The Nuggets Almost Had a Two-Time Defensive Player of the Year

On Thursday, January 30, the Denver Nuggets will host division rival Utah Jazz at 10:30 PM Eastern time, a nationally televised between two of the top teams in the Western Conference.

Both teams enter the contest with a 32-15 record this season, and both teams rank inside the top-twelve in defensive rating.

Defensively speaking, the Nuggets predicate themselves with effort on that side of the floor, something that allowed them to finish tenth in the NBA in defensive rating last season. The Jazz on the other hand, heavily rely on their two-time Defensive Player of the Year to shut down opponents.

Rudy Gobert is currently tied for fourth in the NBA in blocks per game at 2.0 per contest, he has made the All-Defensive First Team three times, the All-NBA Second Team in 2017, the All-NBA Third Team last year and most importantly, the Nuggets drafted him in 2013.

With the 27th pick in the 2013 NBA Draft, the Nuggets selected the seven-foot center dubbed “The Stifle Tower,” since he broke both the wingspan and standing reach record at the NBA Combine that summer.

Gobert never suited up for the Nuggets though, he was traded for a second-round pick and cash considerations on draft night. The second-round pick became point guard Erick Green, who the year before, led all of college basketball in scoring at Virginia Tech.

You cannot fault the Nuggets for trading Gobert, after finishing 57-25 during the 2012-13 NBA season, the Nuggets seemed to have the center position in a good place with 25-year old Javale McGee and 23-year old Kosta Koufus averaging a combined 17.1 points, 11.7 rebounds and 3.3 blocks per game.

Koufus was traded to the Memphis Grizzles though, late in the second round of the 2013 Draft for Darrell Arthur and the draft rights to Joffery Lauvergne. Timofey Mozgov got the majority of minutes at center during the 2013-14 season as McGee missed all but five games that year.

Gobert did not make much of an impact during his rookie season, playing just 45 games, not starting once and averaging just 2.3 points and 3.4 rebounds per game.

As Gobert got more minutes with the Jazz, he blossomed into the formidable presence he is known for today. In his fourth year in the league, he upped his averages to 14.0 points, 12.8 rebounds and a league-high 2.6 blocks per game.

Nikola Jokic, who was drafted one year before Gobert, has become a household name for the Nuggets. He was selected to his first All-Star team last year and likely on his way to another one this year.

That being said, Jokic has been criticized for his inability to alter shots at the rim and secure the paint. This was partially the reason front court partner Paul Millsap was brought in three years ago, to shore up the Nuggets on the defensive side of the floor.

Gobert and Jokic, although listed at the same position, would have been one of the best front courts in the NBA had they gotten the chance to play together.

Jokic is known for his historically great ability to facilitate, he can stretch the floor and bully players inside with his huge frame. Gobert has some of the best defensive instincts in the league and has grown his offensive game over the years.

One could make the argument that Jokic and Gobert developed into the players they are because they got the playing time necessary to work on their games over the years, but these two players in particular could have co-existed in the same front court given their skill sets.

Nuggets fans will never know if a Jokic-Gobert front court would have been successful, but fans can expect to see plenty of exciting match ups between the two for the entirety of their careers.