Can Jamal Murray become a more efficient pull-up shooter, and one question that will define every player's season

At media day prior to the start of the 2017-18 season, Nuggets coach Michael Malone announced a three-way point guard competition between Jamal Murray, Emmanuel Mudiay and Jameer Nelson, and despite Paul Millsap’s arrival earlier that summer, incumbent power forward Kenneth Faried declared that he still viewed himself as Denver’s starting four.

A lot has changed in a year’s time and Denver enters this year’s training camp with a set starting lineup but questions around free agent signing Isaiah Thomas’ status heading into the preseason and when first-round pick Michael Porter Jr. will be cleared for action. Monday at media day and later on this week at training camp, some of those questions will be answered.

Meanwhile, here’s one question that will define every player’s season.

Can Jamal Murray become a more efficient pull-up shooter?

Jamal Murray’s first season as a full-time starter gave the Nuggets intel on exactly the type of player the 21-year-old will eventually round into. Murray is a gifted and natural playmaker with an attacking mindset who’s a “point guard” in name only. But to get to the next level, Murray needs to improve his accuracy on pull-up three-point jumpers, which he only made 30.6 percent of last season — a low mark when compared to how others at his position shot it over the last few years. Murray is already an elite catch-and-shoot threat, hitting 41.6 percent of his jumpers of that variety last season, good for the 16th-most in the league out of players who attempted at least 250 last season. If he can become more dangerous off the dribble, opponents won’t be able to give Murray any cushion when he has the ball in his hands.

Will Gary Harris emerge as a lockdown defender?

So many of Gary Harris’ improvements throughout his tenure in Denver, like his handle, scoring prowess, and playmaking, have come on the offensive end of the floor. For Harris, who is already regarded as one of the Nuggets’ better two-way players, the next step in his maturation as a pro is to become an elite perimeter defender. The Nuggets have not finished better than 24th overall in defensive efficiency, per NBA.com, since the team drafted Harris in 2013, partly because of Denver’s inability to stop dribble penetration. If Denver can inch its way towards a league-average mark they’re likely to see the playoffs. That starts with Harris and the rest of the Nuggets’ guards.

Does Will Barton become the Nuggets’ leader?

In a late-season matchup against the Trail Blazers that would have likely eliminated Denver from playoff contention before the regular season finale, the Nuggets played one of their worst offensive first halves of the year. Before the team went out for the third quarter, Darrell Arthur spoke about what was on the line that night. Arthur wasn’t a classic rah-rah leader but when the 30-year-old spoke, the rest of the locker room listened. The Nuggets lost Arthur, along with Richard Jefferson this summer. Who will fill the void both veterans left in Denver’s locker room? Why not Will Barton? He’s already in many ways the pulse of the Nuggets. When he plays well, Denver is likely to come out on the right side of the scoreboard. If Barton struggles, the Nuggets will have their work cut out for them that night. Barton already has a strong presence within the Nuggets locker room, but his voice could rise a level or two.

Can Paul Millsap keep the Nuggets’ defense respectable?

One of the reasons why the Nuggets aggressively pursued and ultimately landed Paul Millsap as a free agent last summer was because they knew he’d instill a defensive-first culture within the team. He wasn’t able to have that type of impact while missing more than half the season due to injury, but Denver hopes that transformation can begin this season. Millsap is the type of player who’s effort and intensity on defense inspires others to up their effort level and dedication on that end of the floor. The 33-year-old is among the brightest and most detailed defensive minds in the league. On a team that lost one of its top defenders in Wilson Chandler this offseason, Millsap will need to bring it every night in an effort to keep the Nuggets’ defense respectable.

Will Nikola Jokic pick up where he left off?

With a manageable start to the schedule where the Nuggets play 10 of their first 15 games at home, Denver must begin its season on the right foot if they’re planning on a postseason appearance. More importantly, Nikola Jokic, who closed last season by averaging 24.0 points on 53.8 percent shooting from the field and 47.6 percent from three, 11.5 rebounds and 6.4 assists per game, needs a strong start to his 2018-19 campaign. Last season, Jokic posted strong numbers in October but averaged just 14.6 points on under 50 percent shooting from the field in November. If he has a similar stat line this coming November, Denver could be playing catch-up all season long.

How will Isaiah Thomas fit into the Nuggets’ offense?

Isaiah Thomas might not be available for the start of Nuggets’ training camp as Denver takes a conservative approach with his rehab from hip surgery, so the team may not know the answer to this question for a while. But if Thomas can help the Nuggets’ bench become a consistent unit on the offensive end of the floor — something they struggled with last season — Denver will erase one of its biggest problem areas from last year. Thomas and Mason Plumlee seem like natural pick-and-roll partners. Trey Lyles was a knockdown shooter from three-point range last season. With Torrey Craig, Malik Beasley and Juancho Hernangomez filling in the gaps, the Nuggets’ bench could surprise this season.

Will Trey Lyles play more than 20 minutes per game?

When Lyles played over 20 minutes per game last season, he averaged roughly 15 points on well above 50 percent shooting from the field and 40 percent from three. When Lyles played under 20 minutes per game, his scoring average dropped to just five points per contest as his shooting percentages plummeted. Lyles needs consistent minutes to be productive and the Nuggets love what he did last year off their bench. Don’t be surprised if he’s a heavy fixture in the rotation from opening night on this season.

How much will chartered flights and practice time help Torrey Craig’s development?

Under the parameters of a two-way contract, Craig often flew commercial while the rest of his teammates enjoyed the convenience of chartered flights, and sometimes wasn’t privy to team practices in an effort to keep his 45-day clock from expiring. This season, Craig doesn’t have to worry about those factors after Denver signed him to a two-way, $4 million contract this summer. As a key piece on the Nuggets’ bench unit, Craig will be relied upon for his defense and shooting. He’ll need to shoot it better than the 29.3 percent he averaged from three-point range last season.

Does Juancho Hernangomez get a chance?

Hernangomez enters Nuggets’ training camp fighting for minutes at small forward. Denver brought back Craig on a fully guaranteed contract with the intent to play him significant minutes and Beasley, who has proved at times to be a reliable defensive option on the perimeter, as an option off the bench. For Hernangomez to earn a spot in Denver’s rotation, he’ll first need a chance, which is easier said than done when looking at Denver’s roster. But if Hernangomez does get a shot to play, the knockdown shooter could take the opportunity and run with it.

Will Michael Porter Jr. play this season?

The Nuggets want to take Michael Porter Jr.’s rehab slow. President of basketball operations Tim Connelly stressed in his post-draft press conference after selecting Porter that Denver viewed the 14th overall pick as a “long-term play.” Josh Kroenke echoed his comments a few days later at Porter’s introductory press conference. Michael Malone said at Summer League that “there’s no reason for us to say, ‘Michael’s got to play this year.’” On the other hand, Porter wants to play as soon as possible, as any athlete would. With most of their rotation back from last year’s 46-win team, the Nuggets don’t need Porter to make the playoffs. The first-round draft pick’s situation will be a tricky one for Denver to navigate all year long. Denver’s last official update on Porter came after his second back surgery in around nine months this summer when the team said he has no timetable for a return to basketball activities.

Can Malik Beasley become more than just a spot defender?

Beasley was in and out of the Nuggets’ rotation all season long last year and enters the 2018-19 campaign in a similar boat. Denver liked to use Beasley as a spot defender last season but hopes the 21-year-old can develop into more of a reliable offensive option. Beasley saw his three-point percentage climb last season but his field goal percentage dipped to just 41.0 percent. He’ll need to be more efficient with his chances to earn regular minutes for the Nuggets this year.

Does Mason Plumlee find consistent minutes?

In the modern NBA, most teams prefer to play three traditional big men while also sliding one of their bigger-bodied small forwards down to the four from time to time. For the second-straight season, the Nuggets will attempt to play four traditional big men, in Jokic, Millsap, Lyles and Mason Plumlee. Last season, Plumlee averaged the second-fewest minutes per game of his career. His defense and hustle were valuable to Denver last season and the Nuggets also played well when Plumlee and Jokic shared the floor. But minutes will be hard to come by for Plumlee in Denver’s loaded frontcourt.

Will Monte Morris be able to fill in at backup point guard if needed?

The Nuggets will ease Thomas back from hip surgery during training camp, meaning Monte Morris could begin Denver’s preseason as the backup point guard. Will Morris be ready for that significant of a role? Time will tell. Morris only played 25 minutes at the NBA level last season but impressed in the G League and at Summer League. Denver is confident in Morris if they have to turn to the 20-year-old, who’s a classic point guard that doesn’t turn the ball over often.

Does Jarred Vanderbilt flash his potential this season?

You got the feeling on draft night that the Nuggets were just as excited about selecting Jarred Vanderbilt in the second round, as they were to get Porter 14th overall. That’s how much faith Denver has in Vanderbilt as a long-term prospect. The 6-foot-9 power forward is an elite rebounder and playmaker who is well fit for the modern NBA and possibly a future alongside Jokic in the Nuggets’ frontcourt. But like Porter, he didn’t play at Summer League while recovering from an injury that caused his pre-draft stock to take a hit. He’ll likely spend most of this season in the G League but could get a chance to impress at the NBA level late in the year.