What sort of player will Denver GM Tim Connelly target in the NBA draft?
Q: Nuggets general manager Tim Connelly said he’s honing in on draft preparation during the NBA hiatus. What sort of player do you think he and the Nuggets will target when (if ?) the draft happens?
— Matt, East Colfax
Singer: Connelly is in talent acquisition mode. When you trade Malik Beasley and Juancho Hernangomez, two energy guys who could connect from 3-point range, you naturally look to replenish that. The other factor is their frontcourt. There are a lot of moving parts at power forward and center. By the draft, whenever that is, Connelly may have a better idea how free agency will look as it pertains to Denver. I could see them honing in on a versatile big or a versatile wing. Names like Villanova forward Saddiq Bey or Florida State’s Devin Vassell are both intriguing.
The other thing to keep in mind: Heading into this season, the Nuggets were loaded in the backcourt and minutes were scarce. With Beasley gone and Harris’ inconsistencies well documented, a backup two guard might offer some insurance.
Q: The Nuggets have some big decisions for the 2021 roster. How can the team pay a player $30 million in lieu of the young talent and resigning the free agents on the roster. What do you see the roster look like and is it a championship team?
— Pete, Denver
Singer: This is the last year of Paul Millsap’s $30 million deal, and if he returns, my guess is it will be at a number anywhere from $10 million to $13 million per year. Millsap brings plenty of intangibles to the locker room, but few would argue he’s a $30 million player at age 35.
The flex point, however, will be power forward Jerami Grant. He has a player option this summer for $9.3 million, which he’s unlikely to pick up. I think the Nuggets make it a priority to bring him back (more so than Millsap, in fact) at a number around $14-16 million per year. That should make Grant the starting power forward heading into next year.
Q: Hey Mike, do you see the NBA finishing this season or do you see the league banging the rest of the year due to the current coronavirus outbreak around the world? I’m curious since other leagues and events have been cancelled.
—Tom, Highlands Ranch
Singer: I’ve pounded the drum for what a return might look like, be it in Las Vegas or some other sequestered city, but I’m starting to get more skeptical that we’re going to get a return this year. It just seems like a logistical nightmare. From the NBA’s point of view, it makes no sense in declaring the season lost right now. But the hurdles to playing in quarantined “bubbles” are massive. Players, team staff, medical personnel, broadcast crews, food services would all need to agree to be sequestered for weeks on end. We’d also need rapid testing kits to ensure everyone on the inside of the bubble remained healthy. That seems like a leap from where we are right now. Man, I hope I’m wrong.