The official Nuggets summer roster, announced on Monday by the NBA, features 17 names, the maximum allowed by the league. However, a number of those players didn’t arrive at the Orlando campus with the rest of the team earlier this month and have been slowly trickling in.
Two key players traveled to the campus on Sunday, as Ohm Youngmisuk of ESPN details, with Gary Harris and Torrey Craig reporting for their quarantine period. Mike Singer of The Denver Post provided an update on Harris and Craig today, tweeting that they’ve now cleared their quarantine period. The two Nuggets didn’t practice today because they also must complete cardiac testing before being fully cleared.
With Harris and Craig nearly ready to start practicing, the Nuggets are a little closer to being whole, but that won’t happen in time for the team’s first inter-squad scrimmage on Wednesday. Earlier this week, head coach Mike Malone said that he expects to have only nine players available for that exhibition game (Twitter link via Chris Dempsey of Altitude Sports). Fans who tune in can expect to see some unusual lineups for Denver, including the possibility of Bol Bol at small forward.
Here’s more from around the Western Conference:
- De’Aaron Fox, who is recovering from an ankle sprain, returned to practice for the Kings today and took part in non-contact drills, per Jason Anderson of The Sacramento Bee. Richaun Holmes also participated in his first practice since clearing his extended quarantine.
- In addition to improving as a player, Jazz guard Donovan Mitchell also wants to improve as a teammate, writes Eric Walden of The Salt Lake Tribune. As Walden relays, head coach Quin Snyder has been impressed by Mitchell’s development in both areas. “That maturation process has been going on,” Snyder said. “And some of it you guys don’t see as much. Some of it we see on the floor, some of it we see in the locker room, some of it we see during video (review). … There’s an awareness and a care factor there that has manifested itself in even more leadership.”
- John Hollinger of The Athletic questions whether the Warriors really need to prioritize acquiring a center this offseason and explores how the Timberwolves might address their shooting guard and forward spots.
3 teams have 4 good free agents each，huge luxury tax is waiting for them if Knicks like them
Nuggets
Craig
Plumlee
Milsap
Grant
Clippers
Harrell
Morris
Jackson
Green
Raptors
VanVleet
Gasol
Ibaka
Jefferson
The top 4 free agents for the Rockets after the season will be Austin Rivers (if he opts out), DeMarre Carroll, Jeff Green, and Tyson Chandler (then Sefolosha if Rivers stays). In other words they ain’t losing much, plus they will have David Nwaba (a perfect 3 and D fit for them) once he’s healthy later this year (or early 2021). So even if they fail to reach the WCF/NBA Finals, they should be even better next season.
Or they’ll underachieve like usual.
I truly believe that Rockets will trade Covington for first round picks to save 7 million dollars
The owner is clearly afraid of luxury tax
He borrowed 300 million dollars at 14% interest rate
Yikes!
I assume he shopped around, asked at Quicken loans.
No doubt HOU will fail to reach the WCF! One & done! Out in R1WC…
There’s no way the Rockets would be any better. Nwaba’s impact would be minimal at best and they’d have no youth or meaningful free agents to supplement depth. You also have to take into consideration the fact that other teams will make improvements both on the market and in the draft. Other clubs, such as Golden State and Portland, will also be healthier. Your optimism is inspiring but quite unrealistic at times
Not really. Everyone else who talks trash about the Rockets are just pessimistic from their dislike of the team and its players.
The Rockets have the 4th best odds of winning the title behind the Bucks, Lakers, and Clippers because they’re a great team. People who don’t realize this will find out once play resumes.
Don’t underrate yourself as a motive.
Just what makes you think any of those players would want to play for a dysfunctional Knicks team?
Timberwolves PF and SG needs will be very easy at least for one . The draft will give them either Anthony Edwards at SG or Toppin or OO at PF. Double O would bring more defense but Toppin would be fun to watch with KAT and Dlo….