Denver Gazette beat writer Vinny Benedetto takes you around the NBA and inside the Nuggets locker room:
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Alpha Diallo’s long-awaited rookie season is going to start in the spotlight.
“Alpha’s not young, but he’s a rookie,” Nuggets coach David Adelman said after Monday’s practice at Ball Arena.
The 6-foot-7 wing was in the 2020 draft but went unselected after earning All-Big East honors twice in his career at Providence. The 29-year-old’s professional career started with a productive season with Greek club Lavrio. Then, Diallo headed to France and helped AS Monaco reach unprecedented heights, including a trip to the championship of the EuroLeague last year. This year, he was named the EuroLeague’s best defender before agreeing to a one-year contract with the Nuggets.
Diallo’s NBA career starts Thursday against Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and the Thunder in Oklahoma City.
“I’m excited. It’s new to be in this league, but I’ve played pro for a few years,” Diallo said.
“I go with my same approach and live with the results.”
The results, especially on defense, have been promising. He’s a physical one-on-one defender, but he hasn’t seen guys like Gilgeous-Alexander yet in his professional career.
“The talent level of our best players in the NBA, it brings a totally different idea team (defense) wise. I think in Europe, the responsibility is more about you guard your guy and you get through screens and you maintain what you’re doing,” Adelman said. “Over here, you have to mix that with a lot of team concepts, but so far, Alpha’s been great. His attitude is great.”
That’s left Diallo firmly in the mix for a spot in the rotation. Adelman says the top six is clear with DeMar DeRozan joining the starters. Tyus Jones, Marvin Bagley III and a healthy Spencer Jones makes nine, leaving one, maybe two spots in the opening night rotation. Diallo admittedly has more to learn about Denver’s team defense and what goes into stopping some of the NBA’s elite scorers.
“I’ll just continue to be aggressive when I’m in the game, try to force guys to turn the ball over as best I can and help rebound,” Diallo said.
“I’m still figuring it out. I won’t say I have everything figured out, but that’s what our coaches are here for. They talk to me every day about what I can do to improve on different aspects. I’ve been listening and following.”
The elder rookie is a few days away from showing all he’s learned over the course of a long route to the NBA.
“You have to give people a lot of credit whenever they play to their strengths and they don’t try to go outside of that,” Adelman said. “You usually succeed, and that’s why he’s succeeding.”
Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, center, drives to the basket as Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic, left and guard Russell Westbrook defend in the second half Game 3 in the Western Conference semifinals May 9, 2025, in Denver. (The Associated Press)
What I’m Thinking
If the Thunder decide to use Alex Caruso to physically front Nikola Jokic in the season opener, Denver should use Diallo to do the same on Chet Holmgren.
Holmgren is far from the same offensive player Jokic is, but it’s it gives Adelman the opportunity to highlight the kind of defense Jokic is being subjected to by smaller players. Diallo can play largely without worrying about foul trouble.
If nothing else, it sends a strong message to the officials and the rest of the league early in the season.
What They’re Saying
Lu Dort is no longer in Oklahoma City, but the Thunder still have plenty of players capable of making life difficult for Jamal Murray and Denver’s other ball handlers. The Nuggets coach talked about how he might address that.
“Playing with Aaron is a lot different,” Adelman said. “If they choose to play Chet on Aaron Gordon, we feel like Aaron Gordon can orchestrate the offense. That’s something we didn’t have last year outside of 30 games. That helps Jamal Murray a lot.”
Rookie Bryce Hopkins is another guy who could make his NBA debut Thursday against the Thunder. He said the nerves haven’t hit just yet.
“I’m definitely anxious to get out there in OKC and just feel it, see the fans, see everything,” Hopkins said. “We have a pretty good team, and I know that the guys are going to be ready for it. We’ve been putting in a ton of work this offseason, so we’re ready for it.”
What I’m Following
The Nuggets and Julian Strawther failed to reach a contract extension before Monday’s deadline.
Dalton Knecht, a former standout at Prairie View High School, Northeastern Junior College, Northern Colorado and Tennessee, was waived by the Lakers Monday before rosters were finalized. The Lakers drafted the 25-year-old forward with the 17th pick of the 2024 draft.
Ben Simmons’ comeback will be significantly delayed. The Kings guard and former No. 1 overall pick tore his Achilles tendon and will undergo season-ending surgery, the team announced Sunday.
Charlotte’s Brandon Miller (five years, $209 million) and Oklahoma City’s Cason Wallace (five years, $139 million) were among the players who signed extensions on their rookie contracts recently.
Memphis’s Walter Clayton Jr., the 18th pick of the 2025 draft, and Dallas center Dwight Powell, who spent 12 years with the Mavericks, were among the other players waived before the start of the season.