The Denver Nuggets are out for revenge. Their quest for a second championship in a row was ruined by the Minnesota Timberwolves in the second round of the playoffs. The taste of victory only makes one hungrier. With that in mind, the team is looking to keep together most of the cast.
The Nuggets are starting the offseason by retaining a key locker room piece for them. DeAndre Jordan, the veteran backup center of the team, will be returning on a one-year deal, per Chris Haynes. Jordan has been with the Nuggets since 2022.
“Free agent center DeAndre Jordan intends to re-sign with the Denver Nuggets on a one-year, $3.6M deal, league sources tell @NBAonTNT, @BleacherReport.”
Jordan hasn't been that productive when he sees the floor… which is not often. He averaged just 11 minutes last season off the bench for the Nuggets, with averages of 3.9 points and 4.4 rebounds per game. That's a far cry from the production he had back in his prime. He's buried in the depth chart, behind Peyton Watson.
So why are the Nuggets bringing back Jordan? Well, there's something to be said for good locker room presences. As he's become older, Jordan transitioned from a high-flying center to a grounded mentor for the teams he's played with. It's a big reason why even after his skills have diminished, he's found a team every season. If all goes well, Denver will hopefully never need Jordan to contribute heavy minutes. If that happens… then something has gone terribly wrong.
Nuggets' offseason conundrum
The Nuggets have more problems to deal with in the offseason. In particular, their headaches revolve around one Kentavious Caldwell-Pope. KCP has been an integral part of the Nuggets in the last few seasons. There's a reason why he's part of two championship teams: his defense and shooting are some of the best in the league.
That being said, KCP's contract expired at the end of last season, making him a free agent. Considering the value of players like Caldwell-Pope, he's likely to ask a sizable contract from the Nuggets. It seems like the front office is unwilling to pay him, though. There's already a precedent to this: last offseason, they elected to let Bruce Brown leave despite his value to the championship they just won.
If Caldwell-Pope does end up leaving, then it would create a massive vortex in the Nuggets' rotation next season. Christian Braun should fill in nicely for the starting lineup… but what happens to the bench? The bench will be full of inexperienced first and second-year guys along with some vet-min players. That's not a recipe for success, even if you have the best player in the entire NBA.
The Nuggets are hoping to recapture that magic that allowed them to win the NBA championship back in the 2022-23 season. However, the pieces that have helped them to that win are starting to fade away. What the front office does in this offseason will be the key to their championship aspirations. Are they going to fold, or will they emerge as the best of the best?
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