Denver Nuggets

Veteran forward Paul Millsap remains on the free-agent market, but he reportedly has a number of options ahead of the 2021-22 season.

Shams Charania of The Athletic listed the Brooklyn Nets, Golden State Warriors and Chicago Bulls as being among the teams pursuing Millsap. The Los Angeles Clippers are also "expressing interest."

The 36-year-old spent the past four years with the Denver Nuggets, starting 36 of his 56 games in 2020-21. He averaged 9.0 points and 4.7 rebounds per game last season, which was the first time since 2007-08 that he averaged fewer than 10 points.

Despite the decline in production, Millsap remained a key part of the Nuggets' rotation. He finished fourth on the team in win shares, per Basketball Reference. 

In 2019-20, Denver outscored opponents by 8.8 points per 100 possessions with Millsap on the court. That was the best mark on the team among players with at least five games played.

The four-time All-Star has averaged 1.3 steals and 1.0 blocks per game across his 15 seasons in the league. He has also remained efficient on offense since joining Denver four years ago, having shot 37.1 percent from deep and 47.8 percent overall over that stretch.

Though Millsap is no longer a go-to option like he was with the Atlanta Hawks, he could be an ideal addition for a squad looking to fill its rotation with an experienced player who can help on both ends of the court.

Brooklyn has already filled its roster with proven veterans such as stars Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving and James Harden as well as Patty Mills and Blake Griffin. Millsap could be another weapon for a Nets squad looking to contend for a title.

The Warriors and Bulls are simply hoping to get back into the playoffs, and each team could use added frontcourt depth to go with their perimeter scorers.

Los Angeles already has a few similar options on the roster, including Serge Ibaka and Marcus Morris, but NBA teams can never have too much depth.  

The Golden State Warriors haven't ruled out signing free-agent forward Paul Millsap, according to Wes Goldberg of the Bay Area News Group.

Goldberg reported the Warriors spoke with Millsap's representatives earlier in the month: "Although those talks did not advance to the point of anything material, the Warriors have not shut the door on potentially adding the 36-year-old Millsap."

In addition to Golden State, the Denver Post's Mike Singer reported the Brooklyn Nets have shown interest.

The 15-year veteran averaged 9.0 points and 4.7 rebounds in 56 games for the Denver Nuggets last season. He also shot 47.6 percent from the floor and 34.3 percent from beyond the arc.

Goldberg questioned Millsap's fit with the Warriors since they already have 14 guaranteed contracts on the books, leaving open only one spot on the squad.

Draymond Green and James Wiseman are expected to start at the 4 and 5. The Warriors signed already signed Nemanja Bjelica to back up Green, while Kevon Looney is still around to handle minutes at center. Otto Porter Jr. and Jonathan Kuminga figure to rotate between the two forward positions as well.

Millsap is a proven rebounder and floor-spacer, and his experience makes him a natural fit on a team with playoff ambitions.

For the Warriors, it might make more sense to use that last guaranteed contract to fortify the backcourt, though.

As things stand, Jordan Poole or Mychal Mulder is looking like Stephen Curry's backup, and Klay Thompson's recovery from a torn Achilles tendon could still have him out until Christmas.

Signing a veteran guard may help Golden State more than bringing Millsap aboard given its limited flexibility.

The Denver Nuggets enter the 2021-22 season ready to reach the full potential they were robbed of at the end of last year. 

After starting the 2020-21 campaign 29-18 through March, disaster struck in the form a torn ACL to star point guard Jamal Murray, ending his season and forcing a Denver team that looked ready to contend for a title to regroup on the fly. 

Despite finishing the season 47-25, third in the Western Conference and with MVP Nikola Jokic at the helm, the loss of Murray proved too much to overcome in the postseason. The Nuggets struggled against the Portland Trail Blazers in the first round—winning in six games—before getting swept by the Phoenix Suns in the conference semifinals. 

With a largely unchanged roster, the Nuggets are only getting healthier as they prepare to take care of unfinished business. 

Here's a look at the road ahead.

      

2021-22 Nuggets Schedule Details

Season Opener: at Phoenix Suns, Oct. 20 at 10 p.m. ET

Championship Odds: +2000 (FanDuel)

Full 2021-22 Schedule: NBA.com

     

Top Matchups

Utah Jazz (First matchup: Oct. 26)

The Utah Jazz and the Nuggets linked up for an epic three-game series last year as the two best teams in the West. The sequel in 2021-22 should provide more of the same.

Utah won last year's series, 2-1, but the combined score had the rivals deadlocked at 353 apiece. The largest margin of victory by either team last year was 11, and the other two games ended within three possessions.

Another offseason of development for Denver's Michael Porter Jr. and Bol Bol should only add to the elite level of play on the floor.

The Jazz can counter with emerging big man Udoka Azubuike and lock-down defense from Royce O'Neale. 

NBA fans were robbed of a Jazz-Nuggets playoff series last year. Their regular-season contests in 2021-22 should help make up for that. 

      

Milwaukee Bucks (First matchup: Nov. 26)

The Nuggets believe they have a championship roster. Milwaukee knows it does. 

When the two non-conference contenders match up this season, it won't just be a measuring stick for the Nuggets, it will hopefully prove they are a legitimate threat.

For years, the talk in Milwaukee was that Giannis Antetokounmpo wouldn't be able to win with the Bucks despite capturing multiple MVP awards. Instead, he may have provided a blueprint for Jokic to win in Denver. 

Both unicorns will highlight one of the league's top matchups of the year between the title contenders.

After splitting a season series last year with one win apiece, any advantage the Nuggets can show they hold over the NBA champions may be a harbinger for future postseason success. 

At the very least, the matchup offers two extremely talented rosters going at it in packed arenas. That alone makes it a must-watch encounter. 

             

Season Forecast

Last season ended with too many "what ifs" for the Nuggets. The 2021-22 campaign is about answering those questions and then some. 

First and foremost, the health and effectiveness of Murray will be the dominant storyline. If the guard can't return to the level he was at before his injury (21.2 points, 4.8 assists, 47.7 FG% per game), Denver may have to seriously consider looking at the trade market or remaining free agents to recreate the type of success in the backcourt. 

Otherwise, the Nuggets are going to run into the same postseason problems they did this year against the likes of Damian Lillard, Chris Paul and Devin Booker. 

The Nuggets also need Jokic to continue playing like the MVP. 

After averaging 26.4 points, 10.8 rebounds and 8.3 assists per night, the triple-double machine needs to keep everything in sync as the team's motor in the middle. From there, the Nuggets have all the pieces they need to get to the NBA Finals. 

Porter should earn some All-Star consideration this year, Will Barton can help stretch the floor against almost any defense, and Aaron Gordon provides another high-flying option at power forward who can clean up any misses at the rim with ease.

This is a championship-or-bust team. After the disappointment of last year, it has a point to prove moving forward.

Prediction: 59-23

             

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Longtime NBA player Jason Terry was hired as the head coach of the Grand Rapids Gold, a G League squad that will be an affiliate of the Denver Nuggets beginning this upcoming season.

Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN initially reported the two sides were nearing a deal.

Prior to being affiliated with Denver, Grand Rapids was previously connected to the Detroit Pistons.

Terry spent 19 years in the NBA as a player, competing for six different organizations. He entered coaching last season as an assistant at the University of Arizona, his alma mater.

The 43-year-old also has experience in the G League after serving as an assistant general manager for the Texas Legends.

Terry is still best known for his extensive playing career that saw him average 13.4 points per game while winning the NBA title in 2011 with the Dallas Mavericks. He also won Sixth Man of the Year in 2008-09 and currently sits seventh all-time in made three-pointers.

Though he never made an All-Star Game, Terry ranks 10th in NBA history with 1,410 games played.

That came after a college career that featured an NCAA title and an All-American selection for the Wildcats.

Terry will now get a chance to impart his knowledge to a younger group of players.  

Former BYU star and NBA guard Jimmer Fredette will no longer join the Denver Nuggets' Summer League team due to a "last-minute issue," per Mike Singer of the Denver Post.

Denver previously announced on Thursday that Fredette had been added to the summer-league team.

Fredette made a name for himself at BYU, where the shooting guard earned consensus national player of the year and first-team All-American honors in 2011. He averaged 28.9 points per game during his senior season for the Cougars.

The Milwaukee Bucks selected Fredette with the 10th pick in the 2011 NBA draft, though he was immediately traded to the Sacramento Kings. He's averaged 6.0 points per game in an NBA career that's spanned 241 games over six seasons (2011-12 to 2015-16 and then 2018-19). The 32-year-old has played for the Kings, Chicago Bulls, New Orleans Pelicans, New York Knicks and Phoenix Suns.

Fredette's professional peak came during his time with the Chinese Basketball Association's Shanghai Sharks, where he notably averaged 34.2 points per game (2016-17 through 2018-19 and 2020-21). He also played for Panathinaikos of the Greek Basket League in 2019-20.

Jimmer Fredette may be on his way back to the NBA.

Harrison Wind of DNVR Sports reported the Denver Nuggets added the BYU product to their Summer League roster. Fredette was the No. 10 overall pick of the 2011 NBA draft but was a journeyman throughout his career and last played for the Phoenix Suns in 2018-19.

Expectations were once high around the 32-year-old given his draft status and his collegiate career.

After all, he was the Associated Press Player of the Year and won the Naismith Award, Wooden Award and Mountain West Player of the Year as a consensus All-American when he was at BYU. He averaged a head-turning 28.9 points per game during his final collegiate campaign while leading the Cougars to the Sweet 16.

However, he never averaged more than 7.6 points per game in a single season in the NBA, and that effort came when he was a rookie.

Fredette played for the Sacramento Kings, Chicago Bulls, New Orleans Pelicans, New York Knicks and Suns and averaged 6.0 points, 1.4 assists, 1.0 rebounds and 0.4 steals per game while shooting 40.9 percent from the field and 37.2 percent from three-point range.

That doesn't sound like someone whom an NBA team would take a chance on, especially at 32 years old. Yet he averaged better than 36 points per game with the CBA's Shanghai Sharks in three straight seasons from 2016-17 through 2018-19.

He returned to the Sharks in 2020-21 following a stint with Panathinaikos and averaged 26.9 points per game.

Perhaps he won't catch back on in the NBA, but Fredette can at least shoot from the outside and has impressed during his international career.

The Denver Nuggets are reportedly bringing back wing Will Barton on a two-year, $32 million contract, per Chris Haynes of Yahoo Sports.  

Barton declined the $14.7 million player option in his previous four-year, $53 million contract with the Denver Nuggets to become an unrestricted free agent during the 2021 NBA offseason.

The 30-year-old University of Memphis product averaged 12.7 points, 4.0 rebounds, 3.2 assists and 1.8 threes across 56 appearances for the Nuggets in 2020-21. He shot a lackluster 42.6 percent from the field but did knock down 38.1 percent of his three-point attempts.

He rated 34th in ESPN's real plus-minus among qualified small forwards thanks to a strong defensive rating (1.71) that ranked 12th at the position.

Barton joined Denver in a February 2015 trade after spending the first two-plus seasons of his NBA career with the Portland Trail Blazers, who selected him in the second round of the 2012 draft.

Injuries have become a critical part of his story in recent seasons, which is why he described the past two years with the Nuggets as "tough for me, physically and mentally" at season's end.

"And that's just how it goes, sometimes," Barton told reporters in June. "But I just want you to know that's who I am, right? Just someone that keeps fighting and makes no excuses. No excuses."

The Maryland native added he wanted to sign where he'd "be appreciated," whether it was Denver or elsewhere.

Sticking with the Nuggets always made sense for Barton, who's been a starter in recent years but also proved himself an effective player off the bench earlier in his tenure. So he can provide versatility in both position and role based on how the roster shapes up when next season gets underway.

For now, pencil him in as Denver's starting shooting guard while waiting to see whether the front office makes any blockbuster moves to upgrade the supporting cast around Nikola Jokic and Michael Porter Jr.

The the Nuggets and forward Jeff Green reached an agreement Monday on a 2-year, $10 million contract.

Malika Andrews of ESPN reported details of the free-agent signing.

Green has embarked on an effective journeyman career as both a starter and reserve across stints with 10 different teams since being selected with the fifth overall pick in the 2007 NBA draft.

The 34-year-old has averaged 12.8 points, 4.4 rebounds, 1.6 assists and 1.1 threes across 976 regular-season appearances. He's also played in 78 playoff games.

Green spent the 2020-21 season with the Brooklyn Nets after signing with the star-studded squad in November. He played an important role as the team juggled numerous injuries, averaging 11 points while shooting 49.2 percent from the field, including 41.2 percent on threes.

Although the Nets came short of their ultimate championship goal, the veteran forward told Sopan Deb of the New York Times he hoped the franchise would become his long-term home.

"I'd love to settle down in one place," Green said. "There's Brooklyn. I'd love to settle down in Brooklyn. I'm not too concerned with the NBA record or how many teams. When you think about it, if I was to play 22 years, played on 15 teams, what does that say? It has no teeth behind it."

The Georgetown product hadn't spent two full seasons with one team since the Boston Celtics in 2012-13 and 2013-14.

Green didn't get his wish to stay in Brooklyn, but he should have an opportunity to carve out a niche for himself within the Nuggets' rotation. He's proved his ability to handle a multitude of roles, so the transition from team to team hasn't been an issue for him during recent stops.

The Maryland native should open as a reliable bench option after arriving in Denver.

Former VCU guard Nah'Shon Hyland, who was the Atlantic 10 Player of the Year for the 2020-21 season, is headed to the Denver Nuggets after they selected him 26th overall in the 2021 NBA draft on Thursday.

        

Bleacher Report Draft Expert Jonathan Wasserman's Scouting Report

Player: Nah'Shon Hyland

Position: SG

Height: 6'3"

Pro Comparison: Immanuel Quickley

Scouting Report: Scouts see a source for instant offense in Hyland, an advanced shot-creator and confident shooter with deep, NBA range.

      

Nuggets Active Roster and Average Salary (Expiration Year)

Jamal Murray, PG: $31.7M (2025)

Nikola Jokic, C: $29.5M (2023)

Aaron Gordon, PF: $20M (2022)

Monte Morris, PG: $9.3M (2024)

Michael Porter Jr., SF: $3.8M (2022)

Facundo Campazzo, PG: $3.2M (2022)

Zeke Nnaji, PF: $2.4M (2024)

Bol Bol, C: $2.1M (2022)

Nah'Shon Hyland, SG: $1.7M (projected first-year salary, per RealGM)

Vlatko Cancar, SF: $1.4M (2022)

P.J. Dozier, PG: $1.3M (2022)

       

Free Agents

Will Barton, SF: UFA

JaMychal Green, PF: UFA

Paul Millsap, PF: UFA

JaVale McGee, C: UFA

Austin Rivers, PG: UFA

Troy Daniels, SG: UFA

Shaquille Harrison, PG: UFA

Markus Howard, PG: RFA

            

Hyland broke out during his sophomore season, posting 19.5 points on 44.7 percent shooting (37.1 percent from three-point range), 4.7 rebounds and 2.1 during his breakout sophomore season. VCU made the NCAA tournament as a No. 10 seed was but removed from the competition due to COVID-19 protocols.

The 20-year-old is listed at No. 32 on Wasserman's most recent big board. And he pegged him at No. 27 overall in his July 7 mock draft.

"Scouts expect Hyland to wind up in the first round after his NBA combine scrimmage helped validate his tape and reputation from VCU," Wasserman wrote. "One team in the 20s should buy/value his ability to create his own shot, shoot with range and score in bunches."

Hyland shined in his team's combine scrimmage by scoring 17 points on 7-of-11 shooting in addition to six rebounds, four assists and two steals in 23 minutes. He'll look to bring that explosiveness to Denver.

Two members of the Denver Nuggets' supporting cast may return to the Western Conference team despite potential opportunities to sign elsewhere in free agency.

Shams Charania of The Athletic reported "there's tremendous interest" between Will Barton and Denver even though he declined his $14.7 million player option to become a free agent. Charania also reported that Denver is "expected to discuss a new deal" with JaMychal Green even though he opted out of his $7.6 million player option.

The report noted other teams will attempt to sign Green as well.

Both players were important pieces of the rotation for a Nuggets squad that finished with the third-best record in the Western Conference at 47-25 before they were eliminated in the second round of the playoffs with Jamal Murray sidelined by injury.

Barton, who played for the Portland Trail Blazers before they traded him to Denver during the 2014-15 season, averaged 12.7 points, 4.0 rebounds and 3.2 assists per game while shooting 42.6 percent from the field and 38.1 percent from three-point range.

He can use his length and athleticism to bother opposing shooters while defending multiple positions or slash into the lane as a cutter who can capitalize on Nikola Jokic's passing ability.

Both players can take advantage of the spacing Jokic and Murray create by hitting from the outside, as Green connected on 39.9 percent of his three-pointers this season. Like Barton, he can also compete for rebounds and serve as a secondary scorer in the lane if needed.

The Nuggets are right on the fringe of contending for a title after reaching the Western Conference Finals two seasons ago and perhaps being derailed by injuries after an impressive 2020-21 showing.

Unlike some teams, they may not need to make drastic moves in free agency to remain on the shortlist of the best teams in the league.

Keeping important players like Barton and Green around the core of Jokic, Murray and Michael Porter Jr. may constitute a successful offseason, so it comes as little surprise the team is interested in a reunion with both.