The roster turnover for the Nuggets in recent years has been relatively subtle, but it has still made a world of difference. Compared to most NBA teams, it’s pretty rare to be able to keep a consistent top four together and Denver has been lucky in that regard.
But beyond that, the margins have almost completely flipped in the past few seasons. There was a sort of power struggle and strife going on between the front office and the coaching staff; Michael Malone wanted established veterans, constantly favoring those players on his roster.
Calvin Booth wanted to empower the young players the team had drafted and build them up to shape the rotation and make it sustainable for years to come. It was unclear who would win out and at times, it felt like it was spiraling towards disaster.
But ships have steadied and things seem to be working out well - almost a bit of a compromise for both sides. Booth got rid of several of the older players Malone would lean on, thrusting young players like Christian Braun, Peyton Watson, and Julian Strawther into bigger roles out of necessity.
On the other hand, Booth did bring in one of the ultimate veterans, Russell Westbrook who has quickly become a binky for Malone. Both sides are equally dissatisfied so to speak and it’s working out for everyone, at least for the time being.
Justin Holiday to work out with Italian team
One recent former Nugget who was let go in the offseason is Justin Holiday. Holiday is 35 years old and played 11 seasons in the NBA, including winning a title with the Warriors in 2015. He was on the Nuggets last season and actually became a meaningful role player off the bench, playing over 16 minutes a game in the team’s second-round playoff series loss to the Timberwolves.
But the Nuggets chose not to re-sign him in the offseason and no other NBA team offered him a contract. He hasn’t been on a team this season, perhaps waiting for a team to reach out and bring him in.
That hasn’t come to fruition yet and word is, he may have another gig lined up. It was reported on Saturday that Holiday will work out with the Italian team, Virtus Bologna on a 10-day basis. After that, the team will decide whether to sign Holiday or not.
Justin Holiday will train with Virtus Bologna for about ten days, with the aim of convincing the Juventus club to offer him a contract
— Luca D'Alessandro (@DAlessandro_LU) January 25, 2025
It’s pretty surprising that it’s come to this for Holiday. He was a solid shooter and defender for a playoff team just last year and now he’s completely out of the league and must work out for a deal overseas. It just goes to show how quickly things can change in the NBA and how thin the talent margins are.
There was a time during the offseason when I wouldn’t have hated bringing Holiday back to Denver, but I understand the need to clear space for young players as Braun, Watson, and Strawther have stepped into their new roles quite well so far.