Denver Nuggets Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Michael Porter Jr. Out Due To COVID-19 Protocols

January 1st, 2021 at 9:52am CST by Arthur Hill

Michael Porter Jr. will miss the Nuggets‘ game tonight against the Suns and could be sidelined for several days under the NBA’s health and safety protocols, tweets Shams Charania of The Athletic.

Porter was in close contact with someone who tested positive for COVID-19, according to Kendra Andrews of The Athletic (Twitter link). The league typically requires a seven-day quarantine for contact tracing. She adds that Porter will also miss two games with the Timberwolves and one with the Mavericks if he’s out of action for an entire week.

This is the second bit of significant coronavirus-related news in the past two days, even though the league reported Wednesday that there were no new positive cases in the tests conducted since December 24. Bulls coach Billy Donovan said Thursday that four of his players were affected by the league protocols.

Porter has moved into Denver’s starting lineup during his second active NBA season. He is averaging 19.5 points and 6.8 rebounds in four games.

Latest On James Harden

December 31st, 2020 at 9:07am CST by Luke Adams

In his latest look at the James Harden situation, Brian Windhorst of ESPN lists the Sixers, Nets, Heat, Celtics, and Raptors among the teams that have at least placed “courtesy calls” to the Rockets about the former MVP.

And while the Bucks reportedly don’t have interest in pursuing Harden, they did have an internal conversation about the possibility and ran it by Giannis Antetokounmpo before coming to that decision, Windhorst notes.

The Harden trade talk that dominated NBA headlines during the preseason has died down to some extent now that the season is underway and the 31-year-old is suiting up for the Rockets, but Windhorst believes it’s just a matter of time before a team convinces itself that Harden is the missing piece for a championship and pulls the trigger on a deal, like Toronto did for Kawhi Leonard in 2018.

Here’s more on Harden:

Although the Nuggets have been linked to Harden directly, they’re also interested in potentially getting involved in a multi-team trade involving the star guard even if they don’t end up with him, according to Windhorst.
Sam Amick of The Athletic wonders if the loss of scoring depth caused by Spencer Dinwiddie‘s ACL injury may motivate the Nets to push harder to acquire Harden. Of course, as we discussed earlier this week, Dinwiddie’s injury also diminishes the value of a player who likely would be part of any package the Nets offer.
Within that same Athletic article, Amick examines where things stand for the other teams linked to Harden, writing that the Sixers remain content to continue evaluating their current roster under Doc Rivers before making any major changes, while the Bucks don’t view Harden as a fit for their culture. Amick also evaluates the Heat, Nuggets, Trail Blazers, and Raptors, but doesn’t suggest that there’s traction on any front.

Green Addition "Sign Of Respect"

December 26th, 2020 at 12:41pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Big man JaMychal Green left the Clippers and signed with the Nuggets on a two-year, $15MM contract. Nuggets coach Michael Malone saw that as an example of Denver’s reputation around the league, Mirjam Swanson of the Orange County Register writes. “The fact that he decided to join us, I think, was a sign of respect,” Malone said. “He wanted to be a part of the team he saw in the Western Conference semifinals when we played head to head.”

Community Shootaround: Christmas Day Games

December 25th, 2020 at 8:30am CST by Luke Adams

When the 2019/20 NBA season ended in October, it didn’t seem likely that we’d see another NBA game played until some time in the new year, perhaps even as late as February or March. But the league accelerated its plans for the 2020/21 regular season in the fall, ensuring that an annual tradition was preserved: the five-game Christmas Day slate.

Today’s schedule is as follows:

New Orleans Pelicans at Miami Heat (11:00am central time)
Golden State Warriors at Milwaukee Bucks (1:30pm CT)
Brooklyn Nets at Boston Celtics (4:00pm CT)
Dallas Mavericks at Los Angeles Lakers (7:00pm CT)
Los Angeles Clippers at Denver Nuggets (9:30pm CT)

A couple of these matchups look even more tantalizing today than they did a week ago. The Pelicans, for instance, looked awfully impressive in their opening-night game against Toronto on Wednesday and will be going up against the defending Eastern champion Heat, who are hungry for their first win of the season.

A Stephen Curry/Giannis Antetokounmpo showdown between the Warriors and Bucks will be followed by a matchup of two potential Eastern Conference contenders who looked great on opening night, the Nets and Celtics.

Luka Doncic and the Mavericks and LeBron James, Anthony Davis and the Lakers will all be looking for their first win of the season in the evening.

And the night is capped off with a rematch of last year’s Western Conference Semifinals, with Kawhi Leonard, Paul George, and the Clippers visiting Nikola Jokic, Jamal Murray, and the Nuggets.

Which game are you most looking forward to watch today? Which five teams are you picking to win the Christmas Day games? Use the comment section below to weigh in with your thoughts and make your predictions!

Northwest Notes: Barton, Boylen, Blazers, Thunder, Gobert

December 24th, 2020 at 9:18am CST by Luke Adams

Nuggets wing Will Barton made it clear multiple times earlier this month that he believes he deserves to be a starter. However, after coming off the bench in Wednesday’s opener, Barton said he’s happy for Michael Porter Jr. – who has been promoted to the starting lineup – and is prepared to accept his new sixth man role, as Mike Singer of The Denver Post writes.

“My concern is not about (starting) anymore once I channel my energy to where it has to be,” Barton said. “That’s where I am, so I’m locked in right now, I’m coming off the bench. I’m not trying to worry about if I’m gonna start again. Right now I’ve got a job to do, and that’s my focus is to come off the bench and try to change the game for us and still help us win games.”

While Barton may not have started the Nuggets’ opener, he got the opportunity to finish it, playing all five minutes of overtime in Denver’s loss to Sacramento.

Here’s more from around the Northwest:

The Trail Blazers brought in former Bulls head coach Jim Boylen for a three-week consultation to help Portland’s coaching staff implement a more aggressive defense, says Jason Quick of The Athletic. “I was intrigued with his ideas and what he did in Chicago,” Blazers head coach Terry Stotts said of Boylen. “And we will be using some of the things he talked about and augmenting some of his other things with what we already do.”
Even after stockpiling future draft picks for a second consecutive offseason, the Thunder may not be done, according to John Hollinger of The Athletic, who points out that the team could continue to extract draft assets in deals for Al Horford, George Hill, and Trevor Ariza, or by using a pair of giant trade exceptions to accommodate salary dumps.
ESPN’s Lisa Salters conducted an in-depth interview with Jazz center Rudy Gobert, discussing his path to the NBA, how it felt to become the league’s “patient zero” for COVID-19, and his relationship with Donovan Mitchell, among other topics. “We had conversations as grown men, and we told each other what we had on our minds,” Gobert said of mending his relationship with Mitchell. “And the end of the conversation was that our goal was to win a championship together and, you know, I thought it was really mature from both of us to come out of the conversation like that.”

Rockets Seek Porter Jr. In Potential Harden Trade With Nuggets

December 22nd, 2020 at 6:22pm CST by Dana Gauruder

The Rockets have focused on Michael Porter Jr. in trade discussions with the Nuggets as the centerpiece of a potential James Harden trade, Mike Singer of the Denver Post reports.

However, the talks didn’t gain any traction, Singer adds. This updates an earlier report that the Nuggets are unwilling to give up Jamal Murray in a package for Harden. Murray was never included in any discussions and Nikola Jokic is also off-limits.

Porter would give the Rockets a potential star in return for the perennial All-Star guard, who wants to be dealt. Any potential deal with Denver would also have to include Gary Harris and/or Will Barton for salary-matching purposes salaries and that would seriously deplete the Nuggets at the wing spots, Singer notes.

Harden would make for an intriguing third star to join forces with Jokic and Murray but he could also wreck the good chemistry the team displayed while making its run to the conference finals last season.

Porter averaged 9.3 PPG and 4.7 RPG in 55 games (16.4 MPG) during his de facto rookie season in 2019/20 after he was sidelined the previous campaign due to a back injury. His playing time grew during the playoffs, as he averaged 11.4 PPG and 6.7 RPG while shooting 38.2% from long range.

Houston has reportedly been seeking a return that features an All-Star-caliber young player, along with several other assets (young players or draft picks).

Nuggets Won’t Trade Murray In Potential Harden Deal

December 22nd, 2020 at 2:11pm CST by Luke Adams

The Nuggets have reportedly spoken to the Rockets about the possibility of a James Harden trade, but Denver would be unwilling to include Jamal Murray in any offer for the former MVP, according to Mike Singer of The Denver Post.

As Singer explains, Murray’s impressive postseason run during the Orlando restart over the summer underscored why the Nuggets gave him a maximum-salary extension a year ago. It also demonstrated why Denver views the 23-year-old as a long-term franchise cornerstone alongside Nikola Jokic, who – of course – also wouldn’t be available in any Harden discussions.

With Jokic and Murray off the table, the most obvious centerpiece in a potential Nuggets offer would be Michael Porter Jr. The 22-year-old forward averaged 9.3 PPG and 4.7 RPG in 55 games (16.4 MPG) during his de facto rookie season in 2019/20.

While those numbers don’t jump off the page, Porter’s upside is considerable and he’s viewed as a potential offensive star. Still, it’s not clear how enthusiastic the Rockets would be about a deal built around him — or how many other assets the Nuggets would be willing to include in such an offer. Houston has reportedly been seeking a return that features an All-Star-caliber young player, along with several other assets (young players or draft picks).

Denver hasn’t been mentioned as one of Harden’s preferred landing spots, but a report last week indicated that the Rockets had expanded trade talks beyond those teams on his wish list. Presumably, the Nuggets were one of those teams, though it’s unclear if the two sides remain in touch or have engaged in anything beyond exploratory discussions.

Heat No Longer Engaging In Harden Talks With Rockets

December 21st, 2020 at 2:33pm CST by Luke Adams

The Heat are no longer engaging in discussions with the Rockets about a possible James Harden trade, according to Ira Winderman of The South Florida Sun Sentinel (Twitter link).

Miami was said to be among Harden’s preferred landing spot, and a report earlier this month indicated the Heat would be open to exploring the possibility of a deal. However, Winderman hears that the discussions were “never more than cursory.”

The Heat had some interest, but not at the Rockets’ asking price, tweets Barry Jackson of The Miami Herald. Jackson adds (via Twitter) that one high-ranking Heat official had “strong interest” in a deal and that the team might re-engage if Houston lowers its asking price. For now, Miami is standing firm.

As Winderman points out (via Twitter), the Heat have taken this approach before, shutting down trade discussions on a potential target once the regular season begins — they did so with Jimmy Butler right before the start of the 2018/19 campaign, preferring to push that speculation aside once the season tipped off. Butler eventually made his way to Miami in the 2019 offseason after being traded from Minnesota to Philadelphia during the season.

In order to realistically have a shot to acquire Harden without giving up Butler or Bam Adebayo, the Heat would have to gut their supporting cast, likely including veterans like Andre Iguodala and Kelly Olynyk for salary purposes and then sweetening their offer by including young players like Tyler Herro, Duncan Robinson, and/or Kendrick Nunn, along with future draft picks.

The inclusion of Robinson in a potential deal was said to be a sticking point, though it sounds like the Heat and Rockets may not have gotten far enough in their talks to seriously haggle over specific aspects of an offer.

The Rockets have also had Harden discussions with the Nets, Sixers, and Nuggets, among other teams, says ESPN’s Brian Windhorst. Denver isn’t believed to be among Harden’s preferred destinations, but could put together an interesting trade package for a star player.

Why Facundo Campazzo Left Spain To Join Nuggets

December 20th, 2020 at 7:58pm CST by JD Shaw

Mike Singer of the Denver Post examines why Facundo Campazzo decided to leave Spain for the NBA, signing a deal to join the Nuggets in free agency last month. “Truth be told, Facu was not really a hidden gem,” said Rafal Juc, the team’s international scout. “He was arguably a top-five European player for half a decade or so. So basically, he’s been on our radar for a while.” Campazzo, an entertaining 5’11” guard, is known for giving maximum effort on both ends of the floor. He’s expected to provide depth off the bench for a team focused on making a deep playoff run this season.

NBA GMs Vote Lakers As Offseason Winners, Title Favorites

December 18th, 2020 at 11:25am CST by Luke Adams

The NBA’s general managers liked the Lakers‘ offseason moves and are bullish on the team’s chances to repeat as champions in 2020/21, as John Schuhmann of NBA.com writes in his annual survey of the league’s GMs.

An impressive 81% of the responding general managers picked the Lakers to win the championship in 2021, which is the third-highest percentage any team has received since Schuhmann began conducting his annual GM survey 19 years ago. The Clippers ranked second at 11%, while the Nets and Heat received one vote apiece.

Meanwhile, the Lakers (37%) beat out the Suns (22%) and Thunder (15%) in the voting for best offseason roster moves. The Hawks, Bucks, and Sixers each received two votes, while the Trail Blazers got one too.

Here are a few more of the interesting responses from Schuhmann’s GM survey, which is worth checking out in full:

The Suns‘ acquisition of Chris Paul (44%) and the Bucks‘ trade for Jrue Holiday (33%) were voted the moves that will have the biggest impact this season. The Clippers‘ signing of Serge Ibaka (15%), the Pelicans‘ deal for Steven Adams (11%), and the Trail Blazers‘ trade for Robert Covington (11%) were the front-runners for the most underrated offseason player acquisition. Gordon Hayward‘s $120MM contract with the Hornets (54%) was voted the most surprising offseason move.
While NBA GMs view Hornets guard LaMelo Ball (39%) as the favorite to win Rookie of the Year over Warriors big man James Wiseman (29%), Wiseman received the most votes (36%) among this year’s rookies to be the best player in five years, followed by Ball (25%). Kings guard Tyrese Haliburton, meanwhile, was voted the biggest steal in the 2020 draft (43%).
Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo and Mavericks guard Luka Doncic were the top choices as the player GMs would want to start a franchise with today. They each received 43% of the vote, with Lakers stars Anthony Davis and LeBron James and Pelicans youngster Zion Williamson also picking up votes.
Speaking of Williamson, he helped the Pelicans receive the nod for the team with the most promising young core (41%). The Grizzlies (22%), Hawks (11%), Celtics (11%), and Nuggets (11%) also got multiple votes.