Loyalty vs. Progress (The Denver Nuggets' Story)

According to Google, the Denver Nuggets are the only team currently set to enter next season within the 'dreaded second apron'.  But if you look at their roster, it's like oh sh*t, what are they spending that money on?

Under conventional logic, being the most-expensive team would mean the roster is replete with superstars or at least has a big three.  That's not the case with Denver.  Or let's say they may have been big, back when these contracts were signed.

NIKOLA JOKIC

I'm not about to engage in any Jokic bashing.  But let me say that just like virtually everyone else, you have to put him in the right kind of environment to succeed.

And that's one funny thing about the Nuggets' braintrust, even though they're relatively good.  It seems that it never dawned on them to actually build a team around Nikola.

That's the ultimate honor in a way, having a braintrust construct a roster around your skillset.  But now that I think about it, the two most blaring examples of that phenomenon which comes to mind - the Iverson Sixers and the Nash Suns, neither resulted in a championship.

AARON GORDON

Aaron Gordon is the perfect type of frontcourt running mate for Jokic, which may sound like a contradictory statement based on what I just said.  Don't forget that he was, at one time, an alpha.  And you have to give it up to Aaron for being able to go from a number one option to a role player.

Gordon's ability to play like a traditional big while at the same time not clogging the lane fits Nikola well.  But the problem is, oh sh*t, he's noticeably past his prime - in a league that, despite outlawing straight from high school, feels like it's getting younger.

Meanwhile, Jokic never had an intimidating athletic build to begin with.  And both, as partners within the current "parity" system, are being paid like kings.

MICHAEL PORTER JR.

Letting Michael Porter Jr. go, all things considered, may be the biggest mistake Denver made in relation to their current situation.  He was supposed to be the future of the team so to speak, not Christian Braun or Peyton Watson.

Back in his Nuggets' days, I criticized dude a lot for being too passive.  Now, what I'm starting to believe is that he was relegated to that disposition due to the structure of the roster (i.e. lacking seniority) and also health-related issues.

Porter Jr., at 6'10", is what we would conventionally define as a big, even if he plays like a wing.  He went from being a third or fourth option in Denver to averaging 24pts and 7assists in Brooklyn.  If the pitiful Nets had won a respectable amount of games, he would have likely been an allstar.

I predicted his potential way back in the day, which is one of the reasons I was pissed he wasn't trying harder.  But I mean, the Nuggets knew what time it was also.  Remember how highly regarded he was, despite being a 14th pick.

CHRISTIAN BRAUN

Christian Braun is now the scapegoat, which is kinda poetic, considering how Denver rationalized clearly prioritizing him over Westbrook.

I'm not a Braun basher and can somehow see why the Nuggets believed in him, to the tune of about $25mil/season(!).  They thought he had more potential than has thus far been displayed, which may be true if he didn't get injured (though I kinda doubt it).

Also, he's entertaining to watch.  That's true for all white players who are respectable wings, maybe just because they look different.  But also, in the case of Christian, he can like dunk and shit.

Let's not forget that he was also, even as a rookie, a notable part of that Nuggets' rotation who won a championship.  And that brings me to the heart of this post.  I do believe Denver may be one of those franchises that really values loyalty or continuity, to the tune of overpaying dudes they're committed to.  And I mean, you can appreciate why a braintrust would feel that way after winning a championship and especially with a roster consisting largely of homegrown talent.

JAMAL MURRAY

For example, let's not forget that Murray has been running with Jokic since day one.  If Jamal was in the East, he'd probably be a perennial allstar.  He's like a poor man's Steph, so to speak.

But I mean, so what?  It ain't exactly like dudes are Steph + Draymond, you know, having won four championships and shit.  I appreciate that even winning one is hard enough.  But it shouldn't be that the nostalgia persists into perpetuity.

THE DUBS' MODEL

We see this same type of loyalty, arguably, with the Warriors.  Yes, they let Klay walk in a less-than-ideal fashion.  But \they also behave questionably when it comes to appreciating youth.

When it comes to NBA executives, a lot of times we see younger, attractive dudes front and center.  But I do believe many of these organizations are run by old dawgs.  And the point being made is that, changing one's way of thinking isn't easy.  Some decisionmakers may still be stuck on the 20th century model.

And it's all good.  Again, winning a championship is a rarity.  So the next best option is to at least keep yourself in the game.  You know, like the 1990s' Jazz.  Malone + Stockton never won a championship, and so what?  At least you can't look back and say the team wasn't garbage.  The most you can ask for really is a fighting chance.

CONCLUSION

All of that is a euphemistic way of saying that unless the Nuggets do land DeRozan or possibly Kuminga, it's really hard to get excited about their upcoming season. And the moral of the story is that you shouldn't pay top dollar for a roster that was a contender three years ago.  But maybe the braintrust didn't foresee the powers-that-be's decision to raise taxes or probably didn't even care.  So all things considered, I mean yeah, they remain the most expensive roster despite losing a coveted player, one that fit well into their rigidly-set system.  Ultimately, you can't knock an organization for showing love to some of its most storied employees.

Continued Indecisionism, and other Musings

BEAL CHOOSES A HOME

Rather, this subtitle should be something like 'Beal Stays Home', as he opted to remain with the Clippers.  And that brings me to something I want to say about this organization.  In 30+ years of following the NBA, I can't remember LAC ever being contenders.  During the Lob City era, maybe I was out of touch or something, but I just never saw them like that.  Must watch, yes.  But contenders, not really, even though now looking back, they really did have a formidable, balanced roster.

But one thing you have to respect is, when have you ever heard of the Clippers tanking?  Even if Kawhi leaves, the way their roster is constructed, it's obvious that they intend to compete and are not undergoing a rebuild.  Indeed, I can't recall LAC ever intentionally going through a rebuild either.

It doesn't look like the Clippers will be as deep as they were last season.  But in a roundabout way that may be good thing, as now expectations will be even lower.

That said, Beal, if healthy, isn't a slouch.  What's rather been established these past couple of seasons is that he isn't a superstar either.  And that's a good thing, because again, it isn't ideal to have unrealistic expectations.  If LAC overachieves, I mean no one can see the future.  But if not, don't try to fit a square peg into a round hole type shit.

Also, I must say once again - the Raptors will likely be contenders with Kawhi, which you gotta respect, but the Clippers would be better served retaining his services also.  Will Leonard sticking around, even if healthy, suddenly make them contenders?  No, not likely.  But even though this braintrust may not have a loser mentality, it's also obvious - after the failed, multi-year superteam experiment - that they've taken their foot off the gas a bit.  But I mean, yeah.  That's how good Kawhi is.  And even more than the Raptors, I'd love to see him go back to the Spurs.

THE KUMINGA SAGA DRAGS ON

I saw some headline on the Kuminga saga today but didn't even bother to read the article.  His situation doesn't have that same type of intensity as the Lebron indecision drama.  Also, it doesn't appear so much that Jonathan is undecided as it is him feeling undervalued or whatever.  But what I'm imagining is something like the Cavs underpaying the Beard and using the extra dough to pick up Kuminga on a respectable contract.

That said, earlier today I was watching some clips of that amazing first game he had upon being traded to the Hawks last season (who did Golden State get in return anyway?).  But by the time all was said and done, i.e. ATL getting their asses trounced in the playoffs, like Kuminga wasn't even part of the rotation.  Meanwhile, he was like the biggest dude on the roster, and they obviously needed some size against NYK.  But again, he was relegated to the end of the bench or in any event was akin to a nonfactor.

So I mean yeah, it's understandable why teams, all thing considered, aren't in a rush to pay him the $20mil or whatever he's demanding.  But that said, it's kinda similar to the Beal situation.  Sometimes, you can only truly tell how much potential a player has by placing him in diverse situations.  And what's been established is that Steve Kerr and co. did a good job developing Kuminga into a multi-faceted player.  Dude seemingly came into the league raw, albeith athletic AF, but now he can dribble, shoot and all that sh*t.  However, that doesn't mean you actually want him playing point or being ball dominant, which makes a team like Cleveland most ideal.

WHAT'S GOING ON WITH DEROZAN?

In terms of consistency, predictability and accomplishments, I would argue that DeRozan is preferable to both Beal and Kuminga.  So it feels kinda odd that certain teams, like the Heat for instance, don't appear to be making more of an effort to acquire him.  I would imagine that virtually any team in the league could use a 'midrange assassin'.  What about the Pistons?  It all just feels kinda weird, like DeMar has fallen out of grace, though it's hard to imagine why.  Maybe appearing in too many rap videos and shit like that?

And speaking of Detroit, might as well make peace with Duren already.  Whether or not he's worthy of a max, I mean how many guys on max contracts can really and truly will their teams to (postseason) wins to begin with?  And the more important question - who TF wants to play for the Pistons anyway?

Let's say Jalen doesn't sign an extension and leaves next offseason.  Whether he proves to be a true superstar or not, who are they gonna get to replace him?  What free agent of his caliber would sign with Detroit and furthermore for the non-max money they're asking him to take?  Maybe this braintrust knows something I don't.

THE CELTICS CONFIRMED WHAT I'VE BEEN SAYING (AND IMPLYING?) ALL ALONG

Reading in between the lines of the statement the Celtics just released, they indirectly verified what I've been saying all along, that they actually prefer Tatum over Brown.  Again, I don't know what's actually going on behind the scenes, but I'd be compelled to believe that colorism is a factor.  That is to say that it's really hard to make sense of this decision from a purely basketball standpoint.

You have two supermax players who together are going to consume 70% of the payroll, and meanwhile, there's 13 other dudes to pay.  Okay, one of them has to go.  So which one do you get rid of?  Do you trade the one that previously won Finals MVP, unexpectedly was in the regular season MVP race just last season, has proven he can perform without the other and is also sturdier?  Or do you choose the one who, as formidable as he may be, is coming off a major injury and has never proven the ability to perform alone, so to speak.

So if it isn't colorism, then the organization must genuinely like Jayson better as a person, or maybe they even flatout dislike Jaylen, because otherwise, again, it's hard to make logical sense out of their argument.  And that said, no, I don't believe Tatum can lead this team, even with its revamped roster, to overachieve the way Brown did.  And if his health fails again, this decisiion is gonna get ugly real quick.

"The ScapeGOAT" Finally Calling It Quits

First off, let me say that in my last post, when I suggested that Russell Westbrook should, all things considering, maybe retire, I didn't know at the time that he had an offer, albeit a minimum one, on the table via the Wizards(?).  If I had known that, my tone would have been a bit different, under the belief that he could actually help a team like Washington.

I believe, if AD sticks around and is committed, that the Wizards are going to be a lot better next season than a lot of people anticipate, perhaps even one of the best teams in the East.  Everyone is talking about how wonderful Philly's braintrust is for landing Lebron and Brown.  Meanwhile, since February, Washington has acquired Davis, Young and Dybantsa, who appears to be a true #1 pick (besides acquiring Ayton and retaining Middleton).  When you look at this roster honestly, they're one of the deepest in the league.  And just as an interesting side note, that's now two consecutive #1 picks that the powers-that-be have paired with AD.

Besides the aforementioned vets (all of whom have name recognition) and Dybantsa, the roster is fleshed out by these other young, promising dudes, most notably Alex Sarr.  Usually, I don't think it's good for young players to get accustomed to losing.  But now it's like those losses from last season may have hardened them towards a brighter future, because for what it's worth, dudes were competing even while getting their asses bust.

The one person I am sorta worried about in this equation is Young and how his erratic style doesn't always translate to team basketball.  But remember that him and Collins, dudes were out there looking like Kidd + Martin for a time, like Trae knows how to throw lobs.  And now, he has more lob options than ever.  So here's to hoping, presuming he is the starting PG, that he doesn't chuck.

And yes, I can see Westbrook having fit into it all, even with his own unpredictable style.  Besides being a veteran whose resume demands respect, let's be honest.  Stat wise, even at 38 years old, Russ is better than 90% of the players in the NBA.  He may not be efficient, but when it comes to raw, all-around basketball skills, he's better or at least more versatile than any other vet on this team.  His field goal percentage may, relatively speaking, suck, but in 30 minutes, primarily off the bench if I remember correctly, he averaged 15pts, 7 assists and 5 rebounds last season.  Those are like Lebron-esque numbers.

LONGETIVITY IN THE 21ST CENTURY

That said, I can understand why he'd be compelled to call it quits, because if you are on the best players on a team, then conventional logic doesn't dictate you should be paid less than everyone else, even newjacks.  Also, damn, dude has played for 18 whole seasons.  Time sure does fly.

Players of today, at least to me, it seems like they're lasting longer.  Jordan played 15 seasons over 19 years, amidst a couple of retirements in between.  His HoF sidekick, Scottie Pippen, played for 17 years (straight).  It was rare back then for players to truly strive for 20.  Generally speaking, NBAers who were good or accomplished enough not to be forced into retirement only lasted for about 15 seasons.

But look at what's happening now.  Lebron is on the verge of potentially playing for a quarter century.  Westbrook, as established, nearing 40 years old, is one of the best individual players in the NBA.  He may not be the most intelligent so to speak, but I'd bet on him one-on-one against any other player in his height class.

PJ Tucker lasted for 20 years, even tho it wasn't all entirely in the NBA. Vinsanity did 22.  CP3 recently did 21 before being forced out of the game.  Meanwhile, Durant and Harden have thus far played 18 and 17 respectively, with no signs that either will be retiring soon.

Kobe also did 20, but his was a bit different, sorta like holdover from the 20th century.  Like Jordan, the team Bryant was on in his twilight wasn't expected to win shit, and he was only really there to sell tickets (besides presumably make money for himself).  That was how star retirements used to go.  Nearer to the end, you usually played for fame or money, regardless of how large or small it may be, but rarely a key role on a contender.

Meanwhile, look at the cats mentioned in that previous paragraph.  All of them, except for Vince, competed to the very end.  Dudes are no longer signing just to collect paychecks.  Now they want to contribute to a championship, even into their 40s.

So yes, all things considered I would have loved to see Westbrook on this Wizards' team, and I'm glad they at least showed him some respect, you know, being the only person who ever averaged a triple-double for that organization.  But you know, it's not really about Washington.  If anything, he should have stayed with the Nuggets.  And if you remember, at the time I was even questioning how they could prioritize Christian Braun(!) ahead of him.

"THE SCAPEGOAT"

On that note, I have to believe that behind the scenes, Russ is genuinely difficult to deal with.  I mean, there's no other way to rationalize how organizations have come to treat him.

Recently, some documentary about him came out called Passion Play (2021).  It was themed around that very idea, that Westbrook is this really good player though one who's like hardheaded or some shit.  I can't remember the specifics of the presentation, but I do recall walking away sympathizing with Russ instead of hating him.  In fact, if I remember correctly, it even concluded with Magic Johnson publicly apologizing for having previously criticized Russ.

But those sentiments never completely went away, and this is what I mean by behind the scenes, because I have to speculate that Westbrook did something(s) that really like pissed insiders off, though I can't quite imagine what that would be, besides his overall cockiness.  It's not like, say, DeMarcus Cousins, who publicly threatened some old white dude.

CONCLUSION

Conclusively, I have to agree with Jay-Z that it's better to "gracefully bow out" than to be forced out of the game.  That's especially true if you're in a field without a definitive retirement timeline and even moreso if you're on the greatest at what you do.

You see what happened to CP3, after a storied career, how that last episode stained his legacy.  Meanwhile, Russ has won MVP, the rarest of all NBA accolades, even rarer than making it into the HoF.  So yeah, if he'd rather retire than play for on a vet min for the Wizards or Kings, then so be it.  But all of that said, let this be a lesson to everyone.  There is a such thing as being too good, as an individual player, for the NBA.

I never really thought much about KD leaving OKC, but now, in hindsight, I understand why Westbrook was so pissed off.  He was intentionally drafted to be Durant's sidekick, and as such, Kevin may have been the only person he really had that big brother type of respect for.  The two of them together may have eventually won a championship.  But now we see that the ScapeGOAT couldn't truly humble himself to anyone else.