Mobile Menu
HEADLINES

Nuggets Rumors

NBA Announces Finalists For Sportsmanship, Teammate Of The Year Awards

April 2nd, 2025 at 2:28pm CST by Luke Adams

The NBA announced the 2024/25 finalists for a pair of awards on Wednesday, naming the six players who are eligible to win the Sportsmanship Award for this season, as well as the 12 players who are in the running to be named Teammate of the Year.

The Sportsmanship Award honors the player who “best represents the ideals of sportsmanship on the court,” per the NBA. Each of the league’s 30 teams nominated one of its players for the award, then a panel of league executives narrows that group to six finalists (one from each division) and current players voted for the winner.

The trophy for the Sportsmanship Award is named after Joe Dumars, the Hall-of-Fame guard who won the inaugural award back in ’95/96. This season’s finalists are as follows (via Twitter):

Holiday is the only one of this year’s finalists for the Sportsmanship Award who has earned the honor in the past — he won it in 2021. Sixers guard Tyrese Maxey won the award last season.

Meanwhile, the NBA also announced its finalists for the Teammate of the Year award for 2024/25. According to the league, the player selected for the honor is “deemed the best teammate based on selfless play, on- and off-court leadership as a mentor and role model to other NBA players, and commitment and dedication to team.”

The voting process is similar to the Sportsmanship Award — a panel of league executives selects 12 finalists (six from each conference) for the award, then current players vote on the winner.

Holiday is a three-time Teammate of the Year, while Timberwolves guard Mike Conley has also won the award twice, including in 2024. However, neither of those veterans is a finalist this season.

The Teammate of the Year finalists are as follows (via Twitter):

Retweet 0 Share 0 Send via email0

Award Candidates Who Still Need To Reach 65-Game Mark

April 2nd, 2025 at 12:59pm CST by Luke Adams

There are just 12 days left in the 2024/25 regular season, which means time is running out for certain end-of-season award candidates to meet the 65-game minimum to qualify for consideration.

A player doesn’t need to reach that 65-game mark in order to be eligible for Sixth Man of the Year, Rookie of the Year, or All-Rookie teams, but it’s a necessary requirement for most of the marquee awards: Most Valuable Player, All-NBA, Defensive Player of the Year, All-Defense, and Most Improved Player.

According to ESPN’s Bobby Marks (Twitter link), the following players who could be in the mix for one or more of those awards haven’t yet met the 65-game criteria, but still have a chance to do so:

In some cases, a player’s actual games played total doesn’t match up with the figure noted above. That’s because in order for a game to count before the 65-game minimum, the player must be on the court for at least 20 minutes. A player is also permitted to count a maximum of two games between 15 and 20 minutes toward that minimum.

Let’s use Mobley as an example. The Cavaliers big man has technically appeared in 66 games this season, but he played just 12 minutes in one of those games, 18 minutes in two of them, and 19 minutes in one. That means he only has 64 games that actually count toward the minimum — all 62 games in which he played 20-plus minutes, along with two of those games between 15-20 minutes.

Mobley will have to play at least 20 minutes once more this season in order to be eligible for awards like Defensive Player of the Year, All-Defense, and All-NBA. Given that he’s healthy and the Cavs still have seven games left on their schedule, Mobley should have no problem meeting that requirement. But it’ll be a taller order for some of the other players on this list.

Durant is currently sidelined with an ankle sprain and has been ruled out for at least two more games. He would have to play 20-plus minutes in three of the Suns‘ final four games to be award-eligible. Brunson, on the shelf due to his own ankle sprain, is in a similar boat, though the Knicks guard has a chance to return before Durant does.

Lillard, who is out indefinitely after being diagnosed with a blood clot in his calf, seems pretty unlikely to play in six of the Bucks‘ last seven games. Holiday is healthy but has no wiggle room to miss any of the Celtics‘ remaining seven games.

Many of this year’s other top award contenders have already met the 65-game criteria. Nuggets center Nikola Jokic did so in style on Tuesday night — his 65th game of the season was an incredible 61-point triple-double in a 140-139 double-overtime loss to Minnesota.

However, according to the latest straw poll conducted by Tim Bontemps of ESPN, Jokic is the clear runner-up to Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (who has played 72 games) in the MVP race. Of the 100 media members polled by Bontemps, 77 picked the Thunder guard as their Most Valuable Player, while just 23 chose Jokic. The three-time MVP may need a couple more performances like Tuesday’s in order to close that gap by the end of the season.

Besides Jokic, one other notable player who has narrowly eclipsed the 65-game minimum is Cade Cunningham. The Pistons guard has missed four games in a row with a left calf injury and is considered doubtful to return on Wednesday, but he played his 65th game on March 19, prior to his recent absence.

That’s especially important for Cunningham and the Pistons because, as Bontemps notes, the fourth-year guard is considered a virtual lock to earn a spot on one of this year’s All-NBA teams, which will ensure that his maximum-salary rookie scale extension begins at 30% of the 2025/26 salary cap instead of 25%. That would increase the overall projected value of Cunningham’s five-year deal from $224.2MM to $269.1MM.

Retweet 0 Share 0 Send via email0

Carmelo Anthony To Be Inducted Into Hall Of Fame

April 2nd, 2025 at 11:44am CST by Luke Adams

Former NBA star Carmelo Anthony has been notified that he has been elected into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame and will be part of the 2025 class, reports Shams Charania of ESPN (Twitter link).

Anthony was among 17 Hall of Fame finalists who were announced in February. While the new Hall of Famers from that group  won’t be formally revealed until this Saturday (April 5) at the NCAA Final Four, Charania’s report indicates Anthony will be among them.

The third overall pick in the 2003 draft, Anthony appeared in 1,260 regular season NBA games across 19 seasons in the league, averaging 22.5 points, 6.2 rebounds, and 2.7 assists per contest, with a shooting line of .447/.355/.814. He spent his first six-and-a-half professional seasons with Denver before being traded to New York, where he played from 2010-17.

After playing his prime years with the Nuggets and Knicks, Anthony spent time with the Thunder, Rockets, Trail Blazers, and Lakers from 2017-22 before calling it a career. The 6’7″ forward was named an All-Star 10 times over the course of his career and earned six All-NBA nods (two Second Team and four Third Team).

Anthony also led the league in scoring in 2012/13, ranks 12th on the all-time points list, and was one of 75 players named to the NBA’s 75th Anniversary team.

In addition to his strong NBA résumé, Anthony made an impact in NCAA and international competition. He won a national championship during his first and only college season with Syracuse in 2002/03 and brought home three Olympic medals for Team USA. Anthony was widely lauded for how he adjusted to the FIBA game and was a valuable contributor to the U.S. teams that won gold in Beijing (2008), London (2012), and Rio (2016).

Anthony, who announced his retirement in 2023, is one of many former NBA players who have taken to podcasting and currently puts out weekly episodes of his 7PM in Brooklyn podcast.

Anthony said in the latest episode of 7PM in Brooklyn that he has interest in joining an NBA ownership group, specifically naming the Wizards as a team he’d like to get involved with (Twitter video link).

“Former player. I understand players. I understand personnel, I understand being fatigued,” Anthony said as part of a longer explanation for why he thinks he’d make a good team owner (hat tip to Paul Kasabian of Bleacher Report). “I understand how to build teams, but I also understand what I don’t understand. I know what I don’t know. You also have to put people in those positions. President, GM, you put all the basketball acumen in those positions, and then you cover that with business model.”

Retweet 0 Share 0 Send via email0

Nuggets’ Malone, Teammates Stand By Westbrook After Costly Late-Game Sequence

April 2nd, 2025 at 8:57am CST by Luke Adams

Russell Westbrook didn’t speak to reporters on Tuesday after he had a major hand in a disastrous late-game sequence that cost the Nuggets a double-overtime win over the rival Timberwolves. However, his head coach and teammates weren’t willing to throw the veteran guard under the bus, as Bennett Durando of The Denver Post writes.

With Denver holding a one-point lead and just 15 seconds left to play, Westbrook grabbed an errant Anthony Edwards pass and led a 2-on-1 fast break up the court (Twitter video link via NBA on TNT). However, his layup attempt was no good, resulting in the Wolves grabbing the rebound and getting off a last-second three-point attempt for the win.

Minnesota guard Nickeil Alexander-Walker missed the shot, but Westbrook was called for a foul, which led to Alexander-Walker making the game-winning free throws with a tenth of a second left on the game clock.

“(Westbrook is) a guy that hates to lose. … He’s a perfectionist and he’s a competitor,” head coach Michael Malone told reporters, including Durando, during his post-game press conference. “And knowing Russ the way I do, he’s probably gonna put a lot of this on him. But we lost tonight. The Denver Nuggets. We, as a collective group, lost that game tonight. Not one player.

“He’s a pro. He’s a warrior. He’s a tough kid,” Malone continued. “And I think he knows that everybody in that locker room has got his back.”

Malone’s assertion that Westbrook’s teammates have his back was reinforced by comments made by star center Nikola Jokic – who had an incredible 61-point triple-double – and Christian Braun.

“Why?” Jokic replied when asked if he would say something to Westbrook about the last two plays of the game (Twitter link via Vinny Benedetto of The Denver Gazette). “What happened, it’s basketball. I’m pretty sure that he didn’t want to make a foul or whatever. It happens. He had the best (intentions). It happens.”

“We trust (Westbrook) to take that shot 100 out of 100 times,” Braun added. “So that’s not what lost us the game.”

Still, Troy Renck of The Denver Post contends that Tuesday’s costly 15-second sequence is the latest piece of evidence in favor of the Nuggets using Westbrook as nothing more than a spark-plug off the bench when their roster is fully healthy. According to Renck, Westbrook’s lack of “situational awareness” – exhibited by his decision to go for a layup after the steal instead of looking to kill more time on the clock – makes him a potential liability in late-game situations.

After primarily coming off the bench and averaging a career-low 22.5 minutes per night last season for the Clippers, Westbrook has started 35 of 69 games for Denver this season, with his playing time bumped back up to 28.1 MPG. The Nuggets have a -0.5 net rating when he’s on the court, compared to a +9.1 mark when he’s not, prompting Renck to argue that the team shouldn’t be leaning on the former MVP so heavily.

Westbrook is in the first season of a two-year, minimum-salary contract that includes a $3.47MM player option for next season. If he turns down that option, he’d become an unrestricted free agent and the Nuggets would hold his Non-Bird rights.

Retweet 0 Share 0 Send via email0

Northwest Notes: Gobert, Watson, Henderson, Hartenstein

March 30th, 2025 at 5:43pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Which team does Rudy Gobert believe is Minnesota’s toughest foe? The Timberwolves, he told Jon Krawczynski of The Athletic.

“We are our biggest opponent,” Gobert said. “We get a little complacent. When people start saying we’re good and when the odds are with us, that’s when we’re not as a good.”

As the postseason approaches, Gobert says his team’s success is predicated on preparation.

“We’ve been through it for the last few years, so by now we know that it’s just about us, our approach,” Gobert said. “It doesn’t just start at the tip-off of the game. It starts right now, how we recover, the work that we put in tomorrow. We all know the things we need to do to be at our best and try to be consistent.”

We have more from the Northwest Division:

  • Peyton Watson calls himself a gamer. The Nuggets wing is embracing the challenge of being a defensive stopper, he told Luca Evans of The Denver Post. “I mean, I think just as – about as confident as any guy in the league right now,” Watson said. “I think that I have the ability, on a night-to-night basis, to slow a lot of guys down and cut their water off. And I’m just trying to get better at doing that as consistently as possible.”
  • Portland guard Scoot Henderson is in the NBA’s concussion protocol, according to the team’s PR department (Twitter link). He was among several Trail Blazers regulars who didn’t play against the Knicks on Sunday.
  • Thunder big man Isaiah Hartenstein missed the second half of their win over Indiana on Saturday with left hip soreness, according to Justin Martinez of The Oklahoman. Hartenstein played 14 minutes, scoring four points. He recorded double-doubles in five of the previous six games. The veteran center is listed as questionable to play on Monday against Chicago, Joel Lorenzi of The Oklahoman tweets.
Retweet 0 Share 0 Send via email0

Community Shootaround: Western Conference Playoff Race

March 30th, 2025 at 12:01pm CST by Rory Maher

The Thunder already secured the top seed in the Western Conference and seem on their way to clinching the top overall seed entering the 2025 playoffs. However, the five remaining guaranteed playoff spots in the West are still up for grabs.

The Rockets have been playing excellent basketball over the past few weeks and have surged up to No. 2 in the West with a 48-26 record. Only a catastrophic collapse would prevent them from earning a top-six seed, as they hold a 5.5-game lead on the No. 7 Warriors with eight games remaining.

The Nuggets, who are currently the No. 3 seed with a 47-28 record, are also in a strong position to earn a guaranteed playoff berth, as they’re four games up on Golden State with seven games remaining. It’s worth noting that Houston and Denver have among the most difficult remaining schedules, per Tankathon, but both clubs have a decent cushion on their closest competitors.

Saturday’s game between the Lakers and Grizzlies was a key matchup for both teams. The No. 4 Lakers (45-29) emerged victorious and earned the head-to-head tiebreaker on the No. 5 Grizzlies (44-30).

Even after the win though, the Lakers are just 5-8 over their past 13 games. They also have the second-hardest remaining schedule of any team, including four matchups against Oklahoma City and Houston over their final eight games.

The slumping Grizzlies are just 1.5 games ahead of the Clippers and Warriors, who hold identical 42-31 records, and two games up on the No. 8 Timberwolves (42-32). The Clips hold the tiebreaker on the Dubs, which is why they’re currently the No. 6 seed.

To word it in a different way: Only three games separate the Nos. 4-8 seeds in the West. And by opponent winning percentage, Minnesota has — by far — the easiest schedule left of the group.

Of the five teams bunched together in the standings, the Clippers and Warriors are the only ones with nine games left; the other three each have eight.

Securing a top-six seed is critical, as it ensures teams will make the playoffs outright. Those who fall outside of the top six will have to compete in the play-in tournament to try and claim the final two playoff spots in the West. Dallas, Sacramento and Phoenix are essentially in a three-way race for the ninth and tenth seeds and thus the final two spots in the play-in.

We want to know what you think. Aside from the Thunder, which other five teams will secure top-six seeds in the West? Which teams will be heading to the play-in tournament? Head to the comments section to weigh in.

Retweet 0 Share 0 Send via email0

Nuggets Notes: Jokic, Watson, MPJ

March 27th, 2025 at 6:10pm CST by Rory Maher

Nuggets head coach Michael Malone was “nervous” ahead of Wednesday’s matchup with Milwaukee due to the absences of Giannis Antetokounmpo and Damian Lillard, as Bennett Durando of The Denver Post relays. Malone explained that teams have a tendency to “relax” when facing shorthanded rosters — just a couple weeks ago, Denver pulled off a major upset in Golden State without Jamal Murray and Nikola Jokic.

While it may not have been the best version of the Nuggets, particularly defensively, they came out victorious in Jokic’s first game back from elbow and ankle injuries. The three-time MVP looked rejuvenated after being sidelined for the previous five games leading up to Wednesday, according to Tony Jones of The Athletic, who writes that Jokic had been playing through the ailments for a while before he and the training staff decided he needed time off to heal.

“I felt a lot better than I thought I was going to feel,” said Jokic, who finished with 39 points (on 16-of-25 shooting), 10 rebounds and 10 assists. “I don’t want to say percentages or anything, but I feel much better than I thought I was going to be. I still feel the ankle a little bit, but it’s much, much, much less than how it was before.

“I think the most important thing is that we were able to win the game. What we want to do is figure out how to establish a rhythm in these last stretch of games. We want to be able to go to the playoffs and perform at our peak, and we can’t do that without being on the floor. We have to find some consistency. That’s what I want out of the rest of the regular season.”

Here’s more on the Nuggets:

  • Jokic’s left ankle injury — an impingement — was particularly problematic, with the 30-year-old center telling reporters after the game that he was unable to jump off that leg for a time, per Luca Evans of The Denver Post. “It was really painful, and it was just better to feel good,” Jokic said. “And I don’t want to be on the floor and be nervous because I cannot play how I want to play, and on the level that I want to play.” Jokic is known for his durability and willingness to play through injuries.
  • Third-year forward Peyton Watson, who will be eligible for a rookie scale extension in the offseason, has been playing some of his best basketball of the season as of late, Durando writes for The Denver Post. “Peyton’s playing so good,” Murray raved. “He’s not just playing with confidence, but he’s being so active on both ends of the floor. Cutting, moving even if he doesn’t get it, setting screens, rebounding, back-taps, running the floor, causing confusion.” Over the past six games, the 22-year-old is averaging 13.7 points, 5.0 rebounds and 2.3 blocks while shooting 58.2% from the field (50% from deep) in 30.2 minutes per contest.
  • Michael Porter Jr. broke out of a prolonged slump in Wednesday’s win, finishing with 23 points on just nine field goal attempts (he made seven, including 6-of-8 from three-point range). After the game, Porter said a lingering hamstring injury was to blame for his shooting woes — he’s at 33.3% from three since the All-Star break, compared to 41.7% in 52 games before the break. If the Nuggets hope to win another title in 2025, they’ll need a much more consistent version of Porter in the postseason, according to Troy Renck of The Denver Post, who argues that the 26-year-old is a detriment to the team when he isn’t making shots.
Retweet 0 Share 0 Send via email0

Nikola Jokic Returning For Nuggets Wednesday

March 26th, 2025 at 7:16pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

Three-time MVP Nuggets center Nikola Jokic is returning to the hardwood for Denver’s Wednesday clash with the Bucks, the team has announced (via Twitter).

The 6’11” superstar had been on the shelf for Denver since the club’s 126-123 loss against Washington on March 15 due to a left ankle impingement.

Milwaukee, conversely, will be missing both of its nine-time All-Stars — plus two rotational big men, to boot.

Bucks guard Damian Lillard is out indefinitely due to a blood clot in his right calf. He’ll be joined on the bench by two-time MVP forward Giannis Antetokounmpo, who’s dealing with a sprained left foot, Milwaukee announced today (Twitter link).

Jokic is angling to pick up his fourth MVP honor across the last five years. He’s averaging a triple-double for the 45-28 Nuggets, with excellent shooting efficiency. The seven-time All-Star is averaging 29.1 PPG, 12.8 RPG, 10.3 APG, 1.8 SPG and 0.7 BPG. He’s connecting on .575/.413/.807 shooting splits.

Denver has also made Jokic’s fellow starters Christian Braun, Michael Porter Jr. and Aaron Gordon available. Braun is dealing with a left foot strain, Porter has a strained low back, and Gordon is managing a right calf injury plus a left ankle sprain.

The absences of Antetokounmpo and Lillard are compounded by the long-term unavailability of sixth man big Bobby Portis (suspension) and reserve center Jericho Sims (thumb surgery), both out until at least April.

Retweet 0 Share 0 Send via email0

Injury/Health Notes: Lillard, Tatum, Jokic, Sheppard

March 26th, 2025 at 7:55am CST by Luke Adams

After initially being listed as out last week due to calf soreness, Damian Lillard was experiencing discomfort and pain inconsistent with a typical calf strain, according to Eric Nehm and Sam Amick of The Athletic, who hear from a source that the Bucks guard sought clarity on the cause.

That prompted a “rigorous discovery process” that ultimately involved Lillard meeting with five of the country’s top hematologists, either in person or via Zoom, with each of those specialists receiving his MRIs and sonograms. Lillard, who was diagnosed with deep vein thrombosis in his calf, began taking blood thinners last Friday, per The Athletic’s source, and the early indications are that the treatment is working well.

In a separate story for The Athletic, Nehm explores how the Bucks will get by without Lillard, noting that leaning on defense is probably their best path forward. That effort begins with having a strong perimeter defender like Ryan Rollins starting in place of Lillard.

“Obviously, nobody is going to be Dame but Dame,” Bucks center Brook Lopez said earlier this week. “But (Rollins) has done a great job coming in, being himself and finding a niche, that like Dame, only he can do. It’s specifically Ryan. He comes out there and he makes a difference in his way. He gets into guys, defends them full-court, picks up 94 feet.”

Here are a few more injury-related notes from around the NBA:

  • The Celtics‘ injury report for Wednesday’s game in Phoenix is another sign that Jayson Tatum‘s ankle injury isn’t significant. Tatum isn’t expected to play vs. the Suns, but he hasn’t officially been ruled out yet — he’s listed as doubtful (Twitter link).
  • Nuggets center Nikola Jokic, who has missed the team’s past five games, has been upgraded to doubtful for Wednesday’s matchup with Milwaukee (Twitter link via DNVR Sports). Jokic’s initial injury report designation last week indicated he was dealing with both a right elbow contusion and a left ankle impingement, but only the ankle issue is still listed, which suggests the elbow is no longer a problem.
  • Rockets rookie Reed Sheppard, out since March 6 with a fracture in his right thumb, had a scan on Sunday that showed good calcification around the fractured bone, according to head coach Ime Udoka, who said on Tuesday that Sheppard would be reevaluated in four or five days. Sheppard is still wearing a splint on the thumb part-time, but he takes it off when he works out, per Danielle Lerner of The Houston Chronicle (Twitter link).
Retweet 0 Share 0 Send via email0

Real Madrid Reportedly Eyeing Nuggets’ Dario Saric

March 24th, 2025 at 9:56am CST by Luke Adams

Spanish powerhouse Real Madrid is interested in veteran NBA forward Dario Saric as a potential offseason target, according to a report from Javier Maestro of Encestando (Spanish link; hat tip to Sportando).

As Maestro explains, Real Madrid is on the lookout for a big man who can play the four and five and is capable of spreading the floor and playing alongside center Usman Garuba. Former NBA standout Serge Ibaka has filled that role for the club this season, but his production has been down this season and his contract is expiring.

Saric remains under contract with the Nuggets, but has played an extremely limited role since signing with the team as a free agent last offseason. The Croatian forward/center has appeared in just 15 games for Denver this season and hasn’t played at all this month.

Saric has struggled when given a chance to play, averaging just 3.5 points and 3.3 rebounds in 13.5 minutes per night, with a shooting line of .339/.269/.700. All of those shooting percentages are career lows by a significant margin.

Saric is no stranger to the EuroLeague, having suited up for Anadolu Efes in Turkey before making the move to the NBA in 2016. However, it’s unclear if he’ll be looking to return to Europe for his age-31 season this summer or if his goal will be to exhaust his NBA options first.

Crucially, it’s worth noting that Saric’s contract with Denver includes a $5.4MM player option for the 2025/26 season. It’s not unprecedented for a player to give up guaranteed money in order to sign a lucrative contract and play a key role in Europe – Sasha Vezenkov did so last summer – but if Saric picks up that option, he’d have to be waived in order to become a viable option for Real Madrid or any other European team.

Retweet 0 Share 0 Send via email0
Load More Posts