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After a dismal second-round exit from the playoffs, these three players won’t be back with the Denver Nuggets.
The Denver Nuggets’ season ended Sunday night with a loss to the Phoenix Suns. A four-game second-round playoff sweep was completed, with MVP Nikola Jokic off the floor for them after being ejected for a flagrant foul late in the third quarter.
Jokic did all he could, but the Nuggets clearly missed guard Jamal Murray (torn ACL). Some of Denver’s supporting players were banged up themselves, and in the end, they just didn’t have enough to compete with the Suns.
Looking to the offseason, surely earlier than they wanted to, the Nuggets don’t necessarily need to make any major moves. Michael Porter Jr. is eligible for a rookie scale contract extension, and that may be the biggest thing on the offseason radar.
As the Nuggets look at their roster around Jokic and Murray (once he’s healthy), these three players won’t be back next season.
3. JaVale McGee won’t be back with the Denver Nuggets next season
The Nuggets acquired McGee from the Cavaliers on trade deadline day in March. He played 13 regular-season games (one start) and four playoff games. In the season-ending Game 4 against, the Suns, after Jokic was ejected, he wound up playing 19:40.
McGee could be brought back cheaply by the Nuggets. But as backups for Jokic go, they’d be better off seeing what Bol Bol has to offer in more minutes and/or adding a younger veteran.