The preseason is the time to experiment with different players in the lineup to see how they may fit with a new unit. The Denver Nuggets were no exception to that rule in their third preseason game against the Chicago Bulls. Head coach David Adelman tried out the third-longest-tenured Nugget on the roster, Zeke Nnaji, at backup center with the second unit. No surprise, but Nnaji fumbled perhaps the only chance he's going to get at securing a rotation spot. Again.
Adelman held out the new backup center for the non-Nikola Jokic minutes, Marvin Bagley III, for the game, presumably because Bagley's spot in the rotation is secure. So that left Nnaji with his chance. He fumbled it. Nnaji saw six and a half minutes, went 1-for-3 from the field, and only knocked down 2 of his 4 free throws, while providing no defense in the paint, and he looked out of place. That was likely it for Nnaji, unless Adelman feels the need to let him make it official with another fumble.
Nnaji should be out of chances by now
Nnaji has had plenty of chances with the Nuggets over the years. He was the 22nd pick in the first round of the 2020 NBA Draft by the Nuggets, and he's been with the team longer than everyone except Jokic and Jamal Murray. He's never cracked the rotation, and he hasn't looked great even when he has gotten minutes because of injuries to others in front of him on the depth chart.
Unfortunately, Nnaji still has this year and next year remaining on the bad contract that former Nuggets General Manager Calvin Booth gave him. Nnaji's player option will certainly be used next season. Hopefully, the Nuggets can trade him and the $7.4 million he's owed this year in order to get back under the NBA's second apron luxury tax penalty threshold. Unfortunately, they'll probably have to cough up a couple of the second-round draft picks they've acquired this offseason to do it. Fingers crossed Nnaji finally gets traded.
DaRon Holmes looked much better than Nnaji during his chance
The other option at third-string center is DaRon Holmes II. Holmes looked good in his time with the second unit, playing 15 minutes and scoring 11 points on 3-for-5 shooting, including knocking down one of his two three-point attempts. Holmes also struggled at the free-throw line, making 4 of his 8 attempts, but he grabbed 5 rebounds while adding a block and was a net positive of 9 points over Nnaji.
Holmes also spent plenty of time in the weight room this offseason, and he looks well prepared for the third-string role or the backup center role when his name gets called for it.
It's too bad for Nnaji to have fumbled his chance again, but at this point, the Nuggets and Adelman just need to get Holmes prepared to back up Bagley and Jokic and move on from Zeke.
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