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Northwest Notes: Nuggets, Jazz, Blazers, Roberson

June 5th, 2020 at 2:24pm CST by Luke Adams

While the Trail Blazers were the only NBA team to vote against the NBA’s return-to-play plan, they weren’t the only Northwest club that would have preferred a solution besides the 22-team format the league settled on.

Two league sources tell Mike Singer of The Denver Post that the Nuggets initially voted in favor of a plan that would have sent the 16 current playoff teams immediately to the postseason. According to Singer, Denver was “strongly” opposed to a 20-team format that would’ve involved a World Cup-style group stage, believing it undermined the team’s regular season success.

While those 16- and 20-team plans received consideration, Silver ultimately decided that the 22-team format was in the NBA’s best interest, and when he brought it to the league’s Board of Governors for a vote on Thursday, the Nuggets voted to approve it.

Here’s more from around the Northwest:

Now that the Nuggets have officially clinched a playoff spot, Nikola Jokic ($466K) and Paul Millsap ($150K) have secured their playoff bonuses for the 2019/20 season, as ESPN’s Bobby Marks observes (via Twitter).
In a series of pieces for The Athletic, Tony Jones examines what the NBA’s return-to-play format means for the Jazz, while Jason Quick does the same for the Trail Blazers and Jon Krawczynski explores what’s next for the Timberwolves now that they’ve been left out of the league’s return. Although Utah is assured a playoff spot and Portland isn’t, the Jazz will be missing injured forward Bojan Bogdanovic, while the Blazers should get big men Jusuf Nurkic and Zach Collins back in their lineup.
Within his own look at what the restart plan means for the Thunder, Erik Horne of The Athletic reports that Andre Roberson would be ready to play now if the season hadn’t been suspended. Without being able to scrimmage or practice at all over the last three months, it’s not clear if Roberson will return this summer, but it sounds like it’s a possibility. The veteran forward, who has battled multiple knee issues, hasn’t played in an NBA game in over two years.

What Lottery, Draft Rules Mean For Traded 2020 First Round Picks

June 5th, 2020 at 10:54am CST by Luke Adams

It got a bit lost in the shuffle amidst all of Thursday’s updates, but the NBA provided some important details on how this year’s draft lottery seeding and odds will work. They are as follows:

The eight teams not included in the Orlando restart will be the top eight teams in the lottery standings.
The 9-14 spots in the lottery will be made up of the six teams that don’t make the playoffs following this summer’s “seeding games” and possible play-in tournaments. Their seedings and odds will be based on their records as of March 11.
The rest of the first round will be sorted by record, as usual. The order will be based on teams’ regular season results and the results of the eight seeding games this summer.

With those rules in mind, we have a pretty good sense of how traded first round picks for 2020 will be affected, so let’s take a closer look…

Picks whose fates have essentially been decided:

Cavaliers‘ first-round pick (traded to Pelicans if not in top 10)

As the league’s second-worst team in 2019/20, the Cavaliers can’t fall below sixth in the lottery, so they’ll keep their pick, which will land anywhere from No. 1 to 6.

Sixers‘ first-round pick (traded to Nets if not in top 14)

The Sixers have a nine-game lead on Orlando, which means they’ve now clinched a playoff spot and will send their pick to Brooklyn. It’s currently projected to land at No. 19 or 20, but it could move up or down based on this summer’s seeding games.

Pacers‘ first-round pick (traded to Bucks if not in top 14)

Like the Sixers, the Pacers have now clinched a playoff spot, which assures they’ll send their pick to Milwaukee. This pick is also currently projected to land at No. 19 or 20 (Philadelphia and Indiana are tied at 39-26), but it could move higher or lower once play resumes.

Rockets‘ first-round pick (traded to Nuggets)

This pick is unprotected, so the Rockets will send it to Denver. At 40-24, the Rockets are tied with Oklahoma City, putting their pick in line to be No. 21 or 22. They’re bunched up with a few teams in the standings though, so that could change when play resumes.

Jazz‘s first-round pick (traded to Grizzlies if it falls between 8-14)

The Jazz have now clinched a spot in the postseason, so they’ll keep their pick for at least one more year. It’s currently projected to be No. 24 overall, but that may change.

Nuggets‘ first-round pick (traded to Thunder)

An unprotected pick, the Nuggets’ first-rounder is currently projected to be No. 25. They’ll send it to Oklahoma City.

Clippers‘ first-round pick (traded to Knicks)

This is another unprotected selection, which the Clippers will send to New York. For now, it projects to be No. 27.

Bucks‘ first-round pick (traded to Celtics)

The Bucks, who will send this pick to Boston, have a four-game lead for the NBA’s best record, so this selection will likely be No. 30, though it could theoretically move up a spot or two.

Picks whose fates remain up in the air:

Nets‘ first-round pick (traded to Timberwolves if not in top 14)

At 30-34, the Nets have a half-game lead over Orlando and a six-game cushion over Washington. If they slump when play resumes, there’s a scenario in which they lose their playoff spot. The Magic would have to pass them and the Wizards would have to pull to within four games before beating Brooklyn twice in a row in a play-in tournament.
If the Nets miss the playoffs, this pick would end up at either No. 13 or 14 in the lottery standings, and Brooklyn would keep it.
If the Nets hang on a clinch a playoff spot, it figures to be the No. 15, 16, or 17 pick, and they’ll send it to the Timberwolves.

Grizzlies‘ first-round pick (traded to Celtics if it’s not in top six)

The Grizzlies have a 3.5-game lead over three Western teams (Portland, New Orleans, and Sacramento), with a four-game cushion over San Antonio and a six-game cushion over Phoenix.
They’re in position to secure a playoff spot, and if they do, they’ll send this pick to the Celtics. It would fall between Nos. 15-17.
If the Grizzlies lose their playoff spot, they’ll move to No. 14 in the lottery standings. In all likelihood, the pick would end up there and they’d still have to send it to Boston. However, they’d have a minuscule chance (2.4%) of moving into the top four via the lottery, in which case they’d keep the pick.

Thunder‘s first-round pick (traded to Sixers if not in top 20)

Based on the Thunder’s current 40-24 record, this pick currently projects to be No. 21 or 22, in which case OKC would have to send it to Philadelphia.
However, if the Thunder lose ground during this summer’s seeding games, they could be surpassed in the standings by as many as three teams, meaning the pick could end up in the No. 18-20 range. In that case, Oklahoma City would keep it.

Nuggets’ Grant Likely To Decline ’20/21 Option

June 1st, 2020 at 12:02pm CST by Luke Adams

Appearing on Yahoo Sports’ Posted Up With Chris Haynes podcast, Nuggets forward Jerami Grant admitted that he has thought about his upcoming free agency amidst the COVID-19 pandemic. While he acknowledged that the salary cap for 2020/21 might drop a little – or “a lot” – Grant told Haynes that he thinks he’ll still likely pass on his $9.35MM player option for next season.

“I’m definitely not leaning towards picking up the player option,” Grant said, according to Quenton S. Albertie of NuggLove). “Like you said, I feel like I definitely outplayed the $9MM that I’m making each year right now. But at the same time… I’d love to come to a conclusion or something like that with Denver, it just depends what we discuss and negotiate when the time comes.”

Traded from Oklahoma City to Denver last summer for a first-round pick, Grant got off to a slow start as a Nugget, but had rebounded nicely by the time the NBA suspended its season. In 64 total games (26.2 MPG), he averaged 11.6 PPG and 3.5 RPG on .471/.400/.744 shooting. While Grant’s overall net rating wasn’t great, Denver performed better with him on the floor than off it during the final two months of the season leading up to March 11.

Once the offseason begins, Grant will have the option of picking up his $9.35MM player option and putting off unrestricted free agency until 2021 or opting out and becoming a free agent immediately. Given his age, performance, and contract situation, he’s one of a small handful of veterans likely to turn down a player option this year, as we detailed in May.

If Grant does opt out, it won’t necessarily signal the end of his time in Denver. He and the Nuggets could still work out a new contract, as he alluded to in his comments to Haynes. With Paul Millsap and Mason Plumlee also headed for the open market, the Nuggets would have to decide which frontcourt pieces they’ll prioritize in free agency.

Tyler Bey's Possible Fit; Millsap Optimistic About Title For Denver

May 22nd, 2020 at 8:12pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

Nuggets forward Paul Millsap is optimistic about his squad’s title odds, per The Athletic’s Nick Kosmider. The 35-year-old veteran has hardly rested on his laurels during the two-month pandemic-mandated league shutdown. Millsap revealed in a team Instagram interview recently that he has focused his workouts around a plyometrics-strengthening program, working toward getting stronger and quicker than he was in March.

Millsap, a two-time All-Star with the Hawks, is earning $30.35MM in the final year of his contract with Denver. The 43-22 Nuggets, led by All-Star center Nikola Jokic and promising young point guard Jamal Murray, are the No. 3 seed in the West. Millsap thinks that the team’s familiarity will give them an edge in a season with so many changing faces among the league’s elite teams. “I think we have an advantage,” Millsap said. “We’ve been together probably longer than any team out there.”

Colorado University forward Tyler Bey could be an enticing fit for the Nuggets in the 2020 draft given his defensive skill set and rebounding skills. Bey’s raw offensive game and lack of a clear position at the level give The Denver Post’s Mike Singer pause about the fit. Elsewhere in his mailbag, Singer addresses other pressing Nuggets questions, including the Denver futures of post players Jerami Grant, Mason Plumlee, and Millsap.

Update From Colorado Governor; Examining MPJ's Rookie Year

May 21st, 2020 at 10:30am CST by Luke Adams

Colorado Governor Jared Polis told Nicki Jhabvala of The Athletic in an interview this week that he intends to give the green light to sports leagues to play games (without fans) in the state once they’re ready to do so. Polis’ comments primarily focus on MLB’s Rockies and NFL’s Broncos, since the Nuggets are extremely unlikely to play games at their home arena before 2020/21. Still, it’s a promising sign for next season for Colorado’s lone NBA franchise.
After missing the entire 2018/19 season, Nuggets forward Michael Porter Jr. flashed some tantalizing potential during his de facto rookie year. With the help of former NBA team executive Seth Partnow, Nick Kosmider of The Athletic digs into Porter’s performance and explores what advanced data says about his play.

Northwest Notes: Barton, Niang, Nuggets

May 17th, 2020 at 5:47pm CST by JD Shaw

Nuggets guard Will Barton understands it may take awhile for players to get back into game shape due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but the 29-year-old is still mentally prepared to return to the hardwood, Alex Labidou of Nuggets.com writes.

Barton discussed a number of topics with Katy Winge of Altitude, including returning to Denver’s practice facility, his thoughts on The Last Dance and more.

“You can try to do as much as you can, but without getting on the court and playing 5-on-5, nothing can prepare for game shape,” he told Winge, as relayed by Labidou.

Many practice facilities around the NBA are beginning to open with strict restrictions and protocols in place, allowing some players to return to a court for the first time in roughly two months.

In addition to Zoom calls and virtual training sessions, players have resorted to watching game film and weekly episodes of The Last Dance, and Barton is no exception.

“I don’t miss an episode… Mike [Jordan] was insane and I mean that in the best way possible,” Barton said. “Just how driven he was, his mindset mentally he was just different. We all know how gifted he was, how talented he was. But to get a live look into a mindset, what made him tick, is amazing.”

Here are some other notes out of the Northwest Division:

Jazz forward Georges Niang gave insight into his first workout at Utah’s practice facility, which was recently reopened amidst the coronavirus pandemic, as relayed by Eric Walden of the Salt Lake Tribune. “The guy that is on our training staff has to be in full [personal protective equipment] — whether that’s a mask, gloves; I know he’s carrying around a spray bottle and a towel,” Niang said. “So, basically every step that I take or wherever I go, that place is getting sprayed down.”
Nick Kosmider of The Athletic examines what the Nuggets must do in order to compete for a championship, listing seven questions to answer if the playoffs take place. Denver has a deep roster headlined by the likes of Nikola Jokic, Jamal Murray and Gary Harris, but the franchise has failed to achieve postseason success in recent years.
Harrison Wind of TheDNVR.com provides a peek into the Nuggets‘ first week of workouts back at the practice facility. Denver formally opened its facility last week, becoming one of the first teams to do so.

Assessing Grant's Fit In Denver

May 14th, 2020 at 9:12pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, Nuggets forward Jerami Grant seemed destined to opt out of the final season of his three-year, $27MM contract, per The Athletic’s Nick Kosmider. With the NBA’s 2020/21 salary cap now in question, Grant will probably stay in Denver, whether or not he picks up that option. Grant averaged an encouraging 11.6 PPG on 47.1% shooting from the field and 40% shooting from deep to go along with 3.5 RPG in just 26.2 MPG for the 43-22 Nuggets. Grant’s performance left much to be desired from an advanced statistics perspective, per Kosmider, who appraises Grant’s long-term fit with the squad.

Nuggets Conduct Virtual Locker Room Meetings

May 11th, 2020 at 8:42pm CST by Dana Gauruder

The Nuggets have created virtual locker rooms to stay in touch and engaged, according to Mike Singer of the Denver Post. Rather than staying connected via e-mails and text messages, the Nuggets have conducted a handful of team Zoom calls.

Nuggets Have To Decide Whether To Bring Back Millsap

May 9th, 2020 at 6:30pm CST by Arthur Hill

The Nuggets will face a difficult decision when Paul Millsap becomes a free agent this offseason, notes Nick Kosmider of The Athletic. They picked up a team option on Millsap last summer, but that was before they were able to acquire Jerami Grant from the Thunder. Grant is expected to opt out of a $9MM salary for next season and seek a multi-year deal. Millsap is Denver’s oldest player by far at age 35, and the Nuggets will have to determine if they can afford to keep both him and Grant.

Nuggets Postpone Reopening Date To Monday

May 8th, 2020 at 11:46am CST by Luke Adams

Initially expected to be one of three teams opening their practice facilities for individual voluntary workouts on Friday, the Nuggets will delay their reopening until Monday, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski (via Twitter).

May 8 is the first day that the NBA is permitting teams to reopen their buildings for individual player workouts, with strict regulations in place to help avoid the spread of the coronavirus. As far as we know, the other two teams expected to reopen today – the Cavaliers and Trail Blazers – are still moving forward with those plans.

The Nuggets will now join the Kings and Raptors as clubs targeting May 11 as their reopening date.

It remains to be seen how many players will take advantage of the newly-reopened facilities in Denver and elsewhere. Some players have access to their own workout equipment and private baskets and may not need to use a team facility. A few may stay away from team facilities for now due to ongoing COVID-19 concerns.

Of course, not every player remained in his team’s home city during the NBA’s shutdown either. Mike Singer of The Denver Post said earlier this week that a “significant portion” of the Nuggets aren’t currently in Denver.