This past season, Nikola Jokic made his fourth-straight NBA All-Star Game appearance, becoming the first Denver Nuggets player to accomplish such a feat since Alex English in the 1980s. Unfortunately, this sense of pride diminishes quickly when you consider the fact that Jokic was Denver’s first All-Star in over a decade, with Carmelo Anthony making the last appearance back in 2011.
Simply put, the Nuggets have struggled to develop All-Star-caliber players in recent years. Sure, there’s been a lot of talent walk in and out of Ball Arena, including guys like Ty Lawson, Kenneth Faried, and Paul Millsap, to name a few. However, none put up anywhere close to what would be described as “elite” numbers during their time spent in the Mile High City.
That being said, we appear to be in a new era of Denver Basketball at the moment.
With Nikola Jokic coming off back-to-back MVP seasons, Jamal Murray inching closer to joining the exclusive 50-40-90 club and both Michael Porter Jr. and Bones Hyland appearing to be two of the best raw talents in the NBA. There’s an argument to be made that this is the most talented Denver Nuggets roster in franchise history.
Even though it seems highly unlikely that Jokic will clinch a third-straight league MVP next season, it feels pretty safe to assume that he will at least be an All-Star. The question then becomes will any of his Nuggets teammates be joining him?
3 Denver Nuggets who could be first-time All-Stars in 2023
1) Jamal Murray
With it being over a year now since the Blue Arrow was last seen in action, it’s easy to forget that he’s still one of the best young combo guards in the association. A player who was averaging career highs in points (21.2), assists (4.8), steals (1.3) and minutes per game (35.5), while knocking down nearly 48 percent of his shots from the field and 41 percent from long range when we last saw him operating at full capacity.
Not to mention his astounding NBA Bubble performance from the summer prior. When he torched opposing teams scoring more than 26 points, 4 rebounds and 6 assists per game, while shooting better than 50 percent from the field and 45 percent from deep through 19 postseason contests. Playing a massive role in the Denver Nuggets reaching their first Western Conference Finals since 2009.
Murray’s 21.2 points per game in 2020-21 lands him a notch above players like Fred VanVleet, Dejounte Murray and LaMelo Ball, all of whom competed in the All-Star game this past year. While his efficiency numbers far outrank his counterparts, as not even pure scorers like Zach LaVine or Donovan Mitchell have come anywhere close to touching Murray’s .477/.408/.869 shooting splits from 2020-21.
Jamal Murray has been on an upwards trajectory for the last few years and is expected to come back at full strength from his ACL tear. So, assuming the Denver Nuggets stay competitive in the Western Conference (which feels like the expectation for next season), look for Murray to join Jokic as an NBA All-Star in 2023.
2) Michael Porter Jr.
When Michael Porter Jr. signed his five-year $207 million contract extension with the Denver Nuggets at the start of the 2021-22 season, fans were ecstatic and optimistic, to say the least. He’s 6’10”, 24-years-old and was coming off an exceptional sophomore year at the time, in which he averaged over 19 points and 7 rebounds per game on 54 percent from the field and 45 percent from deep.
Unfortunately, the former lottery pick was held to just nine games last year after having to undergo the third back surgery of his young career. Resulting in MPJ having to miss the remainder of the regular season, leaving his future as the next generational NBA superstar in question.
That being said, the hype surrounding Michael Porter Jr. has been mounting over the last several weeks. Whether it be his private workout videos getting posted to Twitter or him boasting about the season to come on the Ball Don’t Stop podcast. Expectations for both Porter Jr. and the Denver Nuggets are sky-high at the moment, as they should be.
In 2020-21, Porter held the third-highest three-point percentage (44.5) among NBA players shooting over six attempts per game. He also became the first player in league history to average over 15 points, 5 rebounds and 50 percent from the field during his second season.
It’s no secret that he’s been suffering from back injuries dating back to his freshman year of college and has yet to play a full NBA season, both of which are certainly worrisome. Although, his lethal scoring ability and potential as a 6’10” do-it-all forward is what sets him apart and makes him a key piece to the Denver Nuggets young core.
If Denver can live up the hype next season, and surpass 50 wins, I suspect MPJ will play a big role in this team’s success. Assuming the reports are accurate that he’s taken his game to the next level, we could be in for a true breakout campaign in 2022-23 for the young Missouri product.
All he needs to do is maintain his efficient shooting and score between 20 and 25 points per night and there’s no reason why he too can’t clinch his first-ever NBA All-Star Game appearance.
3) Aaron Gordon
Personally, I would love to throw Bones Hyland into this last spot here, unfortunately, even if Hyland can break into the starting rotation next season, which feels unlikely given how much of a better rotational fit Kentavious Caldwell-Pope is. Chances are he’ll still be overshadowed by the likes of Jokic, Murray, Porter and our final potential first-ever NBA All-Star, Aaron Gordon.
Now, I know what you’re thinking, “How can a player who’s never averaged over 18 points per game be an NBA All-Star?”. Well, just ask 2018 Al Horford or 2017 Kevin Love and Draymond Green. All of whom averaged less than 20 points per game but got selected as an All-Star because they played for winning franchises.
Horford’s Celtics were atop the Eastern Conference in 2018, while Love’s Cavaliers and Green’s Warriors were each considered favorites in 2017. Hence why both franchises had at least three players make an All-Star team that year.
Now, obviously Gordon doesn’t possess as balanced a skill set as Draymond Green and he’s nowhere near the elite rebounder Kevin Love used to be. However, if the Denver Nuggets waltz into January with the best record in the Western Conference, they too could have three or even four All-Stars, including Aaron Gordon.
At 6’8”, 235 pounds, Gordon is a prototype in terms of build for the forward position. His length enables him to be a strong finisher at the rim, while his athleticism has made him a viral sensation since his high school days when he was named California Mr. Basketball (twice).
It’s clear that Aaron Gordon will never be the franchise player that saw him get drafted fourth overall back in 2014. However, that doesn’t mean he can’t play a major role for a championship contender like the Denver Nuggets. And while he’s probably not the best option as a three-point threat, he complements the rest of the Nuggets lineup beautifully.
Murray and Porter Jr. project to be the team’s top two perimeter options on offense, while Nikola Jokic will remain the team’s lead facilitator, rebounder and scorer. Although, Gordon is easily Denver’s deadliest two-way threat as someone who can defend the other team’s best player, get out in transition and cut hard to the basket to give you at least 15 points and 7 rebounds a night.
I liken him the most to Andrew Wiggins, who was an All-Star last season averaging just over 17 points, 4 rebounds and a steal per game with .466/.393/.634 shooting splits. Which actually made him the fourth-best scoring option for a 53-win Golden State Warriors team.
If Aaron Gordon can maintain his scoring and rebounding averages next season while shooting better than 50 percent from the field (and the Nuggets remain atop the Western Conference), he’s certainly a potential dark horse candidate to crack an NBA All-Star team in 2023.