Throughout history, the Denver Nuggets have had their fair share of great players. Most of these greats have made their mark in Nuggets franchise history, and for good reason.
On the opposite side of the spectrum, however, there are also more than a few outstanding players whose respective tenures with the Nuggets have been forgotten — and for good reason, too. Below are five of the best players in league history that you probably forgot once played for Denver.
Tim Hardaway
Not everyone will remember that five-time All-Star point guard Tim Hardaway suited up for the Nuggets at one point in his career. We certainly cannot fault you if you're one of them because Hardaway joined Denver at the tail end of his career. It wasn't a very memorable tenure as well by any means.
In 2002, the Dallas Mavericks traded Hardaway to the Nuggets in a deal that saw Nick Van Exel, among others, go in the opposite direction. For his part, a 35-year-old Hardaway ended up playing just 14 games for the Nuggets, averaging just 9.6 points, 1.9 rebounds, and 5.5 assists.
Hardaway's stint with the Nuggets also did not end well, with the team opting to waive him just a few months after acquiring the former five-time All-NBA team member.
Andre Iguodala
The younger generations will most associate Andre Iguodala with the Golden State Warriors, who he helped to no less than three NBA titles during the dynasty years. On the other hand, those who have been following the game for a longer period would probably most remember the 6-foot-6 swingman for his early days with the Philadelphia 76ers.
In between those two successful stints, however, Iguodala actually spent a single transition year with the Nuggets. in the summer of 2011, Iguodala was part of a blockbuster four-team deal that centered around Dwight Howard making a move to the Los Angeles Lakers.
Iguodala actually had an impressive season with the Nuggets, but come that summer, the team traded him away in a three-team deal, that landed Iguodala in Golden State.
Roy Hibbert
During his prime, Roy Hibbert was one of the best centers in the entire league. This was during his stint with the Indiana Pacers, during which he earned two call-ups to the All-Star squad, as well as a selection to the All-Defensive Team in 2014.
Unfortunately for Hibbert, injuries cut short what could have been a lengthy and successful career. After spending the first seven years of his career with the Pacers, the 7-foot-2 big man ended up playing for three different squads in the final two years of his NBA career.
Hibbert's final stop was in Denver, where he arrived via trade in the middle of the 2016-17 season. It's safe to say that at this point, Hibbert was already a shadow of his former self. Ultimately, he ended u playing just six games for the Nuggets, averaging a grand total of just four points and two rebounds in 11 minutes played. Yup, he averaged just 1.8 minutes per contest in those six games.
Allen Iverson
Not every fan will remember that the great Allen Iverson once dawned the Nuggets jersey. This is primarily because he is most well known for his heroics with the Philadelphia 76ers, that often times, people forget that he actually played for a few other teams aside from the Sixers.
One of those teams were the Nuggets. Iverson came to Denver in 2006, after Philadelphia finally called time on his highly-decorated tenure with the squad. At that time, the former league MVP was still in his prime. In two years with the Nuggets, he was able to put up 25.6 points, 3.0 rebounds, 7.1 assists, and 1.9 steals.
In November of 2008, the Nuggets traded Iverson to the Detroit Pistons in exchange for Chauncey Billups, Antonio McDyess, and Cheikh Samb.
Dikembe Mutombo
We've published a few of these Top 5 players you didn't know played for X team, and if you've come across them, then you may have noticed that Dikembe Mutombo has been on a number of those lists. That's probably because most fans remember him for his stint with the Atlanta Hawks, that it's often overlooked how he also brought his finger-wagging ways to a few other teams during an illustrious NBA career.
For those who may have forgotten, Mutombo actually started his career in Denver. The Nuggets drafted him fourth overall in 1991. The dominating big man was named to the All-Star squad in just his first year in the league, proving how big of an impact he made in the NBA as soon as he arrived. Mutombo's star continued to rise in Denver, with the 7-foot-2 center leading the league in blocked shots three years in a row.
Unfortunately for the Nuggets, Mutombo chose to walk away as a free agent in the summer of 1996, after five seasons with the team. He signed with the Hawks, and in the process, became one of the biggest regrets in Nuggets franchise history.
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