Denver Nuggets

The Denver Nuggets announced Tuesday that they signed veteran free-agent guard Austin Rivers to a 10-day contract.

The 28-year-old became a free agent late last month when the Oklahoma City Thunder waived him after acquiring him as part of a three-team trade with the New York Knicks and Philadelphia 76ers.

The signing of Rivers comes on the heels of Nuggets star guard Jamal Murray being ruled out for the remainder of the season because of a torn ACL.

Prior to getting waived by OKC, Rivers appeared in 21 games for the Knicks this season, making two starts. He averaged 7.3 points, 2.2 rebounds and 2.0 assists in 21.0 minutes per game while shooting 43.0 percent from the field and 36.4 percent from three-point range.

That has marked Rivers' worst production since the 2014-15 season, which he split between the New Orleans Pelicans and Los Angeles Clippers. In 76 games that season, Rivers averaged 7.0 points, 2.0 rebounds and 2.0 assists in 20.6 minutes per contest.

For his NBA career, Rivers has appeared in 573 regular-season games with the Pelicans, Clippers, Washington Wizards, Houston Rockets and Knicks.

The Duke product owns career averages of 9.1 points, 2.3 assists and 2.1 rebounds per game with a field-goal percentage of .418 and three-point-shooting percentage of .349.

Rivers is only a few years removed from what was by far the most productive campaign of his career in 2017-18. In 61 games with the Clippers that season, playing under his father Doc Rivers, the 2012 first-round pick averaged 15.1 points, 4.0 assists, 2.4 rebounds and 1.2 steals in a career-high 33.7 minutes per game.

With Murray out for the season, Rivers could have a chance to work his way into the rotation and earn some legitimate minutes in Denver down the stretch.

Monte Morris and Facundo Campazzo will be the Nuggets' top options at point guard moving forward, but aside from them, they don't have much to speak of at the position.

Rivers is more of a combo guard than a pure point, meaning he could see some action at shooting guard as well, which is another position Denver could stand to upgrade given that the unheralded PJ Dozier is playing over 20 minutes per game.

Much of the Nuggets' success the rest of the way will depend on the play of center Nikola Jokic and forwards Michael Porter Jr., Aaron Gordon and Will Barton, but Rivers may be precisely what Denver needs to inject a little bit of life into the backcourt.

In the face of Jamal Murray's ACL tear, Denver Nuggets forward Aaron Gordon isn't ready to give up on his team's playoff chances just yet. 

In an interview with Sam Amick of The Athletic, Gordon said the team has "championship aspirations" and isn't fazed by the loss of Murray, because Nikola Jokic is still showing up.

"We still feel like we have enough, especially with 'Joker' man," he said. "When you've got that guy on the floor, you have a chance to win every single night. So everybody's got to step up, everybody has to play their best. But if we're doing that, then I feel like we have a good chance to go as far as we want to." 

While Jokic is the workhorse of the Nuggets team, leading the group in points (26.1), shooting percentage (56.7 percent), rebounds (11) and assists (8.8), Murray was second in points, rebounds and assists.

The 24-year-old Murray was having a career year, averaging 21.2 points, 4.8 assists and 4.0 rebounds on 47.7 percent shooting. He was also a force from the line with a second-best 86.9 free-throw percentage. But even without him, Denver found its stride in its first two games, defeated Miami and Houston while scoring in the 120-point range both times. 

Gordon, who joined the team at the trade deadline after requesting a move from Orlando, said he has "been able to fit in seamlessly," and his stats are showing it. He is posting 11.5 points, 4.5 rebounds and 2.5 assists through 11 games with the Nuggets. 

Denver is 36-20, holding onto the fourth seed in the Western Conference behind the Utah Jazz, Phoenix Suns and Los Angeles Clippers.

With Murray done for the year, Monte Morris and Will Barton will carry an increased role in the backcourt for Denver, no matter how long their championship hopes continue. 

Nikola Jokic appears to be running away with the 2021 NBA MVP race based on an ESPN straw poll, via Tim Bontemps of ESPN.

The Denver Nuggets star earned 90 of 101 possible first-place votes in the latest poll, totaling 969 points in a runaway ahead of second-place Joel Embiid (401 total points). Embiid earned five first-place votes, while Damian Lillard, James Harden, Chris Paul and Kawhi Leonard combined for the remaining six votes.

Two-time reigning MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo finished third in ESPN's voting despite getting zero first-place votes.

Jokic has finished in the top 10 of MVP voting in each of the last two years, but he has raised his game dramatically in 2020-21. He entered Thursday averaging 26.0 points, 10.9 rebounds and 8.8 assists per game while shooting 41.8 percent from three-point range, all of which would be career highs.

The center easily leads the NBA in win shares (12.0), value over replacement player (6.6) and box plus/minus (11.6), per Basketball Reference.

His production has helped the Nuggets sit fourth in the Western Conference with a 35-20 record.

The Nuggets' path got even tougher this week with Jamal Murray suffering a torn ACL, giving Jokic the opportunity to further showcase his value for the rest of the season.

Meanwhile, injuries to other top candidates have helped Jokic separate himself from the field. LeBron James, Kevin Durant and Embiid have all missed time because of injuries after all three ranked in the top four of voting during the last ESPN straw poll in February.

It could create an easy decision for voters by the end of the season.

The Denver Nuggets are reportedly on the verge of adding backcourt depth after losing Jamal Murray to a torn ACL.

Denver is "likely" to sign Rivers to a 10-day contract in the coming days, according to Mike Singer of the Denver Post. That comes after Shams Charania of The Athletic and Stadium reported the Nuggets were "in serious talks toward a deal" with Rivers.

The Oklahoma City Thunder waived Rivers shortly after he joined the organization in a three-team deal that sent George Hill to the Philadelphia 76ers.

The 28-year-old had signed a three-year, $10 million deal with the New York Knicks in the offseason, but the final two years were nonguaranteed and he only lasted 21 games before being moved.

Prior to the trade, Rivers was averaging 7.3 points and 2.0 assists off the bench while shooting 36.4 percent from three-point range.

Rivers has shown he can be a valuable piece on a playoff contender in the past, playing 23.4 minutes per game last year for the Houston Rockets with averages of 8.8 points and 2.6 rebounds per game. He appeared in 22 playoffs games across two seasons in Houston, contributing with his perimeter defense and ability to create offense off the bench.

The Duke product was at his best playing for his father, Doc Rivers, with the Los Angeles Clippers. During the 2017-18 season, Austin Rivers was primarily a starter and set personal bests with 15.1 points, 4.0 assists and 1.2 steals per game.

Though he likely won't be inserted into the starting lineup with his new team, he can still provide valuable guard depth to take pressure off the stars going forward.

The Nuggets are looking to make a deep postseason run, and filling out the roster with experienced contributors will keep them on the right track.

The Denver Nuggets received bad news about Jamal Murray's knee injury suffered during Monday's loss to the Golden State Warriors. 

The team announced Tuesday that Murray has been diagnosed with a torn ACL in his left knee. 

The play occurred in the final minute of the fourth quarter when Murray's knee buckled as he was driving to the basket. He fell to the ground and had to be helped to the locker room. 

Jamal Murray was helped off the court after an apparent knee injury with 50 seconds left against the Warriors. pic.twitter.com/sz7akzOiq4

— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) April 13, 2021

Nuggets head coach Michael Malone told reporters after the game he was hoping to receive good news about the severity of Murray's injury. 

"Some of the coaches said when they watched the replay, it looked like he hyperextended it," Malone said. "It's just an awful feeling. Keep Jamal in your thoughts and prayers and hopefully we'll get some good news."

Monday was Murray's return to the lineup after sitting out the previous four games with soreness in his right knee. He finished with 17 points on 5-of-15 shooting in 33 minutes in Denver's 116-107 loss to the Warriors. 

Losing Murray is a huge blow for a Nuggets franchise that has aspirations of reaching the NBA Finals. The 24-year-old was in the midst of the best season of his career with 21.2 points per game on 47.7 percent shooting and 40.8 percent three-point shooting. 

In 29 games since Feb. 4, Murray has averaged 22.7 points on 44.1 percent shooting from three-point range and 5.1 assists. 

The Nuggets are currently the No. 4 seed in the Western Conference with a 34-20 record. Rookie point guard Facundo Campazzo will likely be inserted into the starting lineup with Murray unavailable. 

Denver Nuggets guard Jamal Murray will undergo an MRI after leaving Monday's game against the Golden State Warriors with an apparent left knee injury, according to ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski.

Murray went down after elevating off his left leg for a layup in the final minute. He immediately began holding his left knee while lying on the court. He had 17 points, four rebounds, four assists and three steals before exiting.

Jamal Murray was helped off the court after an apparent knee injury with 50 seconds left against the Warriors. pic.twitter.com/sz7akzOiq4

— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) April 13, 2021

Nuggets trainers brought out a wheelchair for Murray, but he chose to walk off the floor with the help of staffers.

In the immediate aftermath of Denver's 116-107 loss, Nuggets coach Michael Malone noted the team has "no real update" on Murray's status.

"Very down locker room," Malone told reporters. "Yes, we lost the game, but everyone's thoughts are with Jamal."

Malone added: "He just came back, he was gone for four days. His [right] knee had been bothering him...just an awful feeling. Keep Jamal in your thoughts and prayers and hopefully we will get some good news."

Some of Murray's peers sent their best wishes via social media:

Praying for @BeMore27 🙏🏾🙏🏾🙏🏾

— Donovan Mitchell (@spidadmitchell) April 13, 2021

Prayers up @BeMore27 🙏🏽

— CJ McCollum (@CJMcCollum) April 13, 2021

Mal one of the toughest dudes I’ve ever met , I knew he wasn’t gon use that wheelchair

— RJ (@RjHampton14) April 13, 2021

🙏🏽🙏🏽🙏🏽 Praying you good! @BeMore27

— Trae Young (@TheTraeYoung) April 13, 2021

Prayers up @BeMore27 🙏🏾🙏🏾

— Buddy Love !!!! (@buddyhield) April 13, 2021

Damn man!!! 🙏🏽🙏🏽 stay strong @BeMore27

— Zach LaVine (@ZachLaVine) April 13, 2021

@BeMore27 🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻

— Jusuf Nurkić 🇧🇦 (@bosnianbeast27) April 13, 2021

Health has rarely been an issue throughout Murray's career. He avoided major injury in each of his first four NBA seasons and has sat out only six games in 2020-21 because of minor ailments.

Murray's most recent injury stint saw him miss four games from right knee soreness.

While he's yet to make an All-Star team, Murray's one of the NBA's best players not to reach that height. Prior to Monday, he was averaging a career-high 21.3 points to go along with 4.8 assists and 4.0 rebounds.

The Denver Nuggets reportedly "have interest" in signing veteran guard Austin Rivers and also have free agents Troy Daniels and Gerald Green "on their radar," according to Mike Singer of the Denver Post.

The Nuggets already made a big splash this season, trading for forward Aaron Gordon, though losing Gary Harris and R.J. Hampton in that deal left their backcourt depth a bit thin. 

Rivers, 28, appeared in 21 games for the New York Knicks this season, averaging 7.3 points and two assists in 21 minutes per game while shooting 43 percent from the field and 36.4 percent from three. 

But with players like R.J. Barrett, Derrick Rose, Immanuel Quickley and Alec Burks in the backcourt, Rivers fell down the pecking order. He was ultimately traded to the Oklahoma City Thunder and waived. 

Daniels, 29, has not appeared in an NBA game this season. He last played for the Nuggets and Los Angeles Lakers during the 2019-20 campaign, averaging 4.3 points in 47 total appearances.

Green, 35, last played for the Houston Rockets in the 2018-19 season, averaging 9.2 points across 73 contests. He missed the 2019-20 campaign with a fractured foot and was released by the Rockets as a cap casualty ahead of this season. 

Jamal Murray, Will Barton and Monte Morris have locked down roles in Denver's backcourt, but players like Rivers, Daniels or Green could compete with P.J. Dozier and Facundo Campazzo for playing time should any of them choose to join the Nuggets.

The Denver Nuggets are led by Nikola Jokic, whose all-around game has him near the front of the pack of MVP candidates. His basketball accomplice most nights is Jamal Murray, a high-scoring guard who can get buckets in waves off the dribble, in catch-and-shoot situations or at the rim.

But when it comes to what will move the Nuggets from contenders to potential champions, one name comes to mind for rival executives: Michael Porter Jr.

"It's Jokic and Jamal's team, obviously," a Western Conference executive said. "But the Porter kid ... he's really confident. We all know he's a really good player, a good scorer. But lately, he's backing up that confidence with some really strong play that's gonna pay off for both him and the Nuggets."

That strong play continued Tuesday night with 25 points on 11-of-16 shooting (3-of-4 from three) and seven rebounds in a 134-119 win over the Detroit Pistons. Porter Jr.'s play has been a major factor in Denver's recent run of late and has catapulted the Nuggets into the top tier of the Western Conference with the Jazz, Suns, Clippers and defending champion Lakers.

Porter Jr., a 6'10" forward, is delivering the kind of production that made him one of the top high school prospects a few years ago, who as a teenager had gained the admiration of already established NBA stars such as Stephen Curry.

However, a back injury sidelined him for all but three games in his lone season at Missouri followed by the entire 2018-19 NBA season after Denver selected him with the 14th overall pick.

He also raised some eyebrows during Denver's run toward the Western Conference Finals last season when he voiced concerns about the Nuggets being too predictable offensively in relying so heavily on Jokic and Murray.

"That was not one of his best moments," an Eastern Conference scout texted.

Porter Jr. has kept the focus on basketball these days, displaying the kind of all-around game offensively that gives credence to scouts who believed, if healthy, Porter Jr. would have been a serious contender to be selected with the top overall pick in 2018.

In 40 games this season, Porter Jr. is averaging 16.9 points and 7.5 rebounds while shooting 54.2 percent from the field and 45.4 percent from deep. He's upped his court time to 30 minutes per night, nearly doubling the 16.4 minutes he logged per game a year ago.

"With that kind of size, length and shooting touch, he's perfectly built for today's NBA," the Eastern Conference scout added.

The timing of Porter Jr.'s ascension could not be any better, with the 22-year-old eligible this offseason for his first contract extension.

Dallas' Luka Doncic and Atlanta's Trae Young are no-brainers when it comes to being offered rookie-scale max extensions this offseason. The only question is whether they will get a max offer worth $163 million over five years or whether they'll qualify for the supermax extension that would tack on an additional $32 million over the same five-year period.

Rival executives anticipate Porter Jr.'s next deal will fall somewhere between a regular max extension and the four-year, $115 million deal Jaylen Brown signed with the Celtics in 2019.

The addition of Aaron Gordon (and his team-friendly contract, which descends in value to $16.4 million next season) at the trade deadline certainly provided a wrinkle of sorts to Porter Jr.'s future with the Nuggets.

It's not surprising that the arrival of Gordon, whose size, length and versatility mirrors that of Porter Jr., has had an impact on his play.

But it hasn't been what many anticipated.

Porter Jr. hasn't just embraced the change—he's thrived.

In his first four games played with Gordon (all wins), Porter Jr. averaged 20.5 points on 32-of-53 shooting to go with 9.5 rebounds, two assists and a blocked shot per game—all better than his numbers in those respective categories prior to the trade.

"We love him out there; just defensively we're just so long and versatile," Porter Jr. said shortly after Gordon's arrival. "And then we can just run the floor. [We have] so many different weapons. It feels like I'm just looking at my twin out there, so it's just cool to have another dude like that out there on the wing with me. We're just so interchangeable at the 3 and the 4—it's fun."

That interchangeability, especially on offense, has allowed Porter Jr. to thrive in doing what he does best: score the basketball.

This season, Porter Jr. has connected on 47.7 percent of his catch-and-shoot opportunities, according to NBA.com. In the first four games following the trade for Gordon, that number rose to 62.5 percent.

And because Gordon has taken on the challenge of guarding the opposing team's better scorer at the small forward or power forward position, that too has allowed the Nuggets to be better when Porter Jr. is on the floor.

Entering Tuesday's game vs. Detroit, Denver was a plus-5.5 when Porter Jr. is on the floor, a noticeable jump from last season (plus-0.4). In the first four games following the trade, his plus-minus jumped to plus-11.3.

Porter Jr. is also shooting 45.4 percent on three-pointers this season, unheard of for a player so young. In fact, according to Sportradar, no one has ever made 45 percent of his three (with at least one made attempt per game) in his age-22 season.

Indeed, Porter Jr.'s talent and growth have been key to Denver's rise in the NBA rankings. Just as important, they provide hope that the Nuggets can make a second consecutive trip to the Western Conference Finals—or beyond—this year.

Denver Nuggets guard Jamal Murray has been ruled out of the team's Tuesday night game against the Detroit Pistons, the team announced.

He was previously listed as questionable with right knee soreness.

The 23-year-old has been a major piece of a team that is vying for the playoffs in a deep Western Conference. A 2016-17 All-Rookie selection, Murray has averaged upward of 18.2 points per game in each of the last three seasons, making him worth the No. 7 pick the Nuggets used to draft him in 2016.

Murray has proved durable throughout his career, with a 10-game absence because of an ankle sprain the lengthiest of his career.

In 2020-21, the Kentucky product is averaging 21.3 points and 4.8 assists through 47 games.

He has been hampered by minor injuries in the first half of the season, with an elbow injury keeping him out for one game in December before missing another in February with a knee issue.

After he returned to score 11 points against the Milwaukee Bucks on Feb. 8, Murray told reporters he was "banged up" and "trying to save his body," though it wasn't allowing him to settle into a routine he's comfortable with.

"The only time I shoot the ball is game days, which is really bad," he said. "I don't like that, and it's showing. Getting healthy is a priority and I'm just trying to find a way to get my shot."

After two games back, he went on a tear, averaging 29 points through an 11-game stretch, highlighted by a career-high 50-point outing in which he never attempted a free throw.

With the Nuggets pushing to prove themselves, it's imperative Murray gets back to full health quickly. While Will Barton and Monte Morris can carry the backcourt with help from R.J. Hampton and Markus Howard, there's no one on the roster who can regularly compete at the same level as Murray alongside Nikola Jokic.

The Orlando Magic have reportedly agreed to a deal that will send forward Aaron Gordon to the Denver Nuggets ahead of Thursday's deadline, according to Shams Charania of Stadium and The Athletic.

ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski reported the Magic will receive Gary Harris, RJ Hampton and a first-round pick from Denver.

Last year, Gordon averaged 14.4 points, 7.7 rebounds and 3.7 assists while shooting 43.7 percent from the field and 30.8 percent from beyond the arc. Those numbers aren't much different from what he's posted during the current campaign (14.6 points, 6.6 rebounds and 4.2 assists through 25 games). His three-point percentage has at least improved to 37.5.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OYG5jctrna8

Gordon missed a chunk of the season because of a severe ankle sprain, which likely forced any trade negotiations to be tabled for a bit.

After selecting Gordon with the fourth overall pick in 2014, Orlando has used first-rounders on Jonathan Isaac and Mohamed Bamba. The Magic also signed Nikola Vucevic to a four-year, $100 million extension during the 2019 offseason.

At some point, general manager John Hammond had to clear out the logjam in the team's frontcourt. 

The Athletic's Shams Charania reported in November 2019 that teams were "monitoring" the 25-year-old Gordon but that the Magic had "shown no interest in moving him." 

In the event Hammond wanted to shake things up, Gordon was the most likely candidate to move among the squad's key players. He's one of Orlando's best players, while his age and the additional year left on his contract meant he'd yield a healthy return in a trade.

Orlando's opinion on Gordon may have changed over time as it has struggled to build upon an encouraging 2018-19 season. Simply returning to the playoffs didn't carry much weight in 2019-20 as the team's winning percentage slipped from .512 to .452.

The step backward was emblematic of how the Magic have a roster that can only take them so far. 

It led to major moves Thursday, sending Nikola Vucevic and Al-Farouq Aminu to the Chicago Bulls, per Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN. Evan Fournier was also dealt to the Boston Celtics, per Charania.

In his first season with the Charlotte Bobcats in 2013-14, head coach Steve Clifford oversaw a 22-win improvement and helped guide the team to the postseason. Rather than building toward something bigger, though, that basically signaled the extent of Charlotte's potential. The Hornets made one more playoff appearance—losing in the first round in 2016—before Clifford was out of a job and the rebuild was underway.

Coming off a first-round loss to the Toronto Raptors in 2019, the Magic doubled down on the present in the subsequent offseason by re-signing Vucevic and Terrence Ross and adding Aminu.

By basically having the same outcome in 2020—falling to the Milwaukee Bucks in the first round in five games—the franchise showed how little had changed.

Orlando has to strengthen the backcourt more than anything. Cole Anthony arrived via the draft, but Markelle Fultz's torn ACL put the Magic right back at square one. They're sorely lacking a traditional playmaker to run the offense.

While not addressing the issue immediately, the return from trading Gordon could be the means by which Orlando finally finds a long-term solution at point guard.

Nobody should benefit from his departure more than Isaac, who saw an encouraging third season in the NBA end abruptly because of a torn ACL. Isaac averaged 11.9 points and 6.8 rebounds and shot 34.0 percent from beyond the arc.

With Gordon gone, Isaac can play power forward, a position that suits him better, more regularly when he returns. His improvement prior to the injury may have given Hammond the confidence necessary to green-light a Gordon trade.

Of course, this move will backfire if Gordon discovers his jumper in Denver, not unlike what eventually happened with Victor Oladipo after he was traded away.

While emerging as a solid defender, Gordon hasn't developed a consistent offensive game. He's a career 32.3 percent shooter from the perimeter, which is limiting his overall value. A 6'8" forward who can't stretch the floor isn't the kind of player you build a franchise around in today's NBA, which was the Magic's problem.

A change of scenery could be the trigger for Gordon to reach a new level as a scorer because it seemed as though he had maxed out in Orlando.

While Nuggets' run to the Western Conference Finals in 2020 showed how they had assembled a strong roster, the limitations of that roster were laid bare in a gentleman's sweep at the hands of the Los Angeles Lakers.

Sooner or later, president of basketball operations Tim Connelly would need outside reinforcements to supplement Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray.

On paper, the Nuggets are better with Gordon on the roster. This may not be the transformative move to get Denver significantly closer to a title, though.