Denver Nuggets name G League affiliate the Grand Rapids Gold

The Denver Nuggets have announced the new team branding for its recently acquired G League team, the Grand Rapids Gold.

Formerly the Detroit Pistons affiliate team, the Grand Rapids Gold now shares an aesthetic connection to its G League team.

The Grand Rapids Gold is one of only two G-League teams that maintain a hybrid ownership structure with its NBA team. This means that the Nuggets control all basketball decisions while the Gold front office manages business operations and community engagement.

The Gold’s front office explained that the name came from Colorado’s mining heritage. On top of that connection, the ‘R’ in the Gold’s logo features small rivers to honor the city’s nickname of River City.

In an announcement, Grand Rapids Gold president Steve Jbara says the new affiliation and name change is one of the biggest moves it has made as a franchise:

"“Aligning ourselves further with the Denver Nuggets, a team that recently advanced past the first round of the NBA playoffs for the third consecutive season, further elevates the professional basketball experience here in Grand Rapids, and we couldn’t be more excited to get back on the court this fall.”"

Denver Nuggets president of basketball operations Tim Connelly adds that the team is excited about the new name and logo:

"“We feel the new look aligns well with both the Nuggets and Grand Rapids organizations and are excited to see it in action on the court next season.”"

In the 2019-20 G League season, Grand Rapids finished fourth in the Eastern Conference with a 25-17 record.

Denver’s current roster has two players on Two-Way contracts in Shaquille Harrison and Markus Howard. Additionally, former Two-Way player Bol Bol is a candidate to spend some developmental time in the G-League.

Heading into this offseason, the Nuggets own the 26th pick in the 2021 Draft. Alongside 2020 first-round draft pick, Zeke Nnaji, several NBA players may get an opportunity to play in Grand Rapids for the Gold.