The non-Nikola Jokic minutes have always been a problem for the Denver Nuggets. That was certainly the case last season, despite the offseason addition of veteran center Jonas Valanciunas. When Jokic came out of the game at the top of the second and fourth quarters, leads dwindled time after time.
So much so that Nuggets head coach David Adelman had to get crafty and experiment with different lineups to combat the deficit. He landed on one that worked well thanks to the added quickness and athleticism it provided. The "small-ball" group. But the Nuggets shouldn't have to use a small lineup at all this season thanks to their acquisition of Marvin Bagley III and their drafting of rookie Trevon Brazile.
Bagley will provide athleticism at center when Jokic sits
Valanciunas played himself out of the rotation when the Nuggets got fully healthy for a couple of weeks in March. He wasn't producing stops, and he was getting torched in the paint, so Adelman went to plan B. Now, I'm not saying Bagley is going to be a world-class stopper on defense, because he isn't, but his athleticism is far superior to Valanciunas'. Bagley is more mobile, and he fits the speed and pace that Adleman was trying to get out of the second unit.
Spencer Jones was anchoring the small-ball lineup at center. At 6-foot-7. He shouldn't have to do that this season. The second unit should be able to function as a second unit more classically thanks to Bagley.
And if Adelman really wants to test the waters with a more athletic lineup, he can turn to Brazile. Brazile, at 6-foot-10, is more of a power forward, but he's quick, and with his long wingspan, he can recover well and protect the rim. Not to mention that Brazile can also stretch opposing defenses with his three-point range.
The Nuggets' second unit may be better than some expect
The Nuggets' second unit isn't so much worse than it was last year, and it may actually be better than many expect. Spencer Jones should be the backup small and power forward in the rotation, and rookie Alpha Diallo, the Euroleague Defensive Player of the Year, should be the lockdown defender who can guard the opposing team's best player 1 through 4. He's not exactly Peyton Watson on defense, but he's the closest thing the Nuggets will find on a minimum salary contract.
And then you have DeMar DeRozan, who can not only score, but who could also be the backup point guard when Jamal Murray sits. But at the end of the day, the Nuggets shouldn't have to use a small-ball lineup again. They got bigger and more athletic, which should hopefully translate to better production from the second unit.
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