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The 2020-21 NBA season saw another solid regular season from the Denver Nuggets. Nikola Jokic even won the NBA MVP award for his tremendous displays during the regular rounds. However, the team's run in the 2021 NBA Playoffs ended with a sweep at the hands of the Phoenix Suns in the second round.
Denver were simply overmatched in the second round, and it all started on April 12th, when guard Jamal Murray fell down with a knee injury. He proceeded to miss the rest of the season in what was a massive blow to the Nuggets.
3 Predictions for the Denver Nuggets' 2021 NBA off-season
Though Jokic, Michael Porter Jr. and company ended the regular season strongly and propelled the Denver Nuggets to the third seed of the Western Conference, the team did not have enough firepower in the postseason.
The Denver Nuggets took down Damian Lillard and the Portland Trail Blazers in the first round of the NBA Playoffs in six games. This was largely thanks to Jokic's prowess and solid role play from the rest of the crew.
But Michael Malone's Denver Nuggets simply did not have enough to at least equal the effort of the 2020 NBA Playoffs and reach the Western Finals.
Now, looking at the 2021-22 NBA season, the Denver Nuggets have some issues to fix in the off-season. It will be interesting to see the front office working around some of those problems.
Murray might miss the start of the upcoming NBA season, and that should also play a role in some of the decisions taken by the front office.
In this article, we will take a look at three things that the Denver Nuggets could do in the 2021 NBA off-season to try and stay relevant in the Western Conference.
Without further ado, let us start.
#3 Signing T.J. McConnell
The Denver Nuggets' backcourt definitely struggled without Jamal Murray. The Phoenix Suns' backcourt with Chris Paul and Devin Booker shredded them in the NBA Playoffs.
For the upcoming 2021-22 NBA season, the Denver Nuggets should look to make their backcourt stronger. Signing T.J. McConnell in free agency could be a nice way to start solving such issues.
McConnell is coming off a great year for him with the Indiana Pacers, averaging 8.6 points, 6.6 assists and 1.9 steals per game off the bench. He averaged 26 minutes per game for Indiana and could play well in a similar role for the Denver Nuggets, especially with Murray out.
Also Read: Who is Jamal Murray’s Girlfriend, Harper Hempel?
#2 The Denver Nuggets will bring Will Barton back
Will Barton faced a $14.7-million player option for the 2021-22 NBA season, but he has reportedly declined it and will enter unrestricted free agency. The Denver Nuggets should try to preserve the wing depth they had in the past season, and Barton is a big part of that. He only becomes more prominent when you consider the rumors around Michael Porter Jr.
Barton has played with the Denver Nuggets since the 2014-15 NBA season and has been a solid performer for the squad. Last season, Barton averaged 12.7 points per game after converting 42.6% of his field goals, a career-high 38.1% of his threes and 78.5% of his free throws.
The Denver Nuggets should bring the 30-year-old back, as he's been an essential part of the team's starting lineup over the last four seasons.
#1 Michael Porter Jr. could be traded away
Michael Porter Jr. emerged as the third-best player on the Denver Nuggets' roster for the 2020-21 NBA season. However, the sophomore might not be on the team's future plans, given the financial situation created by the developed talent the Nuggets' roster already has. Porter Jr. is eligible for a rookie-scale contract extension this offseason and it will be interesting to see what comes out of it.
Clearly, Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray have put pressure on the Denver Nuggets' financial situation due to their consistent displays of talent on the court. Both stars are commanding a high salary at the moment, and Jokic's salary is set to increase in 2022. Aaron Gordon is also owed around $18-million per year, which could force the Denver Nuggets to move on from the talented Porter.
Porter Jr. had an extraordinary sophomore season, averaging 19 points and seven rebounds per game with an immense 54/44/79 shooting split. Given the talent he possesses, it would be a bad move to trade Porter away.
But the former 14th pick of the 2018 NBA Draft entirely missed what would've been his real rookie year with a back injury. This will be a genuine concern for the Denver Nuggets' front office.
Moreover, given his talent and that he is just 23, Porter Jr. would definitely have a good number of teams interested in him on the trade market. The Denver Nuggets could receive a big package in return, thanks to Porter Jr.'s displays on the court for the past two years. This would in turn help them bolster their roster for the 2021-22 season.
Also Read: 5 free agents the Denver Nuggets should target in the 2021 NBA offseason
