Nugg Love
Fansided

The Denver Nuggets All-Time roster

By Grayson Moore

DENVER - MARCH 22: The Denver Nuggets pose for a team photo on March 22, 2009 at the Pepsi Center in Denver, Colorado. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2009 NBAE (Photo by Garrett W. Ellwood/NBAE via Getty Images)
DENVER - MARCH 22: The Denver Nuggets pose for a team photo on March 22, 2009 at the Pepsi Center in Denver, Colorado. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2009 NBAE (Photo by Garrett W. Ellwood/NBAE via Getty Images) /
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DENVER- 1990: Fat Lever #12 of the Denver Nuggets dribbles against the Utah Jazz during a game played circa 1990 at McNicholls Arena in Denver Colorado.  Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 1990 NBAE (Photo by Scott Cunningham/NBAE via Getty Images)
DENVER- 1990: Fat Lever #12 of the Denver Nuggets dribbles against the Utah Jazz during a game played circa 1990 at McNicholls Arena in Denver Colorado.  Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 1990 NBAE (Photo by Scott Cunningham/NBAE via Getty Images) /

Starting 5:

PG: Fat Lever

SG: David Thompson

SF: Alex English

PF: Dan Issel

C: Dikembe Mutombo

What a team this would be.

Denver Nuggets
Denver Nuggets /

Denver Nuggets

Basically, everybody up there had their career overlap with the other guys for a few years, but not long enough. Thompson and Issel played together for a while before Thompson went to Seattle to end his career with a whimper. Issel and English then got to play together for a lot of English’s prime, but Issel was getting into his mid-30s and retired before spending significant time with Fat Lever, who only played a season with Issel. English and Lever got to play together for a while and formed a super combo that set the league on fire.

They missed Mutombo by a couple of years, however, and without a significant 3rd piece, they could never do much in terms of competing for a championship. So putting these guys together would be a dream for every Nuggets fan.

Lever could serve the role as the main distributor and ball handler while locking up the best guard on the opposing team. Thompson and English would take the roles of the high volume, high scoring wings and would be almost impossible to guard.

Dan Issel would get in on the fun with some post-ups, offensive rebounds, and put backs while playing solid defense. With 4 other players in the lineup who could score the ball with ease, Mutombo wouldn’t really be needed on the offensive end of the ball. Instead, he could focus on doing what he does best: playing incredible defense and blocking the bejesus out of the other team.

Lever averaged 7.5 assists per game to just 2.3 turnovers in his time in Denver. He also put up 2.5 steals per game, maintained a DBPM of +2.2, and got selected to an All-Defensive team. Thompson put up 24.1 points per game on 50.7% shooting with the Nuggets, while English averaged 25.9 points per game on 50.9% shooting.

While those two wouldn’t offer much floor spacing, they could knock down mid-range shots and score lay-ups and dunks for days. Issel was also a bit of a scoring enthusiast, putting up 20.7 points per game in Denver on 50.7% shooting.

He also averaged 2.5 offensive rebounds per game with an ORB% of 8.2%. Finally, Mutombo has the most defensive win shares in Denver history despite playing just 5 seasons with the team, not to mention the most blocks, most blocks per game(3.8), most rebounds per game(12.3), the second highest DBPM(4.2), and the 10th best defensive rating(101.7). He is also a 4x Defensive Player of the Year and a 6x All-Defensive Team member, with one DPOY and one All-Defensive team selection coming in Denver.

It’s safe to say this would be one of the most formidable teams in the league and could compete on both sides of the court.