The Denver Nuggets are likely in for some changes this coming offseason after their early first-round exit from the playoffs at the hands of their rivals, the Minnesota Timberwolves. The Nuggets need to rip a page out of the book the Knicks are printing for them this postseason on the Knicks' way to the NBA Finals. Not just in how to approach the rebuild via trades, but by also bringing in players who fit a defensive profile that can overcome the defensive deficiencies Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray each have.
That's what the Knicks did around Jalen Brunson, carving out a style of play this year with him and Karl-Anthony Towns that could serve as a blueprint for the Nuggets over the next couple of years. The days of trying to just outscore everyone on pure points, as the Nuggets have been doing for a long time now, need to change.
The Knicks blueprint for the Nuggets
The blueprint from the Knicks is fairly simple in thought, but getting it all to come together doesn't always work out. They put good defenders around a poor defender in Brunson, and they made sure these defenders could knock down a jumper. KAT's not the greatest defender, either, but he'll get a couple of blocked shots.
The Knicks also signed Landry Shamet to back up Brunson, and he was fantastic off the bench against the Cleveland Cavaliers. He's good enough at defense, and he combines with Miles McBride off the bench, who complements Shamet with improved offense.
That's one of the things the Knicks do great. Mikal Bridges, OG Anunoby, and Josh Hart are fantastic role players. Anunoby even finished on the NBA All-Defensive Second Team. The Knicks have a complement for each other, and they've been able to gel well. The Nuggets just really don't have a complement.
The Nuggets need to find complements for Jokic and Murray
It's a fairly simple formula. Jokic and Murray were surrounded by guys who could shoot the three-ball efficiently, but that was it. The Nuggets need to start adding some defensive help first around the All-NBA duo, because the duo doesn't play great defense. Jokic and Murray are essentially just another version of KAT and Brunson.
At the minimum, the Nuggets can't just try to outscore everyone again. There has to be some defense. Each trade the Nuggets make should be a complement defensively first, with good offensive attributes second.
The same goes for their free agent moves. Murray and Jokic can carry the offense and create the offense. Jokic elevates everyone around him.
So it's quite a simple new formula that the Nuggets need to apply, because the old one, the one that's been around for a long time, isn't working anymore. And the Knicks just gave them the blueprints for a new formula that is.
Add us as a preferred source on Google