The Denver Nuggets‘ 2021-2022 season will be off and running before we know it on 20 Oct. against none other than the Phoenix Suns, the reigning Western Conference champs and the team that booted the Nuggs from the 2021 playoffs in one of the cleaner four-game sweeps you’ll see.
Since then, the Nuggets have signed perennially playoff-bound forward Jeff Green and re-signed trade deadline acquisition Aaron Gordon to a big fat extension. While Green is a great addition, he’s one of the only differences between that team that was dominated by the Suns back in June and the one we’ve got now.
P.J. Dozier will be healthy again, which will lend a huge boost to a defensive unit sorely needing it. The Denver Nuggets are also expecting (or hoping might be a more accurate description) the youngster to take a big step on the offensive end as well. Will Barton won’t be coming off the physio’s table as he did in the playoffs either, he’ll be fully fit and ready to contribute.
Other than that, you can expect the usual suspects in the lineup—as well as those not in there. Jamal Murray is not expected back on a competitive court anytime soon, so the backcourt could be in real trouble if any other injuries pop back up as they did for Dozier and Barton at the end of last season.
That means that the Nuggets could very well be buyers when veteran buyout season—a new tradition that would seem to be part of the fabric of the modern NBA now—inevitably comes around in the spring of 2022.
Doubtless, our team perched in the Rocky Mountains is more likely to be in the market for a guard whether or not an injury occurs, because the current group in Denver clearly wasn’t up to snuff last season. We’ve got a few ideas of veterans on rebuilding teams that could work out perfect for the Nuggets, with a couple of curveballs mixed in.
Denver Nuggets buyout candidate #1: Eric Gordon, G, Houston Rockets
Though he does have a couple of years left on a contract that pays him over $18 million this season and $19-plus next year, the Houston Rockets’ Eric Gordon is almost certainly not long for his current home in southeast Texas. The Rockets are clearly in the midst of a vigorous rebuild, and we already know that John Wall is working with the team to find himself a new home.
It would follow logic that Gordon will be one of the next few out the door. If he does last until buyout season, he would be a seemingly perfect fit for the Denver Nuggets’ depleted backcourt. He’s not as dynamic as he once was or as Jamal Murray is now, but he’s still a skilled multi-level scorer. Here’s a peek at the former Hoosier’s potential when he’s fully unleashed:
While his 3-point shooting has dipped a bit recently, one would have to think that the turbulent situation in Houston contributed to his struggles. If the 32-year-old was added to a contending team with title aspirations, he might just rediscover his best self: he had a 45/40/86 shooting line last time he was in a semi-regular situation during the Rockets’ 2019 playoff run.
Monte Morris has shown himself to be wise beyond his years, but the responsibilities of a starting point guard are much weightier than those of the sixth man, rookie Bones Hyland is a very raw talent, P.J. Dozier is still finding himself, and even Facundo Campazzo is a newcomer to the league.
A veteran of 55 playoff games like Gordon could be exactly what this backcourt needs heading into what they hope to be the deepest playoff run in franchise history.
Denver Nuggets buyout candidate #2: Terrence Ross, G, Orlando Magic
The Orlando Magic are going nowhere fast. The Denver Nuggets should know, they helped facilitate Orlando’s rebuild by supplying them with a first-rounder, Gary Harris, and R.J. Hampton at last year’s trade deadline. Now that Gordon’s been secured on a long-term deal, it seems the Nuggets are pretty happy with that deal but are they done pilfering the home of Disney?
It seems more and more teams are taking on the Sam Presti Oklahoma City Thunder blueprint of completely eradicating veterans from their rosters while they’re rebuilding in order to acquire the maximum amount of draft capital. Based on the moves the Magic made at last year’s trade deadline, it’s safe to say they’re operating in a similar way.
That would seem to leave 30-year-old powder keg Terrence Ross on the outs in Florida. The nine-year veteran has just one year left on his current contract, and with Cole Anthony, Hampton, and No. 5 overall pick Jalen Suggs (who just so happens to play the two like Ross) in the backcourt, the direction seems clear in Mickey’s house.
He’s got four 30-point games since the start of 2020, and we can’t forget about his 51-point explosion when he was a part of the Toronto Raptors. Sure, it was eight years ago, but anyone who can burn as hot as Ross did that night is definitely still a weapon off the bench at age 30.
Ross has also played in just ten playoff games since 2016, so he’s got a chip on his shoulder and it’s likely that he’s eager to get to a destination where he can do some winning. With Monte Morris moving to the starting lineup and Will Barton likely joining him, Denver’s bench will be devoid of scoring options, especially in the backcourt.
Ross could be the perfect medicine, and the front offices in Orlando and Denver are already quite familiar with one another.
Denver Nuggets buyout candidate #3: Avery Bradley, G, Houston Rockets
While Ross is a solution for the Denver Nuggets’ expected bench scoring issues, Avery Bradley could be the defensive ace in the backcourt that they’ve been missing for the past few years. The veteran was traded to the Houston Rockets during last season, but his option was not picked up, making him a free agent.
Bradley recently worked out for the Golden State Warriors, but nothing became of it, so he remains a free agent. I know he’s not technically a buyout candidate because he’s not signed to another team, but like every other player on this list, he’s a veteran looking for a new home that has its eyes on Larry OB.
The 30-year-old could very well be signed soon, and possibly by a team other than the Nuggets. But who knows, once March comes around, wherever he ends up might not be a match, and the Joker and company could swoop in with the perfect pitch.
The Nuggets have struggled to defend the backcourt for a while. Gary Harris couldn’t stay healthy and while Jamal Murray has improved his defense markedly, no one would ever consider him an All-Defensive NBA guy, and he’s out anyway. Will Barton isn’t much of a defender and neither is Monte Morris. Facundo Campazzo has a lot of energy but his size makes it tough for him to be an effective stopper.
Even though he’s more of a two-three hybrid, P.J. Dozier is probably the best backcourt defender on the team, but he’s still quite raw. A veteran lockdown defender like Bradley to take on the other team’s top scorer could be just what the doctor ordered for the Nuggets because lord knows they’ve got the scoring thing down.
Denver Nuggets buyout candidate #4: Thaddeus Young, F, San Antonio Spurs
Another solid defender that could be looking at a change of scenery this season is forward Thaddeus Young, who finds himself with the rebuilding San Antonio Spurs after a wild offseason for his old employers, the Chicago Bulls.
The Spurs allowed LaMarcus Aldridge to leave last season and DeMar DeRozan to depart this offseason, so it certainly seems like Gregg Popovich and company don’t have much use for veteran talent.
How long Young remains with the Spurs is very much in the air, but if he is somehow still on the roster come buyout time, one would have to think that Pop will do right by the 14-year veteran and allow him to be bought out (he is on the final year of a contract that will pay him $14-plus million this season) and find himself a contender to join.
While it will be hard to beat out the Brooklyn Nets and Los Angeles Lakers, who seem to have a monopoly on aging veteran talent, Young would be a welcome addition in Denver, on the court on both ends as well as in the locker room.
At 33, Young won the NBA’s 2020-2021 Hustle Award, which speaks to the intangibles he possesses and how they can be applied to a young team with title hopes like the Nuggets. He was number one in charges drawn and offensive loose balls recovered per minute and was top 15 in deflections and offensive boxouts per minute, too.
Any team looking to make an imprint on the 2022 NBA playoffs would be lucky to have Young, let’s just hope it’s the Nuggets that pull the trigger when the opportunity presents itself.
Denver Nuggets buyout candidate #5: Ricky Rubio, G, Cleveland Cavaliers
A ten-year NBA veteran, Ricky Rubio was just shipped out to the Cleveland Cavaliers last month from the Minnesota Timberwolves (who seem to be in self-implode mode now) and it seems highly unlikely that the young Cavs have intentions of keeping the Spaniard around for the long haul.
He’s in the final year of his contract, so he’s a prime buyout candidate, and if anything were to happen to Monte Morris, who always manages to be an excellent passer while taking great care of the basketball, Rubio could be the perfect guy to step in for him.
Even if Monte stays healthy, Rubio could be a great backup as well as a mentor and veteran presence for the rest of the inexperienced youngsters in the backcourt. Morris was tops in the NBA last season with a 4.41 assist to turnover ratio, so it would be hard to replicate that…
Unless, of course, you’re a 30-year-old vet that had the fourth-best AST-TO ratio at 3.90 last year. Rubio used to be known for being reckless and committing a lot of turnovers, but last season he averaged just 1.6 giveaways, the lowest mark of his career by a very wide margin.
He has never won a playoff series in the NBA, so Rubio definitely has a chip on his shoulder, and he could be a great veteran voice to have in a locker room that is still finding a way to mesh together.
BONUS Denver Nuggets Buyout Candidate: Jamaal Crawford, G, Unsigned
I know I know, Jamal Crawford is not signed and hasn’t been since the NBA bubble back in August 2020. But how can that be? The guy can definitely still hoop. Listen to any legends talk about blacktop games and bucket-getters and they’ll mention Jamal Crawford almost every time.
In his last chance in the NBA in Orlando in 2020, he played just six minutes for the Brooklyn Nets, going 2-4 for five points to go with three dimes. Six minutes, and he created 12 points, yet no one thought he could still play? He may be 41, but there is still some magic in J-Crossover’s legs, don’t doubt it.
Along with Lou Williams, he is one of two players to have won the Sixth Man of the Year award thrice, most recently in 2016. In his last full season in 2018-2019, he averaged just 7.9 points in 18.9 minutes per game over 64 games, which were both career lows by a wide margin with the exception of his rookie year.
However, in the last game Crawford played in the NBA before that cup of coffee with the Nets, a 39-year-old Crawford put up 51 points. Yes, 51 points. At 39 years old. He went 18-for-30 from the field, 7-for-13 from deep, and 8-for-9 from the free throw line while adding five dimes, five rebounds, a steal, and a block.
Despite Crawford’s best efforts, the Mavs did still win Dirk Nowitzki’s final home game on that night. The Seattle native made an imprint though, carrying the Suns back from down 31 to within four in the final minutes of the game thanks in large part to his 26 points and two assists in the fourth quarter.
So how the heck has he not been given a real shot since then??
He’s been in the league for 19 years, played 74 playoff games, loves coming off the bench and has no ego, and can clearly still play at the highest level if given the chance to do so. Why not give that to him this year in Denver?