Denver Nuggets all-time starting 5: building a team to dominate the modern NBA

Other than the Olympics, it’s pretty much the doldrums of the summer for NBA fans and fans of the Denver Nuggets. We get to enjoy Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray leading their countries, but beyond that, the Nuggets news has been fairly slow lately. 

It’s a great opportunity for us to dive in and reflect on the history of this franchise. Let’s imagine that we can bring past players into the future and modernize their games to fit the current NBA. Doing that, I’ve gone through the history of this team and built an all-time starting lineup that could stack up with all the historically great teams of recent years. 

Here’s the best of the best, the all-time starting 5 in the history of the Denver Nuggets. Keep in mind, this isn’t a list of the top 5 players, this is a group that has to fit together as a starting lineup, and could take the floor as a cohesive unit, built to play and win actual games.

Point Guard: Lafayette “Fat” Lever

Lever was an explosive two-way point guard who did it all for the Nuggets from 1984-1990. He could score, rebound, and pass and in the modern game, he would up his shooting volume and become a menace from beyond the arc. He would also set the tone on defense and provide intense ball pressure, making it difficult for opponents to set their offense consistently. 

Shooting Guard: David Thompson

Thompson was another explosive guard who could jump out of the gym and score with the best of them. He was a dominant force when he led the Nuggets from 1975-1982 and helped the franchise merge from the ABA to the NBA smoothly.

Small Forward: Alex English

English was another scoring machine and arguably the best overall player in franchise history until recent years. In the modern era, he may be more of a power forward, but those positions are virtually interchangeable. English would likely extend his range and take his silky smooth release behind the three-point line to stretch the court. But either way, English could score and rebound with the best of them when he played for the Nuggets from 1980-1990.

Power Forward: Carmelo Anthony

Anthony, like English, could play small or power forward, but the combination of the two would be lethal. Two unstoppable, bruising scorers who could take guys off the dribble, post up, or bury shots right in their faces. Melo played for the Nuggets from 2003-2011 and was one of the best in the league.

Center: Nikola Jokic

Finally, the straw that stirs the drink. Pairing Jokic with these incredible scorers and athletes would be a dream come true. The team may be able to achieve basketball nirvana with Jokic as the quarterback, setting the table for his four sublime-scoring teammates. The big man has been with the Nuggets since being drafted in 2014 and has won 3 NBA MVP awards on his way to becoming the best player in the world.