Jimmy Butler in Denver — the notion is worth discussing. The Denver Nuggets were one of the surprise teams of the 2018-19 NBA season, winning 54 games and stampeding to the second seed in the Western Conference. The surprises have continued into the postseason, where the Nuggets earned a hard-fought series win over the San Antonio Spurs, and now have the chance to advance to the Western Conference Finals with a win over the Portland Trail Blazers.
With a legitimate MVP candidate in Nikola Jokic and a host of young and talented players — Jamal Murray, Gary Harris, Malik Beasley and Monte Morris — the Nuggets have one of the more intriguing rosters in the league, given their place as a rising power under head coach Mike Malone.
Denver is in an equally fascinating position this summer. It has a team option on veteran forward Paul Millsap's $30 million contract, and faces a decision that could ultimately give the team the space to offer a max contract in free agency.
Of course, the point will be moot if the Nuggets pick up Millsap's option. But if they decline, they could offer one of the most desirable destinations for any max-level player.
With this in mind, is it possible that the Nuggets would take a look at signing current Sixers star Jimmy Butler?
Point forward
From a rotational standpoint, Butler might be the perfect fit. The Nuggets lacked a true small forward with his size. Harris, Beasley and Will Barton are all more suited to the shooting guard position. At 6-8, Butler would provide more length–especially defensively–on the perimeter while still being able to shoot from the outside and create his own shot.
Butler would take a lot of ball-handling pressure off of Jamal Murray. Butler was rejuvenated in the second half of this season after he saw a greater share of the ball-handling duties, and he could likely have a similar impact in Denver, particularly when the Nuggets need to spell Murray some minutes.
Although Butler is at his best when he is slashing or creating space for mid-range pull-ups, he is a perfectly capable shooter from 3-point range. Additionally, he is extremely proficient in pick-and-roll, which could make him the perfect complement to Jokic and his ability to knock down mid-range jumpers as well as get to the rim and finish using his size.
Adding yet another ball-handler and scorer to the mix would allow the Nuggets to space the floor even more, which could open things up for Jokic to get added post touches, a terrifying prospect considering his exceptional court vision and instincts as a passer.
Roster options galore
Moving on from Millsap would create a distinct hole at the power forward spot, but the Nuggets have the personnel to fill that void. For starters, 2018 first-round draft pick Michael Porter Jr. should be ready for the start of next season.
At 6-10, Porter has a tantalizing skill set as someone who can shoot from the perimeter but also provide high-flying feats of athleticism. Of course, he has hardly played any competitive basketball since high school (Porter Jr. played in just a handful of games at Missouri before entering the draft), but his talent is almost impossible to ignore:
Michael Porter Jr. hasn’t played all year (back), but now he’s throwing down windmills with ease 👀 pic.twitter.com/Ug9HeSFfJM
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) February 25, 2019
Or, if Denver felt more comfortable, it could run a taller rotation featuring Mason Plumlee at the four.
Millsap aside, Butler's arrival provides a wealth of opportunities in the trade market. As previously mentioned, the Nuggets already have three shooting guards (Barton, Beasley and Harris).
While Beasley took a big step forward in his third season and Harris continues to develop as a two-way threat, Barton regressed noticeably. He averaged fewer points, rebounds and assists per game and shot five percent worse from the field.
Still, Barton has talent, and the Nuggets could probably try to package him in a separate move, possibly to acquire a more experienced frontcourt player or future draft picks. Alternatively, they could try to sell high on Beasley, particularly if Jimmy Butler signs on for the long run.
Regardless of what Nuggets president of basketball operations Tim Connelly has in mind, landing Butler could have a legitimate ripple effect on the rest of the roster.
What Denver has to decide is whether adding another perimeter-oriented player such as Jimmy Butler and subtracting Millsap would make the Nuggets better as a team.
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