The Denver Nuggets’ championship hopes ended last April, when Jamal Murray tore his ACL. The chances of Denver making the NBA Finals in the West looked good before the injury. Nikola Jokic was playing at an MVP level, Aaron Gordon seemed like the perfect fit, and Murray was the lethal scorer Denver could count on, especially in close games.

At that time, it seemed like the Nuggets could have won a championship. 

But injuries happen, and little did they know that they would be in this position where they were going to have to wait for one of their best players to recover from a serious injury. It seems the Nuggets are content with waiting for Murray’s injury, which is the right move given how much Murray means to them. 

Their moves in free agency indicate just that. They didn’t do so much except sign pieces who can complete their championship puzzle once Murray is back. They signed Markus Howard, Jeff Green, Bones Hyland, and brought back Will Barton and JaMychal Green. They let go of JaVale McGee and Austin Rivers while Paul Millsap is currently still a free agent at press time. 

Ultimately, it wasn’t a big offseason for the Nuggets. Maybe they will do something before the trade deadline again, but as for now, it seems they plan to run it back. Here’s why that’s not a bad move at all: 

The Nuggets are not giving up on Jamal Murray

Despite suffering an ACL injury, the Nuggets have the utmost belief in Murray. This is a big deal for a young player who gives his heart and soul on the court for his team, especially during the playoffs. Denver could have found a way to trade its shooting guard and build on Jokic, but it seems they feel the MVP can carry the load while his co-star recovers. 

Give Aaron Gordon another season to adjust

When Gordon was acquired by the Nuggets, Denver was on a roll.

It felt like the Nuggets found their replacement for Jerami Grant, who left them last offseason. He was a good cutter who fit with Jokic, given the big man's ability to pass. However, this didn’t transition well enough come playoff time. Maybe it was because Gordon had to carry the scoring load next to Jokic, but the partnership was not in sync in the playoffs. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FoL1z-ZGAyg

At least this year, Gordon is now more familiar with the Nuggets’ system. He gets another playing year with Jokic and hopefully Murray when he gets back. 

Overall grade: B

It would be great if the Nuggets found more shooting that can maximize Jokic’s passing abilities and remove the scoring load on the MVP. It was right for them not to give up on Murray and continue with the core they have, but a little more support around the three best players would be great. 

The Nuggets really need a veteran presence so that if Millsap walks, that could be huge for them. Maybe they can snag someone on the buyout market, but every championship team should consider a seasoned vet who can at least guide the team. 

Denver did not have a lot of room in which to maneuver in this offseason. The idea that the team had an ample amount of options with its given level of resources and constraints is just not reasonable.