Playoffs, Michael Porter Jr. missed the entirety of last season due to a back injury.
With both of them back, analysts believe that the Denver Nuggets could be a big problem for the other teams in the West. Last season even without their primary stars, the team were able to grab 48 wins and finish sixth in the West. Nikola Jokic put up historic numbers and clinched the MVP trophy for his efforts in leading the Nuggets to a playoff spot. However, now that he has the star support of Murray and Porter, the Serbian will have a little more freedom to play his natural game and help the franchise. In today’s article, we take a deeper look at the roster of the Denver Nuggets and point out the star players to watch out for in their team.
Nikola Jokic created history last season by becoming the only player drafted in the second round to win consecutive MVP awards. His brilliance helped the Denver Nuggets stay competitive and grab a playoff spot. Although Joel Embiid was also actively present in the race, Jokic got the upper hand as without him it would be highly unlikely that the Nuggets would have made the playoffs last season. Along with his ability in the paint, the big man pulled off some magic passes to his teammates. He also improved on the defensive end and all of that contributed to the team’s regular season success. If the Serbian is able to continue maintaining a similar level of brilliance this season, the Nuggets are definitely going to be a leading contender to win it all.
An ACL injury kept Jamal Murray out for the whole of the 2021-22 NBA season. There were a lot of doubts about how the Denver Nuggets were going to survive without their point guard. But Jokic’s brilliance helped them skip through that. Although things worked well during the regular season, when things got to the playoffs, it seemed like Nikola Jokic was the only player firing on the offensive end for the team. However, now with Jamal Murray back, a lot of things will seem to run a lot more fluidly for the Denver Nuggets. Not only is the young guard a certified scorer, but Murray is also a willing passer. No doubt he will take some time to get back to being at his best, but once he gets going, the Nuggets are going to be a fun team to watch.
Michael Porter Jr. is one of the best young two-way players in the league. The Denver Nuggets exactly knew what he brings to the court and that is one of the many reasons that they offered him a five-year max rookie extension. However, he has since not been able to perform as he was out last season with a back injury. Going into the 2022-23 NBA season, a lot of pressure is going to be on MPJ, as he is one of their star players. With Murray and Jokic taking care of the offense, there is not much he needs to do there, but the defensive end is where Porter will have to bring in his A game. If he is able to do that, the Denver Nuggets will be able to make a deep playoff run in the upcoming season.
Aaron Gordon has been thriving ever since he made the move to Denver in 2021. His ability to contribute on the offense and defense has helped the Nuggets massively. With all the firepower that the team have, Gordon’s role with the franchise remains the same. He needs to be an anchor on the defensive end and provide the necessary help on the offensive end when needed.
Kentavious Caldwell- Pope was a major part in the LA Lakers’ championship run in 2020. The 29-year-old is an ace shooter and also can give a hard time to the opposition team’s best offensive player. Coming in with championship experience, he can certainly provide the other players on the team with motivation to get better as the going gets tough. The Denver Nuggets have a loaded team and whether or not he finds a starting spot is still in question. However, KCP will be impactful for them even if he comes off the bench. Even if he is able to contribute 10-12 points on a nightly basis, the Nuggets would be more than happy. KCP has been doing that for his entire career. If he succeeds in doing that this season as well, they are going to be a dangerous side to face.
