ESPN picks fascinating Nugget as one of 10 figures to define the NBA season

As we’re barely a week out from the NBA’s regular season tipping off, predictions are pouring in from all kinds of outlets. There are all kinds of hot takes and bold proclamations out there, with fans and media members looking to stand out with their opinions.

But with so many picks and predictions out there, it’s easy for it all to blend together. So, it’s nice to see when certain media members and outlets try to go in a different direction and change things up. 

That’s what Tim Bontemps of ESPN attempted as he wrote an article taking a look at 10 people who will define the upcoming NBA season. The list included players, coaches, personnel, media members, and even a player not yet in the NBA.

The list was full of eye-catching names like Charles Barkley, Cooper Flagg, Victor Wembanyama, and others. But the most interesting name on the list, at least to Nuggets fans, was Calvin Booth.

Nuggets GM named one of 10 people who will define this NBA season

Booth was hired by the Nuggets as an Assistant General Manager in 2017 and took over the top spot as GM of the team in 2020 after Tim Connelly departed for Minnesota. Booth’s run has been successful as he’s hit on several draft picks and masterminded the Kentavious Caldwell-Pope trade which helped the Nuggets win a title in 2023.

But the good vibes from the championship have quickly worn off and Booth and compnay have come under fire for some of their personnel moves in recent years. The direction of the franchise has changed pretty drastically as veteran players like Bruce Brown, Jeff Green, KCP, and Reggie Jackson have all departed.

Booth (and the ownership group) have decided to let veterans player walk rather than keeping the championship roster together and creating a massive tax bill. Instead, Booth and the Nuggets have made a major bet on their young players and recent draft picks like Christian Braun, Peyton Watson, Julian Strawther, and others.

They’ve also tried to scour the free agency landscape for discounts, recently bringing in Russell Westbrook and Dario Saric. For better or worse, the team has been largely transformed oustide of just the top four players in the past two years.

Now it feels like the legacy and future of Calvin Booth are hanging in the balance. He presided over the title team, but frankly, most of that work was already done for him. But the team now, is truly his own. 

This has been his plan and now it’s coming to light. If the young players and new vets hit it off, Booth may have built a juggernaut that is sustainable for years to come. But if these guys can’t replace the players lost in recent years, the team could peter out and blood will be on Booth’s hands for wasting the prime of Nikola Jokic.