As news broke over the weekend about the Nuggets picking up Paul Millsap's $30 million team option for 2019, I began to wonder if the worst move for the Nuggets this offseason wasn't Tim Connelly's rejection of the Wizard's overtures to be their next GM. Connelly seems to be proving more and more that he is not the man for the job to make the Nuggets a championship contender. After watching the Nuggets' bench implode in the second-round series against Portland, Connelly's plan for making the Nuggets take the next step seems to be simply to let the team mature. Ask fans of the Sacramento Kings or Indiana Pacers how well that plan works.

In an offseason full of drama from impending moves in free agency, Connelly seem to be content to watch from the sidelines. Which his where the Nuggets will be next June after losing to the likes of L.A. or Utah in the playoffs. Examining this roster with a critical eye, any basketball aficionado would conclude that it's not constructed to win big. Picking up Millsap's option was not the move the Nuggets needed to make. That move will keep the Nuggets from making the key moves they need to transform into a true contender. Instead, there are a few key changes that must be made to do so.

First, Jamal Murray needs to be moved to shooting guard and replaced with a competent ball handler and premier defender. Enter Patrick Beverly. Second, Gary Harris needs to be either moved off the roster or to the bench. He is not the 2-guard the Nuggets can rely on. Third, the Nuggets need to get rid of a few players to smooth over deflated egos which will inevitably result from cuts to playing time next season. Will Barton isn't going to like being replaced by MPJ. Juancho Hernan Gomez isn't going to like riding the pine. Again. Whoever gets benched in favor of Jarred Vanderbilt may not like it, either. Will Thomas Welch and Cancar demand roster spots this year? If so, this could make for a very crowded roster, with some players feeling they deserve to be playing ahead of others. This is a potential minefield for the Nuggets unless something is done to alleviate the log jam. Player discord and a fractured locker room may not be too far off. Finally, the Nuggets need to sign a player in free agency that is a real three point threat. Jokic needs someone to pass the ball to. Bojan Bogdonovich or JJ Redick would seem to fit the bill nicely. Until these moves like these get made, I fear it will be a repeat of last year.