Q&A with T.J. McBride of Denver Sidekicks: Six questions facing Nuggets future

 

We have a collaborative piece today with T.J. McBride (@teejmcbride1) of The Denver Sidekicks — a blog talking all things Denver Nuggets that also organizes fan outings to games. I’ve known McBride via Twitter for a number of years and always enjoy talking hoops with him. It’s great to see him branch out into the blogging world because he has great insights into the Nuggets and now has a larger platform to share his opinions on the team.

Below we tackled six questions about the Nuggets, each asking three apiece.

1.) How do you see the Nuggets handling Jusuf Nurkic this offseason?

T.J. McBride: Jusuf Nurkic has one of those incredibly rare combinations of immense size, impenetrable rim protection, soft hands (as seen in his rookie year) as well as a soft shooting touch stretching out to around 15 feet.

He is having attitude issues and may have the worst body language on the team, but he is a center that could potentially start on at least 10 different teams RIGHT NOW. I hope that they take calls on the Bosnian Beast but smart money is that there is not a General Manager that is willing to give up enough assets to make trading him worthwhile.

Also, trading players who are still on the rookie scale is a very difficult task to accomplish for any front office without sacrificing future cap space. Overall I expect the Nuggets to give him until the next year’s NBA trade deadline to prove that he has a place in Denver.

Nate Timmons: I think Michael Malone and Nurkic are going through a bit of a battle of wills at the moment, and that’s perfectly fine. Nurkic was the diamond that came out of the rough Brian Shaw Era, and he’s having to re-discover his game coming off major surgery. He also has big time competition ahead of him in Nikola Jokic and Joffrey Lauvergne. Jokic has cemented himself as a building block for the franchise, and Lauvergne is the perfect role man off the bench.

Part of me thinks Lauvergne is better suited for power forward, but you can get away with playing him at center in this new era of small ball. Nurkic is the better player with the higher ceiling, but can Denver afford to keep him as Jokic’s backup? I think Nurkic is too good to be a backup and that could lead to him being a key piece to a giant trade this summer.

I’ve talked myself into the Nuggets being a player with the Sacramento Kings for DeMarcus Cousins, but the Kings are the most unpredictable franchise in the league — so I’m not sure we’ll see a reunion of Malone and Cousins in Denver, for multiple reasons.

Malone was able to reach Cousins, so I’m curious to see if he can form a bond with Nurkic, but the jury is still out on if Juka can be a “Malone guy.” If Nurkic can bounce back, I think it’s worth exploring a Jokic and Nurkic frontcourt down the line, but I wouldn’t be surprised if the team shopped him this summer.

2.) Now that we have seen two rookie match-ups between Emmanuel Mudiay and D’Angelo Russell who do you see having the better career? (The Nuggets play the Lakers one last time in L.A. on March 25th.)

McBride: Right now it is hard not to give the edge to Russell simply because shooting has become a premium in this day and age in the NBA. With that being said I am taking Kid Congo in the long run. To see the development of Mudiay’s jumper from Summer League to now is astounding. Emmanuel Mudiay is in the midst of learning more from this past Summer League until this coming Summer League then he has in his entire life.

The combination of size, vision, strength as well as a killer instinct that Mudiay has shown in multiple fourth quarters this season are the ingredients for an All-Star level player. While the sky is the limit for D’Angelo Russell, Emmanuel Mudiay could end up amongst the stars.

Timmons: Great points above T.J., I agree with a lot of what you’re saying. Along with Russell’s deadly long-range shooting, he possesses elite vision as a passer — like Mudiay.

Both players have a long way to go and a lot to learn. If Mudiay doesn’t realize his potential, it won’t be because of lack of determination. The kid is a student of the game and hungry to be a champion, that goes a long way. I obviously don’t know as much about Russell, but it’s hard not to appreciate his game and potential.

It’s too difficult for me to predict who will be the better player, hopefully both guys excel and become rivals for years to come. Oh, it’s worth pointing out that Mudiay is in the better environment/culture in Denver and that could be a big factor, too.

3.) Who do you see as the main prospect, outside of Ben Simmons and Brandon Ingram, for the Nuggets to pursue in the 2016 NBA Draft?

McBride: Jaylen Brown is a player that I see as extremely underrated in this draft. He is taking heat for a lack of consistency in his jump shot, but his mechanics are mostly sound and can be polished relatively quickly. Brown brings next level athleticism with surprisingly good vision and ball skills. Where I think he will excel the most is the defensive side.

He has tremendous closing speed as well as a lightning first step. That being coupled with a 7-foot wingspan and a personality for physicality and you have a tailor made playmaker for Michael Malone. A lineup of Emmanuel Mudiay, Gary Harris, Jaylen Brown, (insert PF here) and Jusuf Nurkic could be a defensive juggernaut.

Timmons: Brown is very nice. An attacking offensive player and I like what you see in his defensive potential. Some folks are calling this a weak draft, but I think there are a number of guys in this draft with lots of potential.

My colleague, Harrison Wind, has been examining 7-footer Dragan Bender as a possible frontcourt player alongside Jokic. He has big time defensive potential and would give the Nuggets an oversized starting lineup.

Two guys that I like are Kris Dunn out of Providence and Jamal Murray out of Kentucky. Dunn is a 21 year-old point guard that I could see in a Dwyane Wade type role in the NBA. He’s a fierce attacker on the offensive end with improving 3-point range and a mid-range game. He’s intriguing.

Murray is a 19 year-old shooting guard that has tantalizing 3-point range (41.9 percent on 7.6 attempts this season), but also attacks the rim very well. I’m a sucker for guys that can score and I think finding a scorer would do wonders for the Nuggets.

If the Nuggets land a top 6 pick, I think they can find a big time player.

4.) Can Gary Harris be the long-term answer as Denver’s starting shooting guard?

McBride: Yes. Plain and simply, yes. He may be a tad small, but that is really where the argument ends in my opinion. He plays much bigger than 6-foot-4, due to his sneaky buoyant athleticism. He hails from the defensive mind of Tom Izzo and Michigan State, so when it comes to competing defensively that is already a non-issue.

What has me so enamored is how aggressive he has been this season at getting HIS shot. He has transformed from a quiet and docile combo guard at the end of the bench under the Brian Shaw regime, to arguably the most dynamic player the Nuggets have when it comes to playing both ends of the floor.

On top of that he does all of the small things right. Harris does not foul while defending. He moves incredibly well without the ball. He gets steals without jumping lanes and leaving his team to play 4-5 basketball. If his rise in 3-point shooting percentage is not just an anomaly then he is the perfect complement next to Mudiay in the backcourt for years to come.

Timmons: I was a little leary of Harris coming out of Michigan State. I thought he had all the tools to excel, but like you I saw his length as a bit of an issue. Bigger shooting guards, like Joe Johnson, have taken Harris into the post and scored on him, but getting into scoring position is difficult vs. Harris because of his on-ball instincts. He has an uncanny ability to, like you said, defend without fouling and steal the ball off the dribble. He’s an absolute force on the defensive end.

His offense has really come a long way and he’s demanding the ball and shooting with confidence. He’s also the team’s best off-ball cutter and reminds me a little of Richard (Rip) Hamilton in that regard.

The Nuggets should not draft for need this summer, but Harris is making a strong case for being the long-term two-guard in Denver. Both guys I pointed out above in Dunn and Murray would need to play shooting guard in Denver, and the team should take the best player available, but Harris’ development is extremely exciting.

5.) Should the Nuggets make a free agent pitch to Kevin Durant this summer?

McBride: While they should absolutely make the call and see what his interest is, I have a strong suspicion that he will not call the Mile High City his home. With the choice of the Warriors, Lakers, Knicks, Wizards, Celtics, Atlanta among plenty others what do the Nuggets have for Durant that is really appealing to a player who is looking to win championships now? If he does not join the Golden State Warriors then I would put my bet on him picking an Eastern Conference team if championships are really what his aspirations are.

Timmons: I asked this question for a couple reasons. 1.) I think Denver is just a couple players away from really being an interesting team. Mudiay, Harris and Jokic in the starting lineup gives the team great flexibility to explore options at small forward and power forward down the line. 2.) The culture in Denver has changed so much that it’s not ridiculous that the Nuggets could start calling big time players and get serious responses.

Totally agree with you that Durant is a pipe-dream, but the day of the Nuggets chasing a big free agent or two are not that far away. I’m also fascinated to see what Durant decides to do this summer and beyond.

6.) Did the Nuggets get it right with Michael Malone’s hiring?

McBride: I think the book is still open on Malone for at least a few more years until the overall plan begins to take shape in front of everyone’s eyes. If we are grading him thus far then he deserves an A, in my book.

To look at this team at this exact time last season to right now it is about as polar opposite as could be, disregarding the team’s record. This team plays hard EVERY NIGHT. The fact that the Nuggets went through this type of culture shift this quickly is a direct reflection of the job Michael Malone has done. Josh Kroenke, as well as Tim Connelly, have earned honorable mentions as well. For them to give Malone this type of trust has been instrumental in the shift of the franchise.

Timmons: Malone has been a godsend. I don’t think the Nuggets could have chosen a better coach to guide this roster. He’s the buffer between his players and the media and he has his players’ backs at every stop. I to give him an A this season, but that doesn’t mean he doesn’t have room to improve.

I think every fanbase has gripes about player rotations, timeout usage and on-and-on. Having covered George Karl, Brian Shaw and now Malone — you see a lot of the same complaints arise from the fans, and that’s just part of the game. That said (I’m going to complain  about his rotation!), he does need to get a better feel for in-game rotation and I hope that comes with experience.

The Nuggets also play a pretty safe defensive scheme that is predicated on not getting beat in transition or to the rim and not so focused on creating turnovers and chaos. This may also come with a young team that is still learning the NBA ropes (and the English language, as communication is key on the court). We’ve also seen plenty of creativity from Malone on both ends, and his out of timeout plays have been excellent.

The Nuggets made the right hire with Malone, no doubt in my mind.

**

Big thanks to T.J. McBride of The Denver Sidekicks to talking Nuggets hoops with us here at BSN Denver.