The Denver Nuggets Had The Perfect Off-season

After falling to the eventual champion Oklahoma City Thunder in seven games last playoffs, the Denver Nuggets decided to look in the mirror and revamp their squad. During this offseason they have made a bevy of moves that have strengthened their roster immensely, and will improve their chances at adding another NBA title to their resume.

Cameron Johnson

In July, the Denver Nuggets completed a trade with the Brooklyn Nets that made Cameron Johnson a Nugget in exchange for Michael Porter Jr, and draft considerations. With this move they finally addressed their need for more defense in their lineup, without losing value on the offensive end. Johnson’s skillset fits perfectly in Denver, more specifically next to Nikola Jokic.

Johnson is an elite three point shooter, and he shot 39 percent from three on seven attempts per game last season. Five out of his seven attempts were catch and shoots, which he shot 40 percent on. With the bulk of his three-point shooting coming off the catch, he is clearly a seamless fit offensively in Denver. Something that Johnson has in his game that Porter Jr did not is the ability and the willingness to move the ball. Throughout his career, Porter Jr has become known for his affinity toward shooting the ball at any chance he gets, sometimes taking ill-advised shots rather than swinging the ball around for a better look. In his career, Johnson has shown that he is a more than capable connective passer, who will not force the issue for his own scoring. Last season Porter Jr averaged 2.1 assists per game with an 8 percent assist percentage, while Johnson averaged 3.4 assists per game with an 18 percent assist percentage.

Johnson is also a much better defender than Porter Jr is, and his ability to guard guards and smaller wings is something that has been much needed in Denver for many years. Johnson’s footspeed, and overall defensive IQ allow him to slide with the smaller players and consistently be in the right spots on the perimeter. He will likely be Denver’s best perimeter defender, and increase their ceiling on defense.

Bruce Brown

This offseason, Denver decided to reunite with a member of their 2023 championship team in Bruce Brown. They signed him to a one-year deal and added a much needed bench piece in the process. Brown already has chemistry with most of the core members of this Nuggets team, and his skills off the bench is something Denver was missing last season. Brown’s ability to play off the ball and attack teams in between with his floater touch is like no other. Brown is also one of the best guard screeners in the league, which is how he is able to get into the paint consistently and get his push shots to fall. Another draw of Brown’s game. Bringing someone with Brown’s experience and understanding of the offensive scheme off the bench makes bench units run smoother and takes some pressure off of the starters. Brown’s overall effort on the floor also pops off the screen when you watch him, as he is a solid defender who is willing to guard all over the floor and guard players that are larger than him.

Tim Hardaway Jr.

With the addition of Tim Hardaway Jr, Denver is getting more scoring off the bench than they have had previously. Hardaway Jr averaged 11 points last season for Detroit while shooting 37 percent from three on 5.9 attempts per game. Hardaway can also put the ball on the floor and create for himself slightly. In Denver he will benefit heavily from Jokic’s playmaking, and he also has the skill to capitalize on the scoring opportunities that he will be presented with. His floor spacing will add immense value to whatever lineup that he is in.

Jonas Valanciunas

After some uncertainty about whether he would play for Denver or not this season, it now appears that Jonas Valanciunas will suit up for the Colorado squad. For too many years Denver has not had an adequate backup center on their team, which makes the non Jokic minutes even more dreadful than they need to be. With the Valanciunas trade, they have finally filled the hole at backup center, with a player who can do more than a traditional backup center. Last season Valanciunas averaged 10.4 points per game, and 7.7 rebounds per game. These averages are a step above DeAndre Jordan’s averages of 3.7 points and 5.1 rebounds per game. Valanciunas is a threat from the mid-range area as well as on the inside, this skillset will make life easier for Denver ball handlers such as Jamal Murray, who will no doubt be using plenty of Valanciunas screens this season. Valanciunas is just all around a more impactful player than Jordan is, and the difference will be apparent next season.

His touch on the inside combined with his ability to set bruising screens to free up ball handlers and be a reliable finishing option on the roll make him the best backup center Denver has had in years. With Jokic off the floor last season the Denver Nuggets net rating was -10.86, and their offensive rating fell from 127.48 to 103.50. It is natural for a team to be worse with their best player on the bench, but this much of a drop is excessive. This is not to suggest that Valanciunas will make it so that there is a zero percent drop off when Jokic is off the floor, but his play will definitely be an improvement on the backup centers that Denver has had in recent seasons.

Conclusion

With these moves that Denver has made, they have addressed all of their needs from last season. They finally added more defense and playmaking to the starting lineup, they addressed the backup center void, and they also added valuable rotation players who are experienced. Even with the holes that this roster had last year, they still took the eventual champions to seven games, so one can only imagine how this retooled roster will perform next season.