Denver Nuggets: A blueprint for success in 2021-22
By Dennis Smith
Denver Nuggets offseason plan: Is Lonzo Ball available?
First and foremost, the Denver Nuggets should try to take a shot at acquiring New Orleans Pelicans restricted free agent Lonzo Ball.
Ball is a high-IQ point guard with great passing skills and can play very good perimeter defense when he’s locked in. The thought here is that Nikola Jokic loves to play with high IQ players, Lonzo Ball and Nikola Jokic is a pick-and-roll match made in heaven with either being able to make pin-point passes out of the action.
Since he’s coming off his rookie contract, Lonzo is a restricted free agent this offseason, meaning New Orleans can match any offer the guard signs with another team. He’s apparently looking to sign a contract in the $20 million per year range according to The Athletic‘s Sam Amick, making things difficult for this Denver team.
The only way Denver can open up that much cap space to just offer the contract to Ball is if Will Barton declines his Player Option or Denver trades him to another team without taking back any salary and if Paul Millsap doesn’t resign for a number significantly above the minimum.
The New York Knicks, Chicago Bulls, and Atlanta Hawks all had interested in trading for Lonzo at the deadline per Kevin O’Connor, The Ringer so there are likely multiple teams trying to get Ball to sign on the dotted line.
If the Nuggets could somehow figure out a way to get Lonzo to Denver, your young backcourt would be set for years.
Lonzo doesn’t just help Jokic, he would take pressure and ball-handling duties off of Jamal Murray. We saw how much energy it took out of Jamal during the bubble playoff run where he had to constantly be on the attack while also making big decisions.
If you look at some of the teams that are left, Jamal Murray could be seen as similar to what Donovan Mitchell and Devin Booker bring. The big thing with those two is that they don’t always need to be super aggressive and can pick and chose their spots because they have high IQ point guards to take the pressure off. The importance of Chris Paul for Booker and Mike Conley for Mitchell is huge and is more than something that shows up in the box score.
The Denver Nuggets could look to find their younger version of that in Lonzo Ball for Jamal Murray. This past season, Lonzo averaged just under 15 points a night, six assists, and five rebounds which would be perfect for the Nuggets as a true point guard. He’s only 23-years-old and getting better every year with a 6-foot-6 frame and he really competes on defense which is something the Nuggets need on the perimeter.
As far as shooting goes, that was the biggest knock on Lonzo when he came into the league, but he’s gotten significantly better at that as well shooting 38 percent from deep and putting up about eight attempts per game. He’s showing a lot more confidence in his shot and has seemed to have found a shooting stroke that works for him.
Giving Lonzo Ball the point guard duties with Nikola Jokic, sharpshooter Michael Porter Jr, and eventually Jamal Murray who is also a talented scorer would be great for Lonzo. He could pick his spots and set up so many players as he’s a very skilled passer. His passing was never in doubt, he showed very early on in his career that he has great passing vision and skills.
Lonzo would also help in an area where Denver lacks being perimeter defense, he competes on hard on defense and is exceptional at playing the passing lanes. He leaks out and shows a lot of speed on fast breaks which match well with Nikola’s touchdown passes.
William Guillory, The Athletic says that the odds Lonzo returns is between 40 and 50 percent. If he doesn’t return to NOLA, the Denver Nuggets should seriously consider strongly going after him.
He could be part of the young core players they have and he’s a personality that would mesh very well with the culture in Denver. He could focus on being a playmaker and making his open shots while Denver’s other stars do damage.