The Denver Nuggets are likely going to be making some changes to the roster this coming offseason, but they're potentially behind the proverbial eight-ball right out of the gate with just about any candidate they're looking to bring in. Why? Because the Nuggets lack a modern practice facility. And according to a new player poll, it's something NBA players value highly.
There were a few polls conducted by "The Athletic," and authors Sam Amick, Josh Robbins, and Joe Vardon, explored a few topics with anonymous NBA players. But the one that stood out the most was the leaguewide support from players for player comfort.
Players were asked what "the smartest teams spend money on, beyond player contracts." The answer was overwhelmingly in support of "player comfort" over "the family experience," and "organizational investment, and fan-facing measures."
Included in the player comfort is "high-end practice facilities." Which the Nuggets don't have, and aren't on schedule to have for the foreseeable future.
The Nuggets practice facility is in the planning stages
The Nuggets have been practicing at Ball Arena forever, and they've got just one practice court to use in the facility. The new, modern facility has been in the planning stages for years, and team president Josh Kroenke even stated during the team's end-of-the-season press conference that the facility was still in the works, and that it was held up because of "zoning" issues with the city.
Whatever the issue is, it could clearly affect how players view the Nuggets. They want to practice in a modern facility, and they should. It's tin foil hat stuff, but maybe if Aaron Gordon didn't practice in an auxiliary gym, he'd have a better chance to recover?
Yes, that sounds outlandish, but it does beg the question of what other perks the Nuggets could be skimping on for players. They invest heavily in these athletes, and you would hope the Nuggets could match what other franchises can offer in the perks department. But a modern practice facility doesn't appear to be one of them for some time.
Could it affect free agents who want to come to Denver?
We'll never really know whether it would affect any free-agent signing unless someone comes out and says they didn't choose Denver because of the practice facility. But it makes you wonder what other players around the league think of the Nuggets having to practice in the side gym.
Hopefully, Denver planners get around to fixing that zoning issue soon enough and put the ball back in the Nuggets' court to get it built.
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