Denver Nuggets Bolognese Dream Team

I’m standing in a forest. The trees are so tall, I can barely see any light at all. Only the trees aren’t actually trees, they’re men. Three giant men. As I gaze up at one of their somehow impossible height, I recognize that the giant in front of me is Nikola Jokic. In a huge and booming voice, he says, “It’s MY ball!” Just as I’m considering that doesn’t sound much like something Joker would say, a huge pair of hands reaches out and pulls it away, resounding, “It’s MY ball!”, I turn to recognize Dikembe Mutombo, but he must be at least 50 feet tall. The third set of hands complete the circle with the same thundercrack of a voice to see my third giant is missing both of his front teeth, and know that Dan Issel would like his say. This continues ad nauseam for what is surely forever, until…

I wake up. No more late night pasta cooking and article planning for this guy. No, seriously, apparently the leading dietary causes of nightmares are meat, pasta, and cheese, and I nailed that trifecta just before heading off to Nuggets Dreamland. Nevermore.

But before my bolognese experiment went so horribly awry, I’d been dreaming, anyway. Simply daydreaming. This week, I was lamenting the postponement of this year’s Olympic Games with a buddy. We’d started discussing our favorite Olympic moments, and quickly landed on the 1992 USA Men’s Basketball squad. 28 years ago, the Dream Team was in training, and about a month away from exhibition play heading into that year’s Summer Games. The excitement for just how possibly great they could be was palpable. The team was a who’s who of some of the league’s best-ever players, many of them at or around their zenith. 12 wildly impressive names took the floor:

• Point Guard: Magic Johnson, John Stockton
• Shooting Guard: Michael Jordan, Clyde Drexler
• Small Forward: Larry Bird, Scottie Pippen, Chris Mullin
• Power Forward: Charles Barkley, Karl Malone, Christian Laettner
• Center: David Robinson, Patrick Ewing

Pretty powerful stuff, no? That summer’s squad truly decimated all comers, and was practically perfect in every way. Excepting…

There wasn’t a single Denver Nugget on the squad.

Nor should there have been, in all honesty. The Denver Nuggets of the summer of 1992 had just endured a 24-58 season under Paul Westhead and Bernie Bickerstaff, with veteran Walter Davis pulling a very-young Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf and rookie Dikembe Mutombo through a disappointing season. Nuggets fans didn’t have a ton to be excited about in the moment, save the possibility of what the youngsters might bring down the road. At that point in time, there might have been 1-3 Nuggets players historically who could have even earned a spot on that team at their own apex. Very few teams in history would have stood a chance against that juggernaut.

But what about a Dream Team of our own? If we were able to stack an All-Time Nuggets squad up against that 1992 Dream Team, would they even stand a chance? I made some considerations as to who might even make up such a team, if it were built with the same number of players at each position. Here’s my swag at the best team of All-Time Nuggets who might just give that Dream Team a run for their money.

Point Guard – 2 slots

Possible participants (8): Mike Adams, Chauncey Billups, Allen Iverson, Ty Lawson, Fat Lever, Andre Miller, Jamal Murray, Nick Van Exel

You didn’t think there would be that many great names, did you? Each of these guys was pretty crucial during their time with the Nuggets, but a few names pretty quickly fall to a second tier in Adams, Murray, and Van Exel. Adams had an astounding year for the Nuggets in 1990-91, averaging 26.5 points and 10.5 assists. Murray is starting to look like a true star in the league, but is still up-and-coming to the heights several others on the list hit.   And while Van Exel was one of the few reasons to see the team during his stay, he was also a much brighter light before he was on the downhill side in Denver.

And while Lawson has the 11-highest total of winshares of any Nuggets player in history, he was not nearly so clutch as the other four. Andre Miller was also a true ironman and the wiliest of the group, but would still probably sit a very narrow notch below the other three.

That leaves two slots between these three: Chauncey Billups, Allen Iverson, and Fat Lever. Billups has a Finals ring and MVP on his resume, while Iverson is simply one of the best pure scorers and creators of his time. Lever has more winshares than any other point guard in Nuggets history, and has more triple-doubles than any Nuggets player in history. So, even with their plethora of talent, the badly-needed ball-handling and defensive talents of Billups and Lever both give them the nod over the stellar A.I., who brought home bronze in the 2004 Olympics he attended. With his shooting prowess, why not just slide him over to the 2, you ask? Well, let’s talk about that.

Finalists: Billups, Lever

Shooting Guard – 2 slots

Possible participants (4): Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf, Walter Davis, T.R. Dunn, Andre Iguodala

I know, I just said “Macbeth” in the theatre here, but hear me out. Abdul-Rauf was basically Steph Curry without all the family-friendly packaging. Walter Davis was the stud Denver needed during some dark days, but still probably a tier below the top. T.R Dunn was as string a defensive stalwart as Denver has ever had at the position, but struggled to score much, and while Iguodala is not the Mile High city’s favorite son, he’s also a Finals MVP who can make smart decisions, defend nearly as well as Dunn, and still stretch the floor. Even in this category, Abdul-Rauf and Iguodala are surer things than Iverson, if he landed at the two. You get your A.I., just not the one you wanted. Besides, somebody’s gotta guard MJ.

Finalists: Abdul-Rauf, Iguodala

Small Forward – 3 slots

Possible participants (6): Carmelo Anthony, Alex English, Danilo Gallinari, J.R. Smith, David Thompson, Kiki Vandeweghe

Woooooo, there’s a Murderer’s Row of Nuggets stars if you ever saw one, no? Melo is an era unto himself in Nuggets lore, and is also an esteemed member of several Olympic squads. English sits second all-time in winshares on this Nuggets team, and was regularly the league’s leading scorer during his playing days. Gallo led the team in scoring during much of his stay in Denver, J.R. was one of the team’s most physically talented players, Thompson was probably the shiniest star the Nuggets have ever seen, and Vandeweghe was a steadying presence during one of the team’s most prolific periods.

With that, three of the six are in the top-12 all time for winshares, and are also the luminaries amongst the crowd. This may have been the easiest choice of all, as Gallinari, Smith, and Vandeweghe were all excellent, but are going against three of the top five guys ever to take the floor in Denver. This might be the only position at which the All-Time Denver squad might be narrowly favored over the 1992 Olympic team. What do you think? Are Skywalker, English, and Melo better than Bird, Pippin, and Mullin?

Finalists: Anthony, English, Thompson

Power Forward – 3 slots

Possible participants (8): LaPhonso Ellis, Kenneth Faried, Spencer Haywood, Bobby Jones, Kenyon Martin, Antonio McDyess, Paul Millsap, Nene

It’s no wonder the Nuggets always seem to have a glut of power forwards on their squad every year, as that plentiful list has also borne out a lot of exceptionally talented guys at the position. Ellis was as passionate and gifted at the job as they come. Faried can electrify a team and a crowd as well as anyone, but his shortcomings in a couple of areas would be feasted on by a team as talented as the Dream Team. Haywood put up the highest single-season scoring average in team history, and as a rookie, before moving over to the Supersonics in his second season. Bobby Jones is the oft-forgotten rock star of Denver’s mid-70’s to mid-80’s era. Martin was one of the toughest defenders the team has ever had, and could rebound and dunk with a frightening ferocity. McDyess could fly around the rim and score in ways that seemed impossible, Millsap is simply a wise and thoughtful guy with no real weak spots in his game, and Nene was the consistent force keeping Denver on track at the four or five throughout his time with the team.

With all of these options, a few probably fall away quickly. Ellis is still my favorite all-time player, but pales in comparison to what some of the others brought to the table during their stays. Faried is absolutely a freak of nature, but finds himself out of the league due to the multiple limitations to his game. While Nene was a wonderful presence who contributed mightily to the long-term success of the team, he was not the talent any of the five remaining were/are.

That leaves three spots for these five: Haywood, Jones, Martin, McDyess, Millsap

Haywood was simply one of the finest talents in the league during his first seven or eight seasons playing pro ball, and Denver was sad to see him jump to the NBA before they did. Jones was one of the unsung heroes in much of Nuggets lore, solid on both ends of the floor, and a complement to anyone he played with. Martin’s game degraded over the years due to injury and conflicts, but was a preternatural defender and leaper who saw two NBA Finals series before coming to Denver. McDyess was his physical equal, and an even more gifted scorer. Millsap is the cover-every-base glue guy that every team needs.

While it’s difficult to eliminate any of five with their impressive skills, Haywood carried the ABA Rockets to their only Finals as a rookie, earning Rookie of the Year and season MVP honors. Jones was one of the All-Time greats in contributions. They both belong on the squad, even if today’s Nuggets fan isn’t wildly familiar with who they are. That leave sone slot between Martin, McDyess, and Millsap. The three M’s.

While both Martin and McDyess are the most impressive physical players of all eight who started this category, Millsap is the guy who can flex to several different styles of play, keep you a net positive on defense, and still help you stretch the floor. He’s the narrow choice to round out this category.

Finalists: Haywood, Jones, Millsap

Center – 2 slots

Possible participants (5): Byron Beck, Marcus Camby, Dan Issel, Nikola Jokic, Dikembe Mutombo

Annnnd here’s where my pasta-fueled nightmare kicked in. As impressive as both Beck and Camby were during their years with the Nuggets, they both fall behind the other three, and for good reason. But as a fan, check Byron Beck out sometime. He was a beast. He was also only 6’9″. Camby was such a stalwart as to win Defensive Player of the Year while with the Nuggets, and still neither gent can hold up long on this list with the Big Three of Denver Centers: Issel, Jokic, and Mutombo. But only two can get in. Don’t eat meat sauce and go to sleep while trying to make this decision. Trust me.

While Jokic has yet to complete his impressive arc with the team, he’s a shoe-in, and not because of recency bias. While many players have a slight buoyancy impact on the players around them, the Joker is a real shot in the arm. His game elevates everyone around him, and he belongs on the team as much for his impact on overall play as he does for his individual game. That leaves an irrationally tough call. The Horse or Deke? Issel has more winshares than any Nugget in history, and was a monster at both ends of the floor. Mutombo could literally wipe points off the board for the opposition with his outrageous skills on the defensive end. While either would be an incredible choice to improve the team, in a matchup with the ’92 Dream Team, the height and D seem the wiser strategic choice. As much as it will give me nightmares again tonight to say so, Issel has to stay home.

Finalists: Jokic, Mutombo

Those are my best picks to aggregate a Nuggets team that could give the Dream Team a run for their money, Nuggets Nation. Who did I make the wrong call on? Who did I mot mention at all? And could any team have ever beaten that ’92 squad? Have fun giving it a few, and have an amazing weekend. Stay out of that pasta just before bed.