The Nuggets’ early-season problems keep stacking up, and the backup point guard spot has quickly become one of the biggest ones.
Denver has already been fighting ugly defense, shaky effort, and a home crowd that has turned restless enough to boo. Now the rotation behind Jamal Murray is drawing heat too, because Tyus Jones simply has not provided much through the first three games.
Jones has logged 9.3 minutes per game and produced just 1.3 points and 0.7 assists. He’s also sitting at a minus-21 off the bench. That’s a rough start for a player brought back this summer to help with ball control, especially since the Nuggets are not getting much on the defensive end from him either.
That has put the spotlight on Murray in a way Denver probably does not want. He is averaging 38.7 minutes per game, the highest mark in the league through three games, and with his injury history, that workload looks hard to maintain. If Murray ever has to miss time, the Nuggets would be looking at an even thinner situation behind him.
Denver has already been connected to Kevin Porter. Before Porter was waived by the Milwaukee Bucks and cleared waivers, Jake Fischer of The Stein Line reported that the Nuggets asked about a deal involving Zeke Nnaji, two future second-round picks, and a second-round pick swap. Milwaukee passed on that because of Nnaji’s $7.5 million player option next season.
Even with that move blocked, Marc Stein and Fischer reported that the Nuggets still could have interest in Porter, “depending on how things unfold.” Given how little Jones has offered so far, it is easy to see why Denver would keep looking.
Porter’s numbers with the Bucks last season make the case. In 38 games, 36 of them starts, he averaged 17.4 points, 7.4 assists, and 5.2 rebounds. He would give the second unit a real lift and allow Murray to get more rest.
The complication is financial. The Nuggets are still above the second-apron luxury tax threshold, which makes signing Porter far from simple. But with the way the non-Murray minutes have looked, Denver may need to decide that the cost is worth it.
At this point, the Nuggets need some kind of answer. Otherwise, they are asking Murray to carry too much for too long.
In Other News...
Nuggets Rotation Suddenly Gives David Adelman A Tough New Decision
With injuries piling up around the roster, David Adelman has been forced to keep reshaping the Nuggets rotation on the fly, and the latest version has at least given Denver some useful answers. The absences of Spencer Jones, Julian Strawther, Alpha Diallo and Cameron Johnson have opened the door for new combinations, and the coach has leaned into a lineup that asks for more energy, more length and more stability from players who have not always had defined roles.
One of the clearest beneficiaries has been rookie Trevon Brazile, whose defense and rebounding have helped steady recent minutes and give the Nuggets a different look early in games. The bench has become just as intriguing, too, with Marvin Bagley III and DeMar DeRozan both making a strong push for more responsibility after the win over New Orleans, leaving Adelman with a deeper rotation puzzle even as the injury situation keeps forcing his hand. [Read more 🡒]
Aaron Gordon Has Become A Real Nuggets Concern
Aaron Gordons importance to Denver has only grown as the Nuggets have tried to steady themselves through a rough stretch, and that is exactly why the current discussion around him has gotten louder. Bill Simmons raised the topic on his podcast, framing the Nuggets as a team that may be close to a panic point if Gordon is no longer able to provide the level of two-way impact they have come to expect from him alongside Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray.
The concern is not just about one quiet night or a temporary dip. Gordon has been dealing with recurring soft tissue leg issues, and for a player whose value comes from constant movement, physical defense and timely offense, that is a real worry for Denver. If he cannot stay on the floor and sustain the same kind of production, the Nuggets suddenly have a much thinner margin for error than they would like at this stage. [Read more 🡒]
Nuggets May Have Found The Defensive Answer Fans Have Been Waiting For
The Nuggets have already seen two very different versions of their defense against the Pelicans this season, and the latest meeting offered a much better sign for a team still trying to find reliable consistency on that end. Head coach David Adelman liked the way Denver moved from spot to spot, closed possessions with more urgency and got meaningful minutes from rookies Trevon Brazile and Bryce Hopkins in a win that looked far more connected than their first look at New Orleans.
For Denver, the bigger question is whether this was a one-night spike or the start of something sturdier. Adelman has been looking for sharper rotation work and more force in the way his group applies pressure, and the Nuggets will need those habits to stick if they want to turn occasional defensive flashes into something they can trust as the season moves on. [Read more 🡒]