“Every new beginning comes from some other beginning’s end”
– Seneca
“May I have your attention, please?”
– S. Shady
“Our starting one and our starting five are pretty well cemented.”
– Denver Nuggets Head Coach Michael Malone
Nikola Jokic. Jamal Murray. Paul Millsap. Gary Harris. Will Barton. No need for name tags.
If you’ve been a fan or even been remotely following the Denver Nuggets for the last few seasons, you’re familiar with those names. For Opening Night victories during the last two seasons, that’s been your starting five, and that group has been one of the most productive on both ends of the floor, not only for the organization, but in the entire league. So, Malone’s quote above must mean that three of those names are no longer with the organization, right?
Not exactly.
Jokic and Murray started their All Star-worthy postseason 19-game magnum opus exactly 110 days ago, but it feels like a lifetime ago in bubble years. By the time the Nuggets had reached that point in the season, Millsap was the only other starter amongst those five, with Harris several games from a return, and Barton done for the season. The Jokic/Murray Dynamic Duo carried the team to their third-ever Conference Finals appearance with a string of scintillating series that cemented their spot not only in this season’s starting five, but probably in team history as well. Jokic had already positioned himself as an All-Star and the future of the team, but Murray’s star finally ascended in Orlando as well, occasionally supplanting Jokic as the best player Denver had on the floor. For Nuggets Nation, it was a welcome sight.
With Millsap, Harris, and Barton still on the squad, one would think things are looking pretty rosy for next season’s prospects, until you read Malone’s quote above. What gives, and why do things suddenly seem so uncertain around that long-superlative starting five?
In the case of Millsap, it simply may a matter of age finally catching up. Even with the lengthy break during the season, Paul simply didn’t come back to the team with the same spring in his step, and was noticeably behind during much of the time he spent on the floor. The drop was obvious enough that his minutes were wildly diminished during the run, and he was often not on the floor during crunch time moments. Unless Uncle Paul was hiding an injury or was suffering form another ailment, a 72-game season plus playoffs might be a lot to ask of whatever gas is left in that tank.
The expectation through the offseason was that Millsap might even be expendable with the return of the ascending Jerami Grant. But with Grant’s unexpected and decisive departure, the Nuggets were thrown for a loop. Millsap is the veteran voice and often defensive quarterback of the squad, and so he’ll be of immense value for the team, whether he starts or not. He’ll see stiff competition from JaMychal Green, the addition Denver brought in to heal from Grant’s move to Detroit.
Barton should be healthy for the first time in some time, and is always a valuable weapon for Denver. His starting spot is in question with the early ascendance of Michael Porter, Jr. who while green during the playoffs, showed several flashes of his potential throughout. Over the course of their 19 playoff games, MPJ even showed real progress in his defensive skills, and will be a real threat to supplant Barton at the three.
That Harris’ name was not on Malone’s list was a telling example of the slide Gary’s stock has taken during the last season-plus. As one of the hardest workers on the team and a defensive stalwart, Harris has long been a Malone favorite, with the coach going out of his way to defend him when others were calling his value into question. That Malone did not commit to him at the position when there aren’t a ton of obvious options beyond him says everything you need to know about how open the competition might be when training camp gets fully into motion. As an unabashed Garris geek, I’m hoping that he finds his way back to the player of a few seasons ago… But see exactly why coach has a question mark in the spot.
Though your usual starting five is still very much a possibility this month, very few things are a given, Nuggets Nation. The plans your Nuggets had for the 20-21 season have already gotten off to an unplanned start. Hoping you don’t need name tags, but will next seasons’ starting five please stand up?
