Denver Stiffs - Denver Nuggets media day

Podcast: Nuggets Media Day

2016-09-26T17:23:59-06:00

This week's podcast is a breakdown of all noteworthy news and observations from today's Denver Nuggets media day.

In this week's episode of the Pickaxe Podcast, Zach Mikash and I break down our observations from the Nuggets Media Day. We go through every Nuggets player that we interviewed and shared specific takeaways and observations. Check it out and be sure to subscribe on iTunes HERE.

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Timestamps

3:00 - Big takeaways

7:30 - Malone's cryptic comments about the starting PF

12:15 - Potential D-league team? In...Omaha?

17:45 - Mutombo's jersey retirement

20:00 - No media availability for Nurkic or Faried

21:30 - Jameer is not a guidance counselor

25:15 - Juancho, not Juan

27:00 - Malik and Mike Miller

29:15 - Jamal Murray and the Three Amigos

31:15 - Jokic's deal with the media

34:00 - Gallo has never seen Juancho play

35:45 - The outgoing and social, Mudiay

38:00 - Gary Harris is fit

39:45 - Barton is going to sleep early

41:45 - Wilson is back!

44:15 - Darrell's injury might be serious?

47:00 - Storylines for week 1 of camp

CSG: Full audio of today's press conference

2016-09-26T17:18:03-06:00

Doug Pensinger/Getty Images

Full audio of today's media day press conference with general manager Tim Connelly, head coach Michael Malone, and team president Josh Kroenke.

Check out the full audio of the press conference from today's Denver Nuggets media day. Highlights include head coach Michael Malone talking about a potential open starting slot at power forward, Tim Connelly saying that the team may be zigging as the rest of the league is zagging, and of course, Josh Kroenke's revelation that the Nuggets will retire the jersey of Dikembe Mutombo.

Live at Media Day: Jamal Murray

2016-09-26T14:13:44-06:00

Jamal Murray is the latest Denver Nugget the Stiffs caught up with at media day. He had comments on what he did in the offseason, whether or not there's any noticeable difference on stepping back to the NBA three point line, who he's reached out to for advice and more. Murray will be a big area of interest for Nuggets fans as his position in the rotation and minutes share is still an unknown.

In fact, when asked about whether or not he'll get any burn at the point guard positionMurray said he wasn't sure because after all, the team hasn't even practiced. Among other things he discussed were what he's been doing in Denver and how he's acclimating himself to the city as well as how excited he is to be making his first trip to Nebraska for camp and Calgary to open the preseason. Perhaps the most encouraging thing Jamal said was that he doesn't need the ball in his hands to be effective which goes hand in hand with playing alongside Emmanuel Mudiay. Check out the full video below for Murray's entire Media Day interview.

Gallo was on fire at media day

2016-09-26T14:09:12-06:00

Gallo was on fire chatting with the media today at media day. Check out the full interview.

Danilo Gallinari was on fire at media day. He alternated between providing insights and providing jokes. Among the many interesting notes:

On Wilson Chandler

If you think about it, we've been together for eight years now, but we didn't play that many minutes together. So I told him, we need to stay healthy.

He's very similar to me. He can play the 3 or the 4, stretch the floor, and play different positions on offense and defense so it's going to be interesting playing me and him together.

On Juancho Hernangomez

I haven't seen him play so I have no idea what kind of player he is.

So...I take it Gallo did not watch summer league. Lol!

On going to Omaha, Nebraska for training camp

I've never been there. Somebody is telling me that there aren't a lot of exciting things to do there. But, I've never been there so I am always excited to go to new places.

Gotta love his optimism about going to Nebraska.

On the city of Denver and being with the Nuggets for so long.

On first I was renting and now I bought a place.

Watch the whole video. Gallo is a great interview and has an interesting answer about how "lucky" the young guys are to have such great vets as role models.

Malik Beasley is liiiiiiivvvvveeeee!!!!!

2016-09-26T13:43:26-06:00

Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports

Facebook Live meet Malik Beasley

The Denver Nuggets media team gave Malik Beasley a phone, Facebook Live, and told him to go crazy. He did. Beasley is an awesome personality. I knew he'd be a fun guy at the introductory press conference last July when he and his awesome family took over the room, chatting up everybody. In the video below, you get a glimpse of his smile and personality. Check it out.

Media Day Live! With Emmanuel Mudiay

2016-09-26T13:31:47-06:00

Doug Pensinger/Getty Images

The Nuggets franchise point guard spoke at media day prior to the launch of his second NBA season.

Emmanuel Mudiay patiently answered questions at media day today, fielding questions regarding his role as the leader of the team and a whole slew of other topics.

Mudiay had an up-and-down rookie season, but enters his second season with a more firm understanding of what the NBA is like and what he'll need to do to help the Nuggets win more games this season.

Mudiay comments on his responsibility to speak up, how it's fun to be playing with more players that are close to his age, the Olympics, and how he is the Nuggets alpha player.

Watch his interview below, or watch the video on the Denver Stiffs Facebook page.

Nuggets to retire Dikembe Mutombo's jersey

2016-09-26T13:07:44-06:00

NBA New Zealand

The Denver Nuggets will retire Dikembe Mutombo's jersey at the home opener October 29

It's happening - Dikembe Mutombo will forever be enshrined in Denver Nuggets lore after team president Josh Kroenke announced Tuesday that the team will be officially retiring his number. The ceremony will take place at halftime on opening night at the Pepsi Center when the Nuggets take on the Portland Trail Blazers on October 29.

From the official press release by the Denver Nuggets:

Mutombo was inducted into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame in September 2015 and will become the fifth player and sixth representative in team history to have his number enshrined in the rafters. He joins fellow Nuggets greats Byron Beck (#40), Alex English (#2), Dan Issel (#44), David Thompson (#33) and Doug Moe, who coached the team to a franchise-record 432 wins. This will mark the first time that the Nuggets have retired a player’s number at Pepsi Center.

Drafted fourth overall by Denver in the 1991 NBA Draft, Mutombo played for the Nuggets from 1991 to 1996, compiling averages of 12.9 points, 12.3 rebounds and 3.81 blocks in 391 total games. As a member of the Nuggets, Mutombo was a three-time NBA All-Star (‘92, ’95 and ’96), three-time NBA blocked shots leader (‘93-94, ’94-95, ’95-96), named Defensive Player of the Year in ‘94-95 and was instrumental in helping the Nuggets become the first eighth-seeded team to defeat a number one seed in NBA Playoff history. Mutombo still remains the Nuggets all-time leader in blocked shots (1,486) and career rebounding average (12.3 per game) while ranking third in rebounds (4,811) and 19th in points (5,054).

In addition to his on-court accolades, Mutombo’s humanitarian efforts shine even brighter. He created the Dikembe Mutombo Foundation in 1997, opened the Biamba Marie Mutombo Hospital in the Democratic Republic of Congo in 2007 and has been one of the leaders of the Basketball Without Borders program in Africa for over 15 years. Former NBA Commissioner David Stern appointed Mutombo to the role of Global Ambassador in 2009.

As part of the jersey retirement ceremony, the Nuggets will be wearing throwback rainbow skyline jerseys for the home opener:

We'll be wearing these jerseys at our home opener!

#Nuggets pic.twitter.com/kMSXWclvTS
— Denver Nuggets (@nuggets) September 26, 2016

Mt. Mutombo's efforts and accolades both on and off the court certainly make him deserving of this honor. He will always be as a fan favorite and one of the most iconic players to ever wear a Nuggets uniform, and will be most remembered for his role in helping the Nuggets become the first #8 seed to defeat a #1 seed in the playoffs in 1994.

Congratulations, Dikembe! Nuggets Nation loves you and is excited to honor you at this ceremony!

Coach Malone adds intrigue to the starting lineup

2016-09-26T12:11:35-06:00

Chris Humphreys-USA TODAY Sports

During Denver Nuggets Media Day, Michael Malone provided an interesting quote about the starting lineup regarding the power forward position.

Coaches and front office representatives are always a little mysterious during media day. They will say things that the media and fans expect to hear, and sometimes they will throw a curveball.

Michael Malone threw a curveball when talking about the starting power forward position.

Asked about who the starting power forward was going into training camp, Michael Malone stated, "I do." When prompted to share who it was going to be, Malone simply said "no."

He later continued:

"There's a lot of speculation about that. Obviously, we have Kenneth Faried, who's a tremendous player. At the end of the season, we kinda toyed around...experimented with a big lineup with Nikola Jokic and Jusuf Nurkic playing together. And we have guys like Danilo Gallinari and Wilson Chandler who are more than capable of playing the 4."

Now, this is not a large vote of confidence in Faried. He may be viewed as the starter going into training camp...and he may not be. The fact that Malone continued to highlight all of his options at the 4 is a little perplexing.

Contrast this with how he continuously has said that the 2 guard position belongs to Gary Harris when Jamal Murray was added, and it provides two entirely different viewpoints on starters.

Coach Malone says he has a starting PF going into training camp but won't say who it is.
— Denver Stiffs (@denverstiffs) September 26, 2016

Stay tuned to Denver Stiffs for more Nuggets Media Day coverage.