Denver Stiffs - All 2019-20 End of Season Player Reviews

End of Season Review: Jerami Grant

2020-11-09T03:00:00-07:00

Photo by Nathaniel S. Butler/NBAE via Getty Images

The Nuggets traded for the former Syracuse forward during the last offseason, and he made an impact in his first season in the Mile High City.

As part of Denver Stiffs’ transition from Denver Nuggets postseason coverage to offseason coverage, staff members will be conducting End of Season Reviews for all 17 players on the roster. There will continue to be news, NBA draft, free agency, and trade articles, but over the next three weeks, an accompanying End of Season review (or two) will also post every week day.

Today’s review: Jerami Grant

When the Nuggets traded their 2020 first round pick to the Oklahoma City Thunder for Jerami Grant, the Nuggets cashed in to add what they felt was the best option at forward in the league to play alongside Nikola Jokic. Grant’s ability to defend guards, forwards, and the occasional big man, space the court, and be a finisher at the rim makes him an ideal piece for the Nuggets future.

Grant performed about as well as anyone could have predicted this season, and if there is a path for him to return back to the Nuggets next season by him signing a new contract in the offseason, they should absolutely bring him back. He’s due for a pay raise, but let’s be clear on one thing — the Nuggets need to bring him back. Pay the man his money, and bring him back to Denver.

Season Overview

The Nuggets had a competition for the starting small forward position in training camp, and Will Barton was able to hold on to his spot in that lineup to start the season. Grant fit in more easily as the backup to Paul Millsap, a super sub that was able to come in off the bench and provide a spark. Millsap had earned his spot as a starter, and Grant needed game reps to get comfortable playing with Nikola Jokic.

While Grant got his feet set in Denver, he started to show fans what he was going to provide to the team. He’s got incredible bounce as a finisher, capable of flying high above the rim to throw down some big dunks. He was able to dial in his 3-point shot as the season progressed, and was able to knock in five 3-pointers against the Nets and Trail Blazers in December.

Grant filled in at started in January once Millsap went down with a variety of injuries, and the increase in minutes helped boost his per game scoring. He stepped up his play against teams like the Bucks in February.

Grant really excelled for the Nuggets once the playoffs started. His ability to guard elite scorers was invaluable to them against the Utah Jazz and Los Angeles Clippers. While the rest of the league was able to dial in their 3-point shot in the Orlando arenas, Grant wasn’t quite able to lock in from distance, although my theory is that this can probably be more traced to the amount of energy he had to burn on defense leading him to being a little off on offense.

Things didn’t work out well for him against the Los Angeles Lakers, but I’m not sure if any Nuggets player would have been able to overcome the challenge of guarding LeBron James, taking a breather, then checking back in the game to guard Anthony Davis. That he was the guy the coaching staff tabbed to do both of those things says a lot more about his game than a shooting percentage on a box score.

Season Grade: A

I expect Grant to be a starter for several years to come in Denver. He showed that he’s capable of stepping in for Paul Millsap, and should be a great fit next to Michael Porter Jr. and Nikola Jokic.

Grant is a great on-ball defender that can score by driving to the rim, shooting from behind the 3-point line, and dunking — lots and lots of dunks. He does everything the coaching staff asks of him.

I fully expect to hear “But what about his rebounds!” and my answer is that I do not care at all about his rebounds. There are players that are asked to different things for a team, and I do not need Jerami Grant to be out there averaging eight rebounds per game. I want him to be a transition defender, and someone that is forcing the offense to miss the shot, not grab the ball after it clangs off the rim. Let his teammates get his back while he’s busy defending the top scorer on the other team.

Season Highlight

It was early in the season, but it’s probably his putback dunk against the Suns. You watch his dunks and let us know what you think.

What’s Next for Jerami Grant

According to Mike Singer, Grant will not be exercising his player option, and will enter free agency this offseason. There will be plenty of teams that would like to sign Grant, but won’t be able to afford him after the season he had. The teams that do have cap space are terrible, and if Grant wants to perform in the playoffs, his best chance is with Denver. The Nuggets can also use his Bird Rights to sign him to a large contract and go over the salary cap.

The Nuggets present the best fit, the best opportunity, and best compensation package for Grant. The only way I see him leaving is if a team like the Atlanta Hawks throw $100 million over four years his way. I don’t think the Nuggets can afford a deal like that, and it could be enough for him to cash in on the success he’s had lately.

For Grant, if he returns to Denver, expect him to slot into the starting lineup and continue to be an important piece of the team. He’s a great player, and I love seeing him in Denver.

End Of Season Review: Nikola Jokic

2020-10-30T07:00:00-06:00

Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports

Jokic has done his part to return the Nuggets to NBA prominence

As part of Denver Stiffs’ transition from Denver Nuggets postseason coverage to offseason coverage, staff members will be conducting End of Season Reviews for all 17 players on the roster. There will continue to be news, NBA draft, free agency, and trade articles, but over the next three weeks, an accompanying End of Season review (or two) will also post every week day.

Today’s review: Nikola Jokić

The league’s best offensive center, Nikola Jokic has been able to lead the Denver Nuggets to the top tier of the Western Conference standings because of his combination of skill and basketball IQ. He continues to be what’s arguably the most unique player the NBA has ever seen and a primary reason why Denver has a professional basketball franchise that’s respected again.

Although Jokic’s game isn’t perfect, the Nuggets have managed to build around both his strengths and weaknesses, putting players that excel at cutting, shooting and defending in the rotation. By all accounts, Jokic had an up-and-down 2019-20 campaign but he eventually righted the ship, demonstrating a level of self-awareness and work ethic that’s expected from the face of the franchise.

2019-20 Regular Season and Playoff Stats

Per Game Table
Season	G	GS	MP	FG	FGA	FG%	3P	3PA	3P%	FT	FTA	FT%	ORB	DRB	TRB	AST	STL	BLK	TOV	PF	PTS
2019-20	73	73	32.0	7.7	14.7	.528	1.1	3.5	.314	3.4	4.1	.817	2.3	7.5	9.7	7.0	1.2	0.6	3.1	3.0	19.9
Career	381	340	29.0	6.5	12.4	.524	0.9	2.7	.338	3.0	3.6	.826	2.6	7.0	9.6	5.5	1.1	0.7	2.5	2.8	17.0

Provided by Basketball-Reference.com: View Original Table
Generated 10/29/2020.

Playoffs Per Game Table
Season	G	GS	MP	FG	FGA	FG%	3P	3PA	3P%	FT	FTA	FT%	ORB	DRB	TRB	AST	STL	BLK	TOV	PF	PTS
2019-20	19	19	36.5	9.4	18.1	.519	2.2	5.2	.429	3.5	4.2	.835	1.9	7.9	9.8	5.7	1.1	0.8	3.3	3.6	24.4
Career	33	33	37.9	9.4	18.3	.513	1.9	4.7	.416	4.0	4.8	.841	2.8	8.4	11.2	6.9	1.1	0.8	3.0	3.7	24.7

Provided by Basketball-Reference.com: View Original Table
Generated 10/29/2020.

Season Overview

Jokic didn’t have the start to the 2019-20 season than many expected, averaging 15.7 points per game and shooting 22.1% from 3-point range through the first 20 games. For reference, if those numbers would have been season averages, his 3-point percentage would have been the worst of his career and his scoring average would have been his worst since his rookie season.

In Jokic’s own words, he had to lose weight to improve his play. The Denver Nuggets, who were 15-5 through the first 20 games of their season, held their own without Jokic for the first quarter of the season. They needed a better version of Jokic going forward, and that’s exactly what they got.

From that point on, Jokic returned to his usual dominant form, posting averages of 22.2 points, 10.3 rebounds, 7.2 assists and 1.2 steals per game over the team’s next 45 contests (up until the NBA hiatus) while shooting 55.4% from the field and 36.2% from three-point range.

In the NBA bubble, Jokic’s play was difficult to evaluate.

Between the long layoff between games and an increasingly slim figure, one couldn’t quite tell if his oftentimes lackadaisical approach was because of issues with his conditioning or a general disinterest in games that wouldn’t effect Denver’s standing much.

However, Jokic made sure to show up when it counted, whether that called for him to be the team’s closer or to put on a show wire-to-wire. Despite Jamal Murray’s growth during the playoffs, when he showed he’s as worthy of being seen as the Nuggets’ leader as Jokic, the Serbian center put up incredible numbers for them to receive so little fanfare.

Season Grade: A

It’s difficult not to give Jokic an A+ after he led the Nuggets to the third seed in a Western Conference that had teams led by LeBron James and Kawhi Leonard.

However, Jokic’s sluggish start to the 2019-20 season and the disappointing effort he displayed at certain points in the playoffs are enough to knock him down a notch.

Not much though, as Jokic still receives an A; the positives far outweighed the negatives in his case. Named to his second consecutive All-Star game and as an All-NBA selection for the second time, Jokic was Denver’s most valuable player throughout the season. A constant triple-double threat,

Season Highlight: The Joker Leads The Nuggets To Game 7 Against Clips

The first leg of the Nuggets’ last playoff run was led by Murray, whose performances against Utah Jazz guard Donovan Mitchell was must-see TV.

However, the second round — in which Denver faced Kawhi’s Los Angeles Clippers — belonged to Jokic. Joker was simply dominant against both Ivica Zubac and reigning Sixth Man of the Year Montrezl Harrell, putting them through the 36 Chambers of Shaolin on his way to averaging 24.4 points, 13.4 rebounds, 6.6 assists and 1.4 blocks per game against the Clippers.

With the Nuggets looking to complete their second 3-1 comeback in as many playoff series’, Jokic had his best playoff game in Game 6 of the Western Conference semifinals. He recorded game-highs in points (34), rebounds (14) and assists (7); in fact, his 34 points were a playoff career-high.

What’s next for Nikola Jokic

For Jokic to continue his reign as one of the most elite centers in the game, it’s not as if he has to develop some extraordinary skill. It’s not as if he’s going to suddenly stop understanding the game, forget how to utilize his fantastic footwork or pass up on using his preternatural passing ability; those things that make him such a dominant force at center.

However, Jokic does need to work on his game — both tangibles and intangibles.

On the tangible side, Jokic needs to continue to sharpen his shooting touch. At best, Jokic can be described as streaky right now, shooting a substandard percentage from 3-point range in the regular season but being almost unstoppable from the perimeter in the postseason. This is the second straight year he’s done so, which makes it seem as if it’s a question of focus rather than ability.

Jokic will never be an all-world defender but he does need to master defensive effort and communication. That brings me to the intangibles he needs to work on.

Playing professional basketball isn’t easy and it’s understandable for fatigue to be a factor in effort but there are times that Jokic’s effort — either on offense or defense, or both — is lacking from the beginning.

For Jokic, taking the next step simply means continuing to perfect what he’s already good at and to work on the little things.

End of Season Review: Tyler Cook

2020-10-29T13:04:29-06:00

Photo by Garrett Ellwood/NBAE via Getty Images

Is Tyler Cook a sleeper to return to Denver’s roster this offseason?

Today’s review: Tyler Cook

Rounding out the reviews of the players that didn’t really play this season is rookie power forward Tyler Cook. After playing his college ball at University of Iowa, Cook wasn’t selected in the 2019 NBA Draft. Listed at 6’8, 255 pounds, Cook was a physical player who played a physical brand of basketball for a Big Ten school but never really developed a three-point shot. It’s very possible that Cook will never play more than the two non-essential games he had in a Nuggets uniform; however, let’s dive in and see what Cook was able to do in his limited time.

Tyler Cook Regular Season/Playoff stats

Two games played, 19 total minutes, four points, four rebounds, one unfathomable lineup

Season Overview

Initially, the Nuggets signed Cook to a two-way contract during the summer, and the assumption was that Cook would be on Denver’s roster while spending most of his time developing in the G League. In training camp though, PJ Dozier earned the spot on Denver’s roster (the other two-way spot was reserved for Bol Bol) and the Nuggets decided to go forward with Dozier instead of Cook.

That left Cook to fend for himself. He signed a two-way contract with the Cleveland Cavaliers and spent much of the 2019-20 season bouncing between the Cavs and the Canton Charge G League affiliate. When the Cavs ultimately let him go in January/early February, Cook was left without an NBA team for awhile.

Then, the bubble happened. The Nuggets decided to convert Dozier’s two-way contract to a full contract, opening up a two-way spot that the Nuggets filled with Cook once again. Heading into the bubble, with only eight healthy players and mostly bigs, Cook filled some rotation time on the wing before Torrey Craig, Michael Porter Jr., and ultimately Gary Harris returned to the rotation.

Cook played a bit of garbage time after that but didn’t really make an impact in his time on the floor.

Season Grade: Incomplete

It’s difficult to evaluate someone that saw so little time on the floor. When he was out there, Cook provided energy and rebounding, but with his game appearing to be as limited as it was, his role was very narrow. He only played 19 minutes of actual time with the Nuggets, and close to 17 of those came in the final regular season game of the bubble in which players were just looking to avoid getting hurt.

Season Highlight: The five bigs lineup in the bubble scrimmages

This lineup captured the imagination of NBA fans everywhere. When the Nuggets decided to start Nikola Jokić at point guard and Bol Bol at small forward, the internet nearly broke. It was a fun, more innocent time.

Cook played a lot during those scrimmages, basically subbing in for Jerami Grant at shooting guard while he was out there. Cook playing that position at 6’8, 255 was interesting to watch, and while he wasn’t the main component of those groups, he was at least part of it. That’s something I will remember for awhile.

What’s next for Cook

Cook is now a restricted free agent for the Nuggets because he finished the season on a two-way deal. He definitely won’t be Denver’s first priority in free agency, and it’s possible the Nuggets decide to go in a different direction after a limited sample size from Cook.

The prerogative is on Cook to prove during this offseason that he can contribute to an NBA team. Being in the gym, developing his outside jumper, improving his perimeter mobility on defense, and finding some chemistry with Denver’s rotation members should be a priority for him.

If he doesn’t show those things, he and the Nuggets will likely part ways this offseason.

End of Season Review: Michael. Porter. Jr.

2020-10-28T13:10:36-06:00

Photo by Andrew D. Bernstein/NBAE via Getty Images

The Nuggets rookie showed the promise that made him the most intriguing player on the roster

Today’s review: Michael Porter Jr

Without a doubt, Michael Porter Jr. was the most anticipated rookie for the Denver Nuggets since Carmelo Anthony. After waiting an entire season while he worked to return from a back injury, MPJ finally saw the court in the NBA this season. It wasn’t always pretty, as he often struggled to defend NBA level talent, but there were moments of sheer brilliance as well which culminated in a superb run during the seeding games after the season restarted in Orlando.

Without that run perhaps the organization’s outlook on Porter would be quite different, but when he showed undeniable star talent during those two weeks it led to him initially being a starter in the playoffs and Michael Malone referring to MPJ as a cornerstone of the franchise. Now it seems a foregone conclusion that the Nuggets have the beginnings of a homegrown Big 3 that is primed to compete for years to come. Really only two questions remain, how much development should be expected from Porter, and is it enough to get Denver past the Los Angeles Lakers and Golden State Warriors of the world.

Season Overview

The theme for Porter’s rookie season was earn it. Despite all the hype, despite his incredible accomplishments in high school that have only been duplicated in the past two decades by LeBron James and Dwight Howard, nothing was going to be handed to Mike. The fact of the matter was the Nuggets were coming off a season where they were one win away from the Western Conference Finals and they had talented wings in Gary Harris and Will Barton in the starting lineup while Jerami Grant, someone they just traded a first round pick in order to acquire, was the sixth man off the bench. With Monte Morris and Mason Plumlee filling the bench point guard and center positions, two spots MPJ really isn’t suited to play, the Nuggets rotation was 8 deep before they even got to a slot where Porter could play. Even then, he would have to compete with the likes of Malik Beasley, Juancho Hernangomez and Torrey Craig to get minutes.

Porter’s year began very much as someone on the fringes of the rotation and that was pretty consistent throughout, at least up until the season was paused due to COVID-19. Beasley got the lion’s share of the ninth man in the rotation minutes and Craig and Juancho were the first to fill in due to injury or matchup. Over the first quarter of the season Porter eclipsed the ten minute mark in just three games while being issued a DNP-CD nine times in the same time period. In late December he started to find some momentum though and carried that into January when he averaged over twelve points and just shy of seven rebounds in a little over twenty-one minutes a game. Finally the season seemed to be on track for Denver’s rookie but it would quickly come screeching to a halt.

Porter twisted an ankle at the very beginning of February and had to sit for six games. In that time Beasley and Juancho were traded to the Minnesota Timberwolves, clearing the way for MPJ to get playing time, but he wasn’t 100% when he returned and had a rather pedestrian end to February and beginning of March. The season pause allowed him to recover fully from any ailments and once he made it to the bubble in Orlando circumstances early on made it so coach Malone had little choice but to play anyone who was able to suit up for the game. With most of the Nuggets normal rotation dealing with injuries or travel issues, Porter flourished in a spotlight role. During the seeding games he averaged twenty-two points to go with over eight rebounds and nearly a block and a steal a game. There were still some noticeable growing pains on defense, but they were less important given the production Denver got on the other end.

That run led to MPJ being named to the NBA’s Second All-Seeding team and a spot in the starting rotation once the playoffs began. It did not go as well from there. The Utah Jazz, Denver’s first round opponent, quickly figured out that Porter’s defensive deficiencies were an advantage they could exploit and exploit it they did. He was constantly the target of a Donovan Mitchell pick and roll in order to get him to have to switch on Mitchell and from there the Jazz’s star guard went to work. Ultimately coach Malone had to make a switch and inserted Grant in the starting lineup by Game 4 while sending Mike to the bench. Porter would never get back into the starting lineup and had an up and down run in the postseason in general. Handicapped by the fact that teams targeted him on a huge number of possessions and perhaps drinking a little too much from the firehose that is a player’s first NBA postseason, MPJ’s playoffs never really took off the way his seeding games did. Still, he had moments that showed his undeniable talent and ability to be a matchup nightmare for even the most elite teams (and players) in the NBA.

Season Grade: B+

Porter’s season certainly wasn’t all roses, but it was much more good than bad when he got his chance to play. That’s what keeps this from an A+ season though: when he got his chance. You can’t deny that there were many moments during the season and the playoffs where it was clear that Mike was a rookie. The number of blow bys he gave up on defense would be damning for most anyone in the league that didn’t have his incredible ceiling. Because of that he lost minutes due to the fact that coach Malone had other players he could trust more. No one thinks Torrey Craig is a better player than Michael Porter Jr, probably not even Craig himself, but his ability to not hurt the Nuggets on the defensive end kept him in games that MPJ often found himself warming the bench in.

Despite the struggles defensively, it was still a very good year for Mike. He established himself as a clear piece of Denver’s future and certainly had the look of a potential NBA superstar. At his size and with the skill he showed the Nuggets went from an annual playoff contender to a fringe championship contender and there’s plenty of reason to believe that the development of Porter can push the Nuggets over the top. Perhaps even more important than the star flashes was the fact that he was healthy. Yes, he missed some games and underperformed in others due to a twisted ankle, but 6’10” dudes who drive hard to the basket and get up for every rebound are going to occasionally have that happen, just the way it goes. Save for one game where the Nuggets were extra cautious, there were zero back related issues for MPJ this season, nor did it look like there was any loss of explosion in his game. The fact that he was healthy confirmed that the Nuggets were right to take the gamble on him in the 2018 draft.

Season highlight: Ending Montrezl Harrell

There are a ton of moments to choose from when it comes to MPJ’s signature moment of his rookie season. I thought about the ridiculous step back in the Indiana Pacers game, or any of the handful of seeding games where he went on a run that seemed as unstoppable as it was effortless. However, there’s clearly one moment that sticks out more than any other and that’s when Porter put Sixth Man of the Year Montrezl Harrell on a poster in the second round of the playoffs.

Also...can we give a quick shout out to this seeding game against the Oklahoma City Thunder.

What’s next for Michael Porter Jr

Porter should be a starter going into next season, but he’ll likely have to prove that he’s spent his limited offseason time working on his defense and improving on that end before he is given the job outright. Still, it would be a surprise to not see him in the starting group to begin next year. Improving on defense to get as much opportunity as possible will be the theme for his sophomore season. There’s little doubt that he’s a net positive for the Nuggets but they need him to be able to hold his own on both ends of the court. On top of that he’ll have to prove he can be the player the Nuggets saw in the seeding games throughout an entire season and then be more effective in the postseason.

I expect he will accomplish those things over the next year which means the Nuggets will need to be prepared to come with a large extension offer following the conclusion of next season. In many ways it could be similar to the Jamal Murray extension where the Nuggets have to bet a little bit on promise rather than production and that means the price tag will be large indeed. If Porter really cleans up the defense, is a consistent scoring threat near the twenty point mark and continues to be a dominant rebounder next season then expect the Nuggets to offer him the maximum amount they can next fall.

End of Season Review: Will Barton

2020-10-27T07:00:00-06:00

Ron Chenoy-USA TODAY Sports

Today’s review: Will Barton

Coming into the 2019-20 season, there was a lot of questions surrounding small forward Will barton. He had a down year during 2018-19, and the team was going to have to make some tough financial decisions due to other contracts they had given out. Fortunately for the Nuggets, Barton wasn’t one of those tough decisions, and he boomed for them this past season. This was arguably his best season as a pro, and he fit in perfectly with what this team was trying to do.

On the offensive end, he gave them a legitimate and consistent third option, and he could give them another ball handler at all times. Throw in another strong season from 3-point range, and Barton was everything they could have asked for. Once the playoffs started, it became abundantly clear how much this team missed his presence on the floor.

For Barton, next year will be huge for him. He has a player option for the 2021-22 season, and he could opt out for one final contract extension or opt-in if he has a down year. Barton is the perfect third option for this roster as a starter, but we could also see him moving to the bench this year depending on the role of Michael Porter Jr. If that’s the case, we could see a much different season out of him.

Season Overview

Barton fit in perfectly with this Nuggets’ roster. He wasn’t asked to be the team’s leading man on either end of the field, and that was perfect for him. He was asked to handle the ball on occasion while matching up with the opposing team’s second-best wings. Previously, Barton was miscast as a primary ball-handler or wing stopper, and that’s not what he is. However, if he’s your third scoring option, and he just has to use his length on defense, he can do that all day long.

He was averaging 1.1 steals per game on the year, and, when he was scoring, he was doing it efficiently. That’s the type of play that you need out of your third scoring option. He brought some outside shooting to the roster which helped space the floor for guys like Nikola Jokic and Gary Harris, who did their best work inside the arc.

Barton wasn’t a flawless player for them this season. He averaged 1.5 turnovers per game, and he also was unable to be there for the team’s playoff run. His absence in the playoffs hurt this team tremendously against teams like the LA Clippers and Los Angeles Lakers, who had a bevy of wings at their disposal. They’ll be thrilled to have him back next season no matter if he starts or comes off the bench.

Season Grade: A-

Barton is very deserving of this grade. You can make the argument that he was the third-best player on the team this season, and there were nights when he was even their best player. His scoring ability gave them someone that could get hot in a hurry when their stars were cold. Not all teams have that, and it can make the difference in a playoff series. I’ve said it several times, but his ball-handling was missed severely in the playoffs because there were several spurts where they were missing that extra on-ball threat.

The only reason this grade isn’t an A+ is that he wasn’t there for the playoffs. A player’s best ability is their availability. He wasn’t able to be there when the games mattered most, and that hurt them. The case can be made this team wouldn’t have been pushed to seven games in the first two series, and they may have had the energy to outlast the Lakers. We will never know for sure, but it will always be what might have been.

Season Highlight: Game against Golden State Warriors

This one was an easy call. If it weren’t for the play of Barton in this game, the Nuggets would have dropped it to arguably the NBA’s worst team. He dropped 32 points on a night where he was searing the nets like a true splash brother. He was 11-of-20, including 7-of-10 from 3-point range. On a night where Jamal Murray was inactive, Barton stepped up to take his place.

What’s next for Will Barton

It’s unclear what’s next for Barton. The Nuggets have Michael Porter Jr. waiting in the wings, and Barton was one of his biggest supporters during his play in the bubble. Porter is very clearly the future of this team, but we don’t know that Michael Malone will be ready to hand over the keys to that starting small forward spot just yet. If he were to remain a starter, his function would be as an off-ball scorer that could handle the ball during bench minutes.

However, if they were to bring him off the bench, this roster would get a lot more interesting. Barton brings a super-scorer mentality that they lost with the trade of Malik Beasley, and he can handle the ball effectively as well. This team’s starters would likely be a combination of Murray, Harris, Porter, Jerami Grant and Nikola Jokic. With a strong five like that, the bench would just need to tread water, but Barton would actually give them an advantage.

It remains to be seen what they’re going to do with Barton. He’s not leaving the mile-high city, and he’s going to be a key player for this team. How much is that going to be? We won’t know until opening night when Malone trots out his rotations, and it won’t even be clear then because it takes one missed rotation for Malone to change it all up.

End of Season Review: Monte Morris

2020-10-26T04:00:00-06:00

Photo by Garrett Ellwood/NBAE via Getty Images

The Nuggets backup point guard has been outstanding in his role yet again.

Today’s review: Monte Morris.

The Nuggets backup point guard had another reliable season, continuing to provide a steady hand off the bench. The Flint, Michigan product continues to be a shining example of how to guide a second unit, shooting the ball well, scoring when necessary, and being a leader for his teammates to rally behind.

There is a saying that the best ability is availability, and Morris was outstanding in that category this season. He was available for every single game, both regular season, bubble, and playoff for the team. While he may have had to learn how to play with a few more aches and pains, he makes himself available every single night, is ready to go whenever the coaches need him, and does exactly what is needed to help the team get the win.

Morris has been an outstanding Denver Nugget, and has earned the respect of players, coaches, front office personnel, and fans across the nation. He seems like a really interesting person, and his teammates seem to love having him around them all the time. What’s not to love about Monte?

Season Overview

Morris showed up to camp with a bit more extra muscle on, getting a little bit stronger to help him hold up for the full season and another postseason trip. He played off the bench, as is customary, and it took him a few games to get his feet underneath him. He broke the double-digit point seal in a win against Orlando, and followed that up with an 11 point, 8 assist game at home against Miami. He would continue to come in off the bench for the remainder of 2019.

Once January came around, and the Nuggets other guards — Gary Harris and Jamal Murray — started missing games, the coaching staff decided to put him in the starting lineup. He played a season high 41 minutes in the “Magnificent Seven” win over the Utah Jazz, helping the Nuggets pick up one of their most memorable wins of the season. Morris got the start in their next game too, a win against the Milwaukee Bucks, and was the only starter to attempt and make a free throw in that game.

When the bubble rolled around, Morris arrived late due to a reported positive case of Covid-19. By the time the games started counting for seeding, he was there in Orlando and able to start contributing again.

Morris was inserted into the starting lineup in Game Four against the Utah Jazz, giving the starting unit a chance to help alleviate ballhandling responsibilities for Jamal Murray. That helped Murray turn in one of the greatest scoring runs in NBA history, and the Nuggets were able to rally from a 3-1 deficit in part to Morris’ play. He didn’t start any games against the Clippers, but his play in Game Five and Game Six were key to their ability to win the game. He was at a real disadvantage in terms of size against the Lakers, and while he had some good games scoring to close out the series, it wasn’t a good series for any of the Nuggets.

Season Grade: B+

Is Monte Morris the best backup point guard in the NBA? I can’t think of a player that has played as well on his contract and in his role as Morris has. There aren’t any reports of him being unhappy in Denver, he doesn’t turn the ball over, and he’s always been healthy. He’s just been a great asset to the team.

Season Highlight

Check out this game he had against the Pistons. You know he was going to play well in Michigan!

What’s Next for Monte Morris?

Next year is the final year of his contract, and that brings up a tough question for the Nuggets. Morris has been so great for Denver, but his contract has been an incredible bargain for them. As a second round pick, Morris is one of the lowest-paid players on the team. He absolutely will be deserving of a much larger contract, and it seems unlikely that Denver will be able to provide that.

Expect to hear his name mentioned in trade rumors by people outside Denver, but I wouldn’t be shocked if Tim Connelly just took a position of “we’re keeping him here as long as we can.” With Jamal Murray on the roster, Morris won’t be a starting point guard for Denver barring injury. The Nuggets are going to have to go elsewhere to replace him after this season.

In the meantime, let’s enjoy every single moment us Nuggets fans get with him, and enjoy the ride for as long as it lasts.

End of Season Review: Noah Vonleh

2020-10-23T10:56:59-06:00

Isaiah J. Downing-USA TODAY Sports

Noah Vonleh is a young big man still trying to find his way in the league.

Today’s review: Noah Vonleh

After just six seasons, forward-center Noah Vonleh can already consider himself to be an NBA journeyman, having played for the Charlotte Hornets, Portland Trail Blazers, Chicago Bulls, New York Knicks and Minnesota Timberwolves before being traded to the Denver Nuggets back in February.

Part of the four-team trade that saw the Nuggets trade Malik Beasley, Juancho Hernangomez and Jarred Vanderbilt to the Timberwolves, Minnesota traded Vonleh to Denver along with Keita Bates-Diop and Shabazz Napier (Napier was traded to the Washington Wizards the next day). Upon his arrival, the former lottery pick wasn’t expected to crack the Nuggets’ rotation given the team’s frontcourt depth and he had many of the same qualities in his game as one of the players traded with him in Bates-Diop.

Despite disappointing stints in Minnesota, Portland and Charlotte specifically, Vonleh has proven himself to be an athletic and versatile defender who can impact the game as a rebounder and do a little bit of everything else to boot. After signing a one-year, $2 million contract with the Timberwolves prior to the trade, Vonleh will become an unrestricted free agent this offseason.

Regular season stats

2019-20 regular season: 3.7 points, 3.4 rebounds, 0.8 assists, 0.6 turnovers, 0.3 steals and 0.2 blocks in 10.5 minutes per game (36 games) — .565/.200/.781 shooting splits

(w/ Nuggets): 1.9 points, 1.1 rebounds, 0.3 assists, 0.3 turnovers in 4.3 minutes per game (7 games) — .833/1.00/.500 shooting splits

Overview of 2019-20 season

After he came to life a bit with the Knicks in 2018-19, averaging 8.4 points and 7.8 rebounds per game while shooting 33.6% from 3-point range, more was expected of Vonleh entering the 2019-20 season.

Photo by Garrett Ellwood/NBAE via Getty Images

Unfortunately for the Timberwolves, Vonleh’s perimeter shooting was atrocious (14.3% from 3-point range) while he played for them and he wasn’t averaging anywhere near the amount of minutes that he was in New York. With Minnesota slowly circling the drain in an underwhelming season, the T’Wolves cut ties with the then 24-year-old and sent him to Denver in a trade that saw the Nuggets give away fringe rotation players for what would become fringe roster players.

In Denver, Vonleh’s chances of making an impact were minimal considering the players he had in front of him on the depth chart (Jerami Grant, Paul Millsap, Michael Porter Jr., Nikola Jokic and Mason Plumlee). His reality turned out to look just as it did on paper, with him providing little more than depth for the Nuggets.

Season Grade: D

2019-20 was one of Vonleh’s three worst seasons; being traded in two of those seasons should highlight just how poorly the 6’10” big man fared. Not only did he fail to capitalize off of his time playing for the woebegone Knicks but he’s now on the verge of playing for his seventh team in as many seasons.

The ‘D’ in Vonleh’s grade doesn’t just denote his dreadful performance in 2019-20, it also stands for Development. Vonleh, who is just 25-years-old, still has time to develop his game past that of a niche player who can play solid defense and attack the glass. If he wants a better chance of cracking the rotation for a future team, even the Nuggets if he should return, he has to have at least one elite (or nearly elite) skill.

Highlight of the Year

The best play from Vonleh all season might have been his finish on this assist from Nuggets fan favorite Bol Bol during the team’s exhibition games.

What’s next for Noah Vonleh?

Vonleh is young, athletic and does his best work on the less glamorous end of the basketball court. The truth of the matter is that he has tangible skills that many teams around the league covet in terms of defensive versatility and the ability to matchup to an offense’s speed without giving up size.

However, unless Vonleh’s dream is to be used as a situational defender, then he’ll need to devote his offseasons to radical improvement. Finding himself able to function as a facilitator in the short roll, working on a consistent 3-point stroke and becoming more aggressive in transition would all go a long way towards helping him take the next step forward in his career.

He should be able to latch onto a team this offseason in free agency. What he does with the opportunity will be all up to him.

End of Season Review: Mason Plumlee

2020-10-23T04:00:00-06:00

Photo by Sam Forencich/NBAE via Getty Images

The Nuggets backup center continued to fill in as needed, continuing to fill the role of an outstanding veteran on a young team.

As part of Denver Stiffs’ transition from Denver Nuggets postseason coverage to offseason coverage, staff members will be conducting End of Season Reviews for all 17 players on the roster. There will continue to be news, NBA draft, free agency, and trade articles, but over the next three weeks, an accompanying End of Season review (or two) will also post every week day.

Today’s review: Mason Plumlee.

Mason Plumlee finished another season for the Nuggets with the same steady levels of contributions that he’s provided the team since he arrived. As one of the team’s most experienced players, having played in the league since 2013, there are few players on the team that have quite as much wisdom as he has. He plays hard every game, does a lot of dirty work that doesn’t show up in the box score, and never complains about his role on the team.

Plumlee missed a few games with an ankle injury this year, but came back and was able to stay healthy all the way through the bubble games and playoffs. The postseason highlighted some of the weaknesses that he has once again, raising questions again about his long-term fit on the roster.

His three-year contract expired at the end of this season, leaving his future with the team up in the air. If he has played his final game with the Nuggets, he should be remembered for all the good he added to the team over the past few years, and not a few shortcomings in the playoffs in situations that he was underqualified to be placed in.

Season Overview

Plumlee started the season off well, playing around 15-20 minutes a night as Jokic’s backup. While Jokic struggled, Plumlee was his usual self - moving the ball around on offense, dunking the ball, and rebounding.

He had his first double-double of the season in a win against the New York Knicks, putting up 11 points and 11 rebounds in 20 minutes. He had his best game of the season against the Golden State Warriors, putting up 15 points and 15 rebounds and helping them to a 3-point win. With Paul Millsap out, Malone went to Plumlee down the stretch in the game and in overtime. Unfortunately for the team, he’d sprain his ankle two games later against the Timberwolves, an injury that would shelve him for a few weeks.

He came back four weeks later against the Thunder, but would only breach the 20-minute mark two more times before the end of the regular season, and those were only in bubble games. His minutes dropped in the playoffs as Jokic’s minutes went up, and he had an unfortunate (to say the least) segment against Anthony Davis in Game Two of the Western Conference Finals that will show up in the Lakers championship season DVD.

Season Grade: C

I don’t know how you can give him a higher or lower grade. He wasn’t asked to do much each night, and what he was asked to do, he did fine. He wasn’t a drag on the roster, but he didn’t make them that much better. He’s a good player, but there’s only so much he can do. When he got signed, he was supposed to be an insurance policy in case Jokic got hurt. He’s been a valuable player for the team, but if he does wind up leaving, I think the team will be fine.

Season Highlight

I guess it’s scoring 16 points against the Warriors?

What’s next for Mason Plumlee

Like I’ve mentioned, Plumlee is a free agent now. At 30 years old, he’s successfully finished the first half of a career that is likely to continue on for several seasons. Plumlee is a guy that is going to stick around for a long time in the NBA.

Whether he sticks around with the Nuggets is a difficult question to answer. I think the right question to ask is “What are you expecting from the Nuggets backup center?”

If your answer is that the team needs someone who can step into Jokic’s shoes and replicate his skillset if he gets injured, I think that’s an impossible task. Jokic is a All-NBA caliber player, you can’t replace his production with a player that is a backup.

Should the team try to move Paul Millsap from a power forward role into a backup center role? I don’t think that’s the right move for the team, because the height and weight issues that trouble Millsap at the 4 won’t be any better for him at the 5. He’s not a center, hasn’t been since college, and certainly won’t be able to become one at this point of his career.

Should the Nuggets try to have Bol Bol play center? I don’t think that’s the answer either, because with his combination of ballhandling, shooting, and weight, he’s at most a power forward. He doesn’t have nearly enough bulk to keep opposing centers off the glass, but with his height and agility, he should have no problem with modern day power forwards. If Bol plays center, the Nuggets have to resort to a zone defense to be successful on the defensive glass, and you don’t want to pigeonhole your roster into a certain scheme when one player is on the court.

Can the Nuggets find a backup center on the free agency market? I don’t think the Nuggets, with their pursuit of Jerami Grant, will be able to afford someone like Derrick Favors. They’re a team that will want to add veterans to their roster to help them maintain their status as a contender in the conference, but they don’t have the luxury of dropping $14 million per year on another backup center.

Should the Nuggets try to find a backup center in the draft? Rookies make mistakes, it’s rare to find someone that can step into the rotation on day one and be a productive player, especially with where the Nuggets will be drafting from. They’ll need a lot of reps to learn the intricacies of NBA offenses and how to defend them. They’ll need a ton of minutes to develop chemistry with the other bench players on offense so they aren’t a negative on that end of the court.

This leads me to a position where it almost makes the most sense to bring Plumlee back on a one-year contract, buy a second round pick and try to develop his backup, in the same way they developed Monte Morris. They can try to get Bol Bol more accustomed to playing against NBA players, and hope that he’s able to be a counter for Anthony Davis for 10 minutes a game in the playoffs.

Ultimately the Nuggets will need to find a player that they are comfortable playing for 15 minutes per game in the playoffs. It seems like the Nuggets coaching staff isn’t as keen on putting Plumlee in that role as each season progresses, but they don’t have someone to step into his shoes right now. If they bring Plumlee back for one year, they give themselves another season to try to find an answer. Sometimes you just go with the guys that got you where you are now until you find something better, and I’m not sure the Nuggets can find and afford someone better at this point.

Maybe Plumlee will be back, maybe he won’t. But no matter where he ends up, you can count on him coming to work each day with a level of professionalism that will be a positive for the team.