With the changes to the roster yesterday, Brian Shaw will have a new lineup to play with, and he will start by inserting forward Danilo Gallinari into the starting five.
Chatted w @gallinari8888 on bus-he confirmed he is starting tonight-asked him about @1JOLOLO–Gallo- “he is good!”
— Chris Marlowe (@ChrisMarlowe) February 20, 2015
Trading Arron Afflalo to the Trailblazers yesterday leaves a hole at shooting guard for the Nuggets. Randy Foye started 78 games at that position last year when Gallinari was hurt but when Shaw was first hired he spoke about toying with a lineup that would feature both Gallo and Chandler together.
Here’s what tonight’s lineup may look like
Wilson Chandler a 6’8″ shooting guard with Gallo at a 6’11” “small” forward.
It will be good to see Gallo get increased playing time to see if he can eventually return to be the player he was pre-injury, but some fans might rather see some of the younger players on the roster get minutes in a lost season. Even with the trades Denver made yesterday, both Gary Harris and Erick Green still find themselves as the third option at their respective positions.
In other roster news, the Nuggets are adding big man Joffrey Lauvergne to the roster.
#Nuggets will officially sign Joffrey Lauvergne today as well
— Chris Dempsey (@dempseypost) February 19, 2015
Lauvergne is already with the team in Milwaukee and participated in Denver’s morning shootaround. It’s not clear how quickly Shaw will turn to Joffrey but with the exile of JaVale McGee to the 76ers, Lauvergne is now second behind Nurkic as a true center on the Nuggets roster. Id expect Shaw to ease him in and will likely rely on JJ Hickson for backup center duties, but it’s not likely they brought Joffrey over to ride the pine.
The Nuggets will start the “second half” on a two game road trip before returning home Monday to host the Brooklyn Nets.
