Nuggets should be model for other NBA franchises

On the dawn of the NBA Finals, it’s a good time to reflect and see what works in the modern NBA. The league has changed significantly over the years and with the new CBA in place, things are changing even more in terms of roster building and how successful teams are built and success is sustained.

Nuggets setting the standard

The Nuggets were able to win the 2023 NBA Finals after years of building towards that goal. Obviously striking gold by drafting Nikola Jokic completely changed the course of the franchise, and having the world’s best player propelled them to title contention. But the overall theme and key to their success has been consistency and continuity.

In the era of player empowerment and playe movement it has become increasingly harder to keep teams together and avoid turnover. But the Nuggets built their team organically from the ground up, drafting Jokic, Jamal Murray, and Michael Porter Jr., three pillars of the team. They supplemented their stars by making shrewd trades to add core pieces Aaron Gordon and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope.

They’ve managed to keep their starting lineup intact and they’ve done their best to build a bench by drafting and developing. They have an entire wave of young prospects in Christian Braun, Peyton Watson, Julian Strawther, Zeke Nnaji, Jalen Pickett, Hunter Tyson, and more. There’s no guarantee those players hit, or that the Nuggets become some kind of dynasty, but it’s clear they’ve paved a successful path and built a replicable model for NBA teams to follow.

Celtics and Mavericks thriving using the Nuggets model

It’s not a surprise that Boston and Dallas have reached the NBA Finals using similar methods to the Nuggets. The Celtics drafted their two pillars Jayson Tatuma and Jaylen Brown and they’ve been building around them for years while those two have blossomed into superstars. The front office has diligently added to the roster in a way that accentuates the Jays’ strengths and the result has been one of the best teams in basketball for several seasons.

The Mavericks haven’t been quite as organic, but they drafted Luka Doncic and have constructed everything around him since. They took a big swing in trading for Kyrie Irving, but they’ve stuck with it and acclimated him to the roster. The results are impossible to argue with. It’s clear that building from the ground up and sustaining a core, believing in good young players and their development is a prudent way to build an NBA champion.