Denver Gazette beat writer Vinny Benedetto takes you around the NBA and inside the Nuggets locker room:
NBA Insider
The Nuggets are down to one remaining roster spot after signing Summer League standout Curtis Jones to the team’s final two-way roster spot on Sunday.
The starting five looks set with Cam Johnson replacing Michael Porter Jr. in Denver’s starting lineup, while Bruce Brown, Tim Hardaway Jr., Peyton Watson and Jonas Valanciunas look likely to earn reserve roles. That doesn’t make occupying Denver’s final roster spot very appealing to those who are looking to play meaningful roles.
Here are the options that make the most sense when it comes to using the final standard roster spot:
Back-up guard
There’s still some uncertainty behind Jamal Murray. Jalen Pickett and Bruce Brown are Denver’s best options to back up Murray. Pickett played the best basketball of his short career in April but didn’t play many meaningful minutes in the postseason. Brown showed he could serve as a back-up point guard last time in Denver, but that was two injury-plagued seasons ago.
The best options left on the free agent market are Russell Westbrook and Malcolm Brogdon.
Back-up forward
Denver has plenty of depth and options on the wings, and it looks like the Nuggets addressed the back-up center position by trading for Jonas Valanciunas. Nikola Jokic and Valanciunas give the Nuggets a pair of bigs that can play every night, while DaRon Holmes II, Zeke Nnaji and Aaron Gordon could help behind Jokic on a given night. Gordon is the only reliable option at power forward. Despite a strong Summer League, Holmes is still a rookie coming off an Achilles injury, while Nnaji and Hunter Tyson are yet to prove they can contribute on an every-game basis.
Jonathan Kuminga is a restricted free agent, but he’s probably the best option on the board. Maybe Golden State is more willing to let him walk if Al Horford joins the Warriors.
Leave it open
If the Nuggets feel like they’ve got enough depth and versatility on the roster with 14 players under contract, the smart play could be leaving the 15th spot open. That would give the Nuggets the ability to address any issues that should arise over the course of the season whether due to injury or lack of production. Additionally, if the roster proves to be shallower than expected, the Nuggets could use the open roster spot to make a two-for-one trade ahead of the deadline or add someone on the buyout market later in the season.
This looks like the most likely option for now.
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What I’m Thinking
Jonas Valanciunas deserves the benefit of doubt.
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The veteran center is a well-regarded professional with 13 years of NBA experience to his name. Mutual interest between Valanciunas and Greek club Panathinaikos seemed to rub some Nuggets fans the wrong way, but the Lithuanian addressed the issue via Lithuanian journalist Donatas Urbonas, of European outlet BasketNews.
“I want to clear the air about my playing situation next season now that Denver has made their decision to keep me. The idea of playing for Panathinaikos, closer to home, was very exciting to me, but that will have to wait,” Valanciunas said. “I am fully committed to honoring my contract with the Nuggets this season and will give it my all to compete for a championship.”
It’s been a challenging last few seasons for Valanciunas. After spending the first six seasons of his NBA career with the Raptors, the 33-year-old has played for the Grizzlies, Pelicans, Wizards and Kings. He’s been traded four times since 2021, including the move that sent him to Denver this summer.
If Valanciunas shows up in Denver and doesn’t put his best foot forward for his sixth NBA team, Nuggets fans can react accordingly.
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What They’re Saying
– Executive vice president of basketball operations Ben Tenzer opened last week’s press conference introducing Cam Johnson by thanking Michael Porter Jr.
“I just wanted to say thank you to Michael Porter, Jr, for the last seven years with his contributions to the organization,” Tenzer said. “We don’t win a championship without him, and we know he’s going to do great things in Brooklyn.”
– Cam Johnson told a story of being welcomed to the Nuggets by a group at breakfast in Phoenix, of all places, during his introductory press conference.
“I was at a breakfast spot just near my house, just casually chilling and this whole table, I’m talking 10 old people were like shaking like beside themselves. They were like ‘We’ve been Nuggets fans for so long. We live in Arizona, and we’re huge Nuggets fans.’ Like the ladies were almost crying and stuff. I’m like, ‘Oh, this is awesome,’ but it was pretty random. It was pretty soon after the trade, so the excitement around it has been really positive for me, and you know, just a chance at winning is something that I really relish and something that I’ll do everything in my power to contribute to.”
Cam Johnson eager to continue career with contending Denver Nuggets
What I’m Following
– After spending last season with the Nuggets on a two-way contract and playing for Charlotte in Summer League, big man PJ Hall agreed to spend next season with the Grizzlies on another two-way contract.
– The Hornets captured the Summer League title on Sunday afternoon. Rookie Kon Knueppel led Charlotte past Nique Clifford and the Kings, 83-78. Knueppel, the No. 4 pick in this year’s draft, was named Most Valuable Player of the championship game.
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– The Lakers waived Shake Milton and Jordan Goodwin in the last couple of days in order to make space to add Marcus Smart on the buyout market.