The Denver Nuggets spent the offseason trying to ease some of the burden on Jamal Murray as the team’s main ball-handler. Murray still handled that duty most of the time when he was on the floor, but Denver has clearly been looking for more ways to get other players involved in bringing the ball up and settling the offense. That plan may show up in a bigger way than expected when the Nuggets open against the Oklahoma City Thunder.
Head coach David Adelman said he is considering using Aaron Gordon as the facilitator if the Thunder put Chet Holmgren on him.
“If they choose to play Chet [Holmgren] on Aaron Gordon, we feel like Aaron Gordon can orchestrate the offense. Something we didn't have last year outside of 30 games. So that helps Jamal Murray a lot, you know, get him off the ball,” Adelman told the press who had gathered at Nuggets practice.
That would give Denver a different look right away. Gordon is best known for his finishing at the rim and his steadily improving three-point shot, not for running the offense. But Adelman appears convinced the matchup could create a usable point-forward role for him, and the Thunder’s defense will be the first test.
Gordon has also done plenty to make that idea more believable during the preseason. He led the Nuggets in scoring in exhibition play, averaging 14.8 points in 14.9 minutes per game.
That works out to 35.6 points per 36 minutes. He shot 62.5% from the field and hit 7 of 13 from three, looking sharp, explosive and healthy along the way.
If Denver does put Gordon in that conductor role, the spacing should be part of the plan. Christian Braun could settle into the dunker spot, while Cam Johnson moves around off the ball and hunts perimeter looks. Johnson shot 11-for-22 from three in the preseason, good for 50%.
And if the point-forward experiment doesn’t take off immediately, Gordon still has another way to hurt Oklahoma City. He can overpower Holmgren around the basket and finish easy chances inside. He did exactly that in their lone meeting last season, putting up 23 points and 10 rebounds after returning from his second long absence.
The Nuggets will learn quickly whether the idea works. Based on what Adelman said and what Gordon showed in the preseason, Denver believes it has a real option here.
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