The Mo Bamba Sweepstake

Mo Bamba came into the NBA with more notoriety than is usually afforded a sixth-overall pick, due to the efforts of Sheck Wes.  To help put that into perspective no other basketball player, not even Micheal Jordan, has ever had a hit song named after him.  So I figured, also considering his age, that Bamba came into the league under a type of pressure other players in the mid-lottery wouldn't have to immediately deal with.  But at least with a team like the Magic, he'd get an opportunity to represent.

And at first, it did kinda look like Mo may be bust.  Averaging like 5pts/5rpg, even for a developing big, isn't really that encouraging.  But since then, he's starting putting up above-average PF numbers.  So last season, Bamba achieved a respectable 11pts/8rpg.

But even back at the end of 2020-21 he started to show signs of progress, like you could see that your boy did have potential.  So it was also around that time that I first suggested that the Nuggets pursue a player like him.

Now this is the thing about playing for a team like Orlando.  If a player does exceptionally well, then the question becomes how would they perform on a team where they're no longer allowed to chuck.  But then if they perform poorly, especially the young ones, then it becomes a question of would they perform better on a quality team, because winning does matter, folks.  So when NBC recently reported for instance that sometimes Mo 'fades into the background', well, you can't really expect anyone to kill themselves for the Magic.

What that report is really about is the Magic being on the verge of basically dumping Bamba, since they have the no. 1 pick in the upcoming draft and will undoubtedly choose another big.  You're never supposed to just give up on a bigman, especially a young one showing progress.  But Orlando has never been one of the brighter braintrusts of the Association.  If it weren't for Shaq and Dwight Howard, who were both like no brainer no.1 picks, then it's like this team wouldn't even have a history.

Now the thing is that even if the NBA  has recently been devaluing bigs, some organizations are starting to re-realize what they're worth, and Bamba is on an expiring contract.  So if he averages 10/10 again next season or better, then he's in for a payday.  Meanwhile Denver, who I still feel should go after Mo, is already paying three dudes $30mil or more.

The unique thing about their situation though is that two of their big three - Jamal Murray and Michael Porter - can't even play.  Porter is someone who I believe, if circumstances were different, could one day be an MVP.  And Denver must be able see that also, to be paying so much money for a perennially-injured player.

Murray also is worth that salary when he's actually playing.  He almost became the next Steph or like the next Dame.  But like Porter, now his body is also on that 'fuk an NBA' shit.  And you can't get mad because, you know what I'm saying, niggas need their knees and ankles just as much as they need money.

CONCLUSION

But what about Jokic?  What about giving him what he needs during his MVP years?

Denver has never been garbage and has always been deep, going back like two decades now.  So it isn't like they have a bad roster, even when Murray and Porter aren't playing.  But Jokic ain't going anywhere with this lot.  They're a well-constructed team but not one compatible with his skillset and leadership.

What Jokic needs is someone like Mo Bamba, who also averaged nearly 2bpg.  Why?  Because believe it or not, even though he's MVP (twice), Nikola didn't receive nary a All-Defensive Team vote.  He needs someone to make up for his defensive deficiencies, since he's a center.  And on offense, he needs a partner he can throw lobs to and to clean up his misses.  Aaron Gordon had that potential, but it's probably time for him to move on.  And I do think that Jeff Green plays well with Jokic, though he doesn't really do much defensively.  But at some point, the Nuggets are going to have to learn that reality beats fantasy.  They need players who can produce as opposed to those who may produce.