A key component of the Nuggets’ DNA is about to be tested

In 2013 Andre Iguodala chose sacrifice over stats.

Say what you want about his exit from Denver after the Nuggets’ first-round playoff loss to the Warriors, but Iguodala’s decision to sign in Golden State and come off the bench changed the arc of his career.

Iguodala had been a No. 1 offensive option since high school, college, then as a pro in Philadelphia, and at times while in Denver. But that role hadn’t resulted in the team success Iguodala craved. So the forward decided to sign with the Warriors to be a complimentary player next to Steph Curry, Klay Thompson and David Lee. A season later Iguodala transitioned into the sixth man role that would go on to define his Hall-of-Fame-worthy career.

Iguodala’s display of sacrifice should be exhibit A in any coach’s attempt to coax his players into putting individual numbers aside for team success, a conversation Michael Malone has already had with a few players on his roster who won’t be getting the minutes in Denver that they could elsewhere.

“My job is to make sure I communicate clearly, let guys know what their roles are, what’s expected of them, so there’s no surprises, there’s no gray areas,” Malone said. “If we do that and we understand that we’re going to hopefully hang a banner in here one day, then we’ve got to sacrifice for the betterment of the group.”

On Monday afternoon, the deadline for teams to agree to rookie extensions with first-round picks came and went. The Nuggets inked Jamal Murray to a five-year, $170 million extension earlier this summer, but didn’t come to terms with their two other 2016 first-round selections — Malik Beasley and Juancho Hernangomez. Both fourth-year pros will play out the remainder of their rookie contracts this season and enter restricted free agency next summer. What that means is that both Beasley and Hernangomez are playing for an offer sheet and a new contract, which could either come from a rival team or the Nuggets.

The only issue is that in Denver, minutes will be hard to come by for anyone not named Nikola Jokic, Jamal Murray, or Gary Harris. Starting power forward Paul Millsap will even cede minutes to Jerami Grant and there’s such a crowded field at small forward that the Nuggets are still yet to name a starter at the position. Put simply, Beasley and Hernangomez, who are 22 and 24-years-old respectively and bursting with upside, will be called on to sacrifice individual stats for team success.

The selling point? Being a part of a winning culture can get you paid too, as Tim Connelly put it this preseason. 

“Are guys going to live the sacrifice?” Malone asked Monday. “And are they going to understand sacrificing in the moment will help me in the long term, especially if we’re winning.”

There’s a sense around the team that there’s buy-in from the Nuggets’ roster on that front, even from some of Denver’s impending free agents. Part of that belief comes from the fact that the Nuggets have dealt with a crowded rotation before, like during last season’s 54-win campaign.

Torrey Craig, who’s minutes at small forward could also get squeezed this season, is confident this current group can sacrifice for the greater good.

“It’s what we did last year. A lot of guys sacrificed last year and a lot of guys were able to step up and play good. We’ll do the same this year for the betterment of the team,” Craig told DNVR. “I feel like guys have bought into it. We’re a deeper team now, but we know more is at stake. We have more weapons so that means guys may have to sacrifice minutes. If we all buy in we’ll be fine.”

Craig will be a free agent next summer too, so I also asked him Monday if it’s difficult to think about sacrifice when you’re trying to set yourself up financially for the rest of your life.

“As a competitor, as a basketball player, you want to play and you want to play at the highest level against the best guys in the world, so from that aspect it’s tough,” said Craig. “But when you look at the overall bigger picture of things and what’s at stake I think we’ll all buy in.”

Injuries will hit the Nuggets at some point this year as they do to every team every season, and Denver’s core will run hot and cold throughout a long and trying 82-game slate. Beasley looks like he’s on track to play 20-25 minutes at backup shooting guard and his playing time could fluctuate based on Gary Harris’ health. Hernangomez may very well be on the outside looking in of arguably the deepest rotation in the league.

“Injuries happen. There are ebbs and flows to every year,” Malone said. “We’re going to need everybody on our roster at some point to help us win games.”

Still, it’s a difficult sell to Beasley, Hernangomez, and someone like Mason Plumlee, a six-year veteran who’s set to hit free agency in what’s shaping up to be a poor free agent class and will likely see him minutes could drop with the addition of Grant. All three of those players would have larger roles and be playing more minutes on most other teams in the league.

But if there’s one place where individuals can sacrifice for the greater good it’s in Denver, where Jokic’s unselfish, team-first approach is the foundation for which the Nuggets are built upon. Everyone falls in line behind the big man.

Beasley, Hernangomez, Craig and some of the Nuggets’ other impending free agents are at different points in their careers than Iguodala was when he signed in Golden State, but his case study holds true.

Winning matters in the long run and can quickly change the tune of any career. If that message gets through to a team as deep as the Nuggets, the possibilities are endless.

“We have a legit chance to win a championship,” Craig said. “I think guys will do anything and everything to help reach our goal.”