When things go poorly for the Nuggets, everyone and their mother comes out of the woodwork with an opinion. But it hasn’t just been constrained to the media; players and coaches have weighed in on the state of affairs in Denver.
People want to get their takes off and provide their fixes for the Nuggets. They think they know what’s wrong and what needs to be changed. The reality is that the situation is very nuanced; many years and many moves have led to where the organization is now.
There’s no magical solution to make sweeping changes to the roster. For the most part, the team is stuck and they are going to have to figure it out internally; we can’t relitigate the past and what’s done is done. But that doesn’t mean there can’t be accountability.
George Karl calls for Nuggets to be held accountable
One prominent former Nugget weighed in on the state of the team via social media; former head coach George Karl. Karl was the head coach in Denver from 2005-2013, presiding over some great teams led by the likes of Carmelo Anthony, Chauncey Billups, Allen Iverson, and others.
Karl led the team to multiple playoff appearances, including a trip to the Western Conference Finals in 2009. But Karl didn’t leave on the best terms and has been outspoken and critical since he left - even criticizing some of his former players, like Anthony.
Saturday night after the Nuggets' embarrassing loss to the Wizards, Karl tweeted out the following message: “The Nuggets two next moves are: 1) find someone to cover the ball 2) hold the person who let Brown and KCP walk accountable”.
The Nuggets two next moves are:
— George Karl (@CoachKarl22) December 8, 2024
1) find someone to cover the ball
2) hold the person who let Brown and KCP walk accountable
It’s easier for Karl to chime in from the sidelines and some fans are likely rolling their eyes at Karl’s suggestions, which offer no tangible moves. The defense, especially at the point of attack on the perimeter is not good. The Nuggets need help in that regard; that’s no secret, but it’s unclear where that help will come from.
As for his second point, it seems as if Karl is essentially suggesting that Calvin Booth should be fired. But his specific criticism is a bit misguided. For one, we can’t relitigate the Brown situation. The Nuggets didn’t have his Bird Rights, and he got offered a massive contract as a free agent that priced Denver out of the mix.
Everyone would have loved to keep Brown, but it simply was not a possibility. He came to Denver on a cheap deal and played so well that the offers got too high for the Nuggets to match. For him to stay, he would have had to sacrifice a lot of money, which is not a reasonable expectation.
So, there is really nobody to blame for “letting” Brown walk. The situation with Caldwell-Pope was different. The Nuggets had his Bird Rights and could have matched any deal, but chose not to. They made the decision to move on, invest in the youth movement, and keep flexibility open for the future.
The jury is still out on that decision; Christian Braun has filled in admirably in the starting lineup, but it’s also clear that the team is missing KCP’s defense, shooting, and leadership. Would all of their problems be solved if KCP was still in town? I doubt it. Is it fair to question the decision to let him walk? Absolutely.
Karl means well with his tweet, and I don’t think he’s doing or saying anything in bad faith. But he should have a better understanding of the situation and realize that keeping Brown was never a realistic option. At the same time, he’s correct in that somebody needs to answer for the disastrous roster issues the team is currently facing.
Karl may not be the right messenger, and some of his message is not even applicable. But, he’s also making some good points and highlighting some major concerns in Denver. We’ll see if anything is actually done.