Nuggets Ink

In the latest edition of the Nuggets Ink podcast presented by Evoca TV, beat writer Mike Singer and deputy sports editor Matt Schubert look ahead of the 2022-23 season and a big live event in downtown Denver. Among the topics discussed: + What can be taken from Nikola Jokic's performance at EuroBasket? Could he be in line for yet another MVP campaign. What will it take for voters to hand him the award for a third straight season? + What's the word on Michael Porter Jr. and Jamal Murray's health with the start of the season fast approaching? How will the Nuggets handle their two stars coming off long-term injuries? Will there be minutes or games restrictions? Should there be? + What will the Nuggets depth chart look like without everyone back and healthy? Where will players slot in? + Is the Northwest Division the Nuggets' to lose now that Utah is in full rebuild mode? How will they stack up against the rest of the Western Conference?

In the latest edition of the Nuggets Ink podcast, beat writer Mike Singer and deputy sports editor Matt Schubert reconvene after the draft and opening hours of NBA free agency. Among the topics discussed: + Nuggets general manager Calvin Booth was aggressive at the start of free agency, signing veteran center DeAndre Jordan and wing Bruce Brown within 24 hours of the negotiation period opening in the NBA. Why did Booth target these two players? What were his goals entering free agency? And did he achieve those goals with his two signings, re-upping with Davon Reed and signing Nikola Jokic to a supermax extension? + In his first draft as the Nuggets' top decision-maker, Booth selected Kansas wing Christian Braun and UCLA wing Peyton Watson with the No. 21 and 30 picks, respectively. What made these two prospects such attractive options for Booth? Should we expect either, or both, to contribute right away? + Within days of the draft, Booth executed his second trade as Nuggets GM, sending Monte Morris and Wil

In the latest edition of the Nuggets Ink podcast, beat writer Mike Singer and deputy sports editor Matt Schubert reconvene with the NBA draft just days away. Among the topics discussed: + It's been less than a month since Calvin Booth took over as the top decision-maker in the Nuggets front office, and he already has one trade under his belt: JaMychal Green and a future first-round pick to OKC for this year's 30th overall pick and two future second-rounders. What does this say about how aggressive the franchise plans to be this offseason? + With the Nuggets now holding the 21st and 30th overall selections in the first round, who sort of players might they choose to target if they hold on to one or both picks? What are the chances they trade up in the first round? + There's been talk of the Nuggets potentially trading one of their point guards in order to add depth and improve defense on the wing. Who would be the guard most likely to get moved: Monte Morris or Bones Hyland? +Looking ahead to the 2022-23 s

In the latest edition of the Nuggets Ink podcast, beat writer Mike Singer and deputy sports editor Matt Schubert reconvene in the wake of team president Tim Connelly's sudden departure for Minnesota. Among the topics discussed: + When did buzz start to emerge in NBA circles that teams were targeting the Nuggets president of basketball operations? And at what point did it become clear the Minnesota Timberwolves had shifted their focus entirely on bringing Connelly on board? Why were they so determined to poach him from Denver? + What ultimately drove Connelly, the architect of a Nuggets team on the verge of title contention, to accept the Timberwolves' offer? How difficult of a decision was this? Did it simply boil down to more money, or were there other motivating factors? And did Denver make a last-minute push to keep him? + With general manager Calvin Booth presumed to be the next head of basketball operations for the Nuggets, how aggressive will the team be this summer? Will there be extra urgency for a

In the latest edition of the Nuggets Ink podcast, beat writer Mike Singer and deputy sports editor Matt Schubert reconvene to talk about Nikola Jokic's MVP coronation and the critical offseason ahead. Among the topics discussed: What was long expected finally became official this week as Nikola Jokic was named MVP for the second consecutive season. The announcement came complete with an emotional gathering outside Jokic's horse stables in Serbia, with the entire Nuggets brain trust in tow. Singer gives his thoughts on the ceremony and what was clearly a very touched Joker. With several contracts coming off the books this summer, and Michael Porter Jr.'s five-year max deal coming into play, the franchise enters a hugely important offseason. With the team almost guaranteed to enter luxury tax territory, we look ahead to the summer to figure out who should stay and who should go prior to the 2022-23 season. Jamal Murray spoke with reporters for the first time in months after the Nuggets' season came to a clos

In the latest edition of the Nuggets Ink podcast, beat writer Mike Singer and deputy sports editor Matt Schubert reconvene with the Nuggets trailing the Golden State Warriors 2-0 in their first-round playoff series. Among the topics discussed: + What's the state of the Nuggets after a humbling 126-106 loss in Game 2 in San Francisco? What should be made of Monte Morris' despondent postgame press conference in the wake of the loss? Can the team pull itself back together after fissures surfaced in the second half of their second straight blowout loss to the Warriors? + How can the Nuggets turn the tide of this series coming back to Ball Arena? Do they have the weapons necessary to push back against a Warriors team that has unlocked yet another death lineup? How can they ease the burden on Nikola Jokic, who has been relentlessly attacked by Golden State? Should coach Michael Malone consider making a change to the rotation? + What are the chances the Nuggets bring back Jamal Murray or Michael Porter Jr. in thi

In the latest edition of the Nuggets Ink podcast, beat writer Mike Singer and deputy sports editor Matt Schubert reconvene with the Nuggets preparing to take on the Golden State Warriors in the Western Conference playoffs. Among the topics discussed: + With Nikola Jokic set to win his second consecutive MVP award, Singer reviews his end-of-season awards voting before discussing his recent story polling numerous NBA big men about Jokic vs. Embiid. How did his MVP ballot shake out? Did any other Nuggets make Singer's awards voting? Where did the league's stars land on his All-NBA team? + The Nuggets sat most of their starters in the final game of the season in an apparent concession of the No. 5 seed to Utah. Did the Nuggets get the matchup they wanted with the Warriors and the No. 6 seed? What will be the keys to Denver springing a first-round upset? Is there a chance Jamal Murray returns to give the team a boost? Singer and Schubert open up the mailbag to take listener questions about the series. + We aske

In the latest edition of the Nuggets Ink podcast, beat writer Mike Singer and deputy sports editor Matt Schubert reconvene with just two games left in the regular season. Among the topics discussed: + The Nuggets missed out on an opportunity to clinch a top-six seed in the Western Conference playoffs with a disappointing home loss to the Spurs on Tuesday night. What are the implications of the double-digit loss? + With just two games left in the regular season, the likelihood of Jamal Murray returning ahead of the postseason appears to be dim. Would the Nuggets consider bringing their star guard back in the playoffs without any regular-season game reps? Would it be wise for them to do so given the intense, physical nature of postseason play? + Along those same lines, it's been weeks since there's been positive news regarding the potential return of Michael Porter Jr. What are the chances we see MPJ back on the court this season? Should the team be even more cautious with the young star they recently signed t

In the latest edition of the Nuggets Ink podcast, beat writer Mike Singer and deputy sports editor Matt Schubert reconvene with the Nuggets reeling following back-to-back losses. Among the topics discussed: + The Nuggets are approaching an inflection point with Jamal Murray with 10 games remaining in the regular season. At what point does it no longer make sense to bring their star point guard back? Has the team already reached that point? Is the risk worth the potential reward? + Along those same lines, what should the Nuggets do with Michael Porter Jr., who had his third back surgery just four months ago? Should the team be even more cautious with Porter, given that he's dealing with a recurring injury and his max contract hasn't even kicked in yet? + Bones Hyland has exceeded all expectations in his rookie season, culminating with a superlative performance in a virtual homecoming game at Philadelphia. How much are teams regretting passing on Hyland? What is his ceiling three to four years down the road? +

In the latest edition of the Nuggets Ink podcast, beat writer Mike Singer and deputy sports editor Matt Schubert reconvene as the Nuggets enter the stretch run of the regular season. Among the topics discussed: With news of Michael Porter Jr. beginning to go through one-on-one work at practices, what is the timeline for a potential return? How cautious are the Nuggets being about bringing him back? What sort of contributions can be reasonably expected? And who would be the odd man out in the rotation? What are the chances we will see Jamal Murray in uniform this season? What would be a potential drop-dead date when the team makes a decision on whether or not to bring him back for the season? DeMarcus Cousins has been a revelation as a sage veteran in the locker room and physical tone setter for the second unit. How critical has he been to the bench's success? Should we expect his role to continue even as others return from injury? With the fifth-best record in the NBA since Jan. 1, the Nuggets find themselve

In the latest edition of the Nuggets Ink podcast, beat writer Mike Singer and deputy sports editor Matt Schubert reconvene with the NBA trade deadline looming following a successful six-game road trip for the Nuggets. Among the topics discussed: + What's the priority for the Nuggets at the trade deadline? Get a backup big man? Find a long defensive wing? What can executive Tim Connelly do around the margins to improve the prospects of the team? And what can they offer that will bring a worthwhile player back in return? + What did we learn about the Nuggets on this recent road trip -- one that saw the team go 4-2? Have Zeke Nnaji and Bones Hyland played their way into untouchable status in trade discussions? Is it time to give up on the DeMarcus Cousins experiment? Is Aaron Gordon now one of the bigger bargains in the league? + Nikola Jokic just won his third Western Conference Player of the Month award after notching seven triple-doubles in January. Where does the Nuggets big man stand in his quest to repeat

In the latest edition of the Nuggets Ink podcast, beat writer Mike Singer and deputy sports editor Matt Schubert discuss Nikola Jokic's epic 49-14-10 triple-double amid another busy week for the Denver Nuggets. Among the topics discussed: + What did Wednesday's night's performance against the Clippers do for Nikola Jokic's MVP campaign? With the reigning MVP leading the league in a handful of categories, including most advanced metrics, could the tide be turning in Nuggets big man's favor? What needs to happen for him to win a second straight award? + A week after their trade with the Pistons was voided, the Nuggets once again dealt Bol Bol (and P.J. Dozier and a second-round pick) in a three-team deal that brought back guard Bryn Forbes. What will this addition do for the Nuggets? Is this an indication the front office is hopeful Michael Porter Jr. and Jamal Murray will return before the end of the season? + The trade deadline is just three weeks away. Will the Nuggets look to upgrade their roster further?

In the latest edition of the Nuggets Ink podcast, beat writer Mike Singer and deputy sports editor Matt Schubert discuss what's been a newsy few days in the world of the Denver Nuggets. Among the topics discussed: + The Nuggets traded forward Bol Bol to the Detroit Pistons for wing Rodney McGruder and a second round pick. Why did the franchise decide to cut bait now? Was this just not the right situation for Bol to thrive? Why was he never able to consistently crack head coach Michael Malone's rotations? How long was the idea of trading Bol in the works? And was this a good enough return for a player with plenty of promise but little results to back it up? + Mercurial veteran post DeMarcus Cousins is on the verge of agreeing to a 10-day contract with the Nuggets. Is this a gamble worth taking for a team currently lacking post depth? What are the chances this works, given Malone's previous history with Cousins? How should we expect him to be used in Malone's rotations? + Michael Porter Jr. rejoined the team f

In the latest edition of Nuggets Ink, beat writer Mike Singer is joined by Lance Stephenson to catch up on what the veteran guard has been up to over the past two years. After a winding career that included showdowns with LeBron James in the NBA playoffs, and an overseas stint with the Liaoning Flying Leopards in China, Stephenson has landed with Denver Nuggets G League affiliate, the Grand Rapids Gold. Nicknamed "Born Ready," Stephenson sits down with Singer to talk about his NBA career, experience in China and goals with the Nuggets/Gold.

In the latest edition of the Nuggets Ink podcast, beat reporter Mike Singer and deputy sports editor Matt Schubert discuss the state of the injury-riddled Nuggets. Among the topics: + Michael Porter Jr., is reportedly dealing with a nerve issue in his back that could jeopardize the rest of his season. What are the long- and short-term implications for the Nuggets? If MPJ is out for the season, what will that mean for the team's title contention hopes? And how will it impact the team's decision on when to bring back Jamal Murray? + When will Nikola Jokic return from his wrist injury? When he does come back, will he be able to keep Denver afloat as it deals with a roster pockmarked by injuries? Does Nuggets executive Tim Connelly need to find another big man to bolster the front court rotation? + The Nuggets are facing a brutal seven-game road trip to begin December, including a highly anticipated visit to Miami. What can we expect to learn about the team over the next three weeks? Note: This podcast was reco

In an emergency edition of the Nuggets Ink podcast, beat writer Mike Singer and deputy sports editor Matt Schubert discuss the Nikola Jokic-vs.-Markieff Morris melee with photojournalist AAron Ontiveroz. Ontiveroz was on site when a Nuggets blowout over the Heat turned ugly Monday night at Ball Arena, devolving into chaotic scenes both on the court and in the back hallways. The fracas spilled over onto social media in the early morning hours Tuesday, as Marcus Morris and the Jokic brothers traded threats on Twitter and the rest of the sports world weighed in. So what's next for the league's reigning MVP? Is a suspension inevitable? Does Jokic have a hair trigger that needs to be checked? How much responsibility should be laid at the feet of Markieff Morris? The crew discusses that and more.

In the latest Nuggets Ink podcast, beat writer Mike Singer is joined by Nuggets guard Will Barton to talk about his career, the injury that led to him leaving the Orlando bubble in 2020, his recently released documentary and more. Now in his seventh season with the Nuggets (10th overall), Barton says he is the healthiest he has been in years. With Jamal Murray sidelined, Barton's role has expanded with the Nuggets this season and he believes he can continue to grow as Denver vies for a place atop the Western Conference.

In the latest Nuggets Ink podcast, beat writer Mike Singer and Matt Schubert look back at the opening week of the Nuggets' 2021-22 season. With the Nuggets sitting at 2-2, the fellas contemplate some concerning early trends just four games into the campaign. Will Michael Porter Jr. begin to look like the max player he was signed to be? Will Bones Hyland's skills go unnoticed? Will Will Barton be the answer to Jamal Murray's indefinite absence? And of course, Bol Bol. These questions and more are addressed. Producer: AAron Ontiveroz Music: "Follow the Leader" The Trujillo Company

In the latest Nuggets Ink podcast, beat writer Mike Singer is joined by The Ringer's Rob Mahoney to discuss his latest story "Michael Porter Jr. will get his moment... if he's ready for it." After dropping to the 14th pick of the 2018 NBA draft, Porter's future was uncertain due to back problems, which significantly dropped his stock in a class featuring future stars Trae Young, Luka Doncic and Deandre Ayton. Despite early career injuries and Porter's outspoken stance on vaccinations heading into the 2021-22 NBA season, Mahoney's report from within Nuggets camp paints a picture of a team ready for MPJ to finally break through as the star he was billed as entering his college career at Missouri.

In the latest Nuggets Ink podcast, beat writer Mike Singer is joined by deputy sports editor Matt Schubert to talk about Singer's time at the Nuggets' training camp in San Diego and storylines that have emerged over the past two weeks. Among the topics discussed... + Is the Bones Hyland hype real? Could Nuggets head coach Michael Malone give real minutes to a rookie? What does the VCU product, a +8,000 underdog for rookie of the year, need to do to find a spot in Denver's crowded backcourt? + Will Bol Bol finally appease the masses and make his long-awaited debut as a rotation staple? What's the story behind his reported attitude change? What happened that produced a more focused player ahead of camp? + What is the Nuggets' place in the Western Conference ahead of the 2021-22 NBA season? With Jamal Murray's return date unknown, what are reasonable expectations for this team? + Is this conference still the Lakers' to lose? Who should come out of the East? Does Kyrie Irving's bizarre behavior put the Nets at r