The Denver Nuggets' championship hopes vanished the moment Jamal Murray went down late in the 2020-21 regular season with a torn left ACL. Their title chances remain murky, with their star point guard likely out for the entire 2021-22 campaign. In this specific post, though, we're unleashing our Denver Nuggets 2021 NBA Free Agency grades.
Sure, Denver does still have the reigning NBA MVP in Nikola Jokic and Michael Porter Jr. showed tremendous growth when he was thrusted upon the no. 2 scoring option role after Murray went down. But it will definitely be tough for the Nuggets to compete for a championship without the Canadian stud, considering the fact that he played like an absolute superstar in their run to the Western Conference Finals in the 2020 Playoffs.
The Nuggets were limited in cap space and as a result, did not make any major moves this offseason. Denver mostly prioritized retaining its free agents. After declining his player option, Will Barton re-signed with a 2-year, $32 million deal. They also brought back JaMychal Green to a 2-year, $17 million contract and agreed on a one-year pact with Austin Rivers. Denver's only true free agency recruit this summer was Jeff Green, whom they signed to a 2-year, $9 million deal.
The moves they made may not have been splashy nor did it move the needle in terms of getting them closer to winning a championship. Nonetheless, the Nuggets did what they were supposed to do. This is how they fared with their free agency signings this offseason.
Denver Nuggets 2021 NBA Free Agency Grades
Jeff Green: B+
The Nuggets' lone free agent addition this offseason was Jeff Green, who played a vital role for the Brooklyn Nets last season. Nets Nation was visibly upset when they head the news that Uncle Jeff left town and made his way to Denver, and there is a good reason why.
In his age-34 campaign, Green showed that he can still play at a high level and become a key contributor for a championship-aspiring team. He may not be known for his defensive chops, but the 6-foot-8 veteran actually became one of Brooklyn's key defenders during their 2021 postseason run. The ability to switch and guard multiple positions has become an important aspect of NBA defense and Green has shown that he is capable of that.
On the offensive end, Green also offers floor spacing with his ability to knock down shots from the perimeter consistently. While spotting up for threes may be his main calling card at this point of his career, he is also able to create for his own when called upon. And even at age 35, Uncle Jeff is still capable of bringing a crowd to its feet with an occasional high riser here and there. It's easy to see Green eventually carve out a 6th man role in Denver next season, with his ability to fill it up on the box score and be a nice spark off the bench.
JaMychal Green: B+
Bringing back JaMychal Green to a 2-year deal worth $17 million is arguably Denver's best move this offseason. The incoming 8-year veteran had a solid first season with the Denver Nuggets, where he averaged 8.1 points while shooting 39.9 percent from long range. Green won't play heavy minutes. He averaged just 19 minutes in both the regular season and the playoffs.
But he is the perfect example of a player who is a star in his role. The 6-foot-8 power forward provides Denver with a pick-and-pop option and a knockdown floor spacer from beyond the arc. On the other end of the floor, Green brings a lot of tenacity, energy, and toughness and is able to hold his own on switches.
Most importantly, Green seems to have established a good rapport with Nuggets superstar Nikola Jokic. The Joker has gone on record saying he wants to play with Green for the “rest of his life.” Denver obviously heard what their Serbian MVP said and brought back the 31-year old veteran. Just by making Jokic happy, this deserves a pretty high mark.
Will Barton: B
As mentioned, Will Barton opted out of the final year of his deal worth $14.7 million and re-upped for more guaranteed money over the next couple of years. It was a smart move for both sides as Barton secured a larger payday, while Denver retained one of their more important pieces.
Doing so was huge for the Nuggets as they bring back their longest tenured player and does not mess up the continuity they have going. Having averaged 13.9 points in his 6-plus seasons in Denver, Barton provides them with a solid scoring punch at the wing position and is capable of going off for some occasional big nights. In addition, the Nuggets value the hustle and energy he brings on the other end of the floor.
Barton did not play at all when the Denver Nuggets made the Western Conference Finals in 2020. Likewise, as a result of a hamstring injury, he also suited up in just three games in the 2021 NBA playoffs. He did play relatively well in those three games, averaging 16.3 points while shooting 44.2 percent from the field. With Murray likely out for next season, Will the Thrill should see a bigger workload in 2021-22.
Austin Rivers: B
The Nuggets brought back Austin Rivers on what is believed to be a one-year minimum deal. Denver signed him off the waivers in March last season following his release from the Oklahoma City Thunder, after spending much of the 2020-21 season with the New York Knicks. Both sides seemed to have found each other at the perfect time, with Denver dealing with the loss of Jamal Murray and Rivers looking for his next destination in the NBA.
With their starting backcourt in Murray and Barton both out with their respective injuries, Rivers played a huge role for Denver in the 2021 NBA playoffs. He started nine out of their 10 postseason games and played 30.5 minutes per game. In those 10 games, he averaged 9.2 points and shot 43.5 percent from the field and 41.3 percent from 3-point territory.
With Murray still recovering from his torn ACL, the 29-year old should still play a key role for Denver next season. They definitely got him at a bargain deal, considering what he can still bring on the table at this point of his career. Rivers may not be a big name stud, but he can still light it up with some huge nights here and there. Likewise, he is a disruptive perimeter defender and is able to bring energy and hustle on that end of the floor.
Nonetheless, how did you feel about our Denver Nuggets 2021 NBA Free Agency grades?
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