Once forgotten Nuggets big man is proving to be exactly what Denver needs

The Nuggets have struggled with depth for this entire season. They’ve battled injuries, having guys in and out of the lineup, which has made it hard to build chemistry or solidify their rotations. Part of the issue is that even when the team is at full strength, they are probably a little short on talent.

They’ve been scraping by with what they have, but it’s a lot of weight on the shoulders of the top-end players, and when even one rotation guy is out, there’s a noticeable drop-off. They haven’t fortified the bench and there are still some question marks around who exactly will get consistent minutes once the playoffs start.

One source of surprising production off the bench that has provided a much-needed spark has been Zeke Nnaji. Nnaji has been out of the Nuggets’ rotation for almost an entire year and was thrust back into the mix only due to injuries, but he has played shockingly well.

Zeke Nnaji becoming the backup big man Nuggets have always needed

Prior to last season, Calvin Booth made a proactive move and offered Nnaji a four-year, $32 million extension when he still had one year remaining on the deal. It seemed like an odd move at the time, and it has not aged well at all.

By the end of last season, Nnaji was completely out of Denver’s rotation, and entering this season, one of the biggest priorities for the Nuggets was trading Zeke and getting off his deal. But that proved to be impossible as nobody wanted his $8.8 million salary this season with three more guaranteed years remaining.

Then, in one of the biggest twists of the season, Nnaji was thrust back into the rotation because Aaron Gordon was out with an injury. Russell Westbrook and Peyton Watson also missed significant time and Dario Saric has been unplayable.

Michael Malone had no choice but to turn back to Zeke and he has done nothing but deliver. Maybe the time off was good for Nnaji and he was able to take a step back and refocus, but he looks like a completely different player. 

He has been an excellent two-way power forward, spacing the floor and hitting shots on offense, while being able to cover well and bring great activity to the defensive end, while providing some desperately needed rim protection as well.

Who knows what Nnaji’s ultimate destiny is in this league, but a few months ago he looked like a player who may not be long for the NBA. Now, he looks like a critical piece of the Nuggets’ bench who will be counted on once the playoffs start.