by Zak Hanshew, Rotoworld
Earlier crew recaps: DET, WAS, POR, CHA, SAS, TOR, MEM, UTA, BKN, ATL, CHI, HOU, SAC, GSW, MIA, PHI, ORL, LAL, IND, CLE, PHX, NOR, MIL, NYK, LAC, MIN
At a look:
Report: 57-25 (2nd, West)
Offensive Ranking: 117.8 (fifth)
Defensive Ranking: 112.3 (eighth)
Web Ranking: 5.5 (4th)
Tempo: 97.4 (twenty sixth)
2024 NBA Draft Picks: 28, 56
The reigning NBA champs didn’t repeat, however the Nuggets nonetheless loved an ideal season behind MVP Nikola Jokic and a powerful supporting forged. Denver made the playoffs for a sixth straight season, and although their 57-25 file is tied for the very best in crew historical past for the reason that merger, the Nuggets completed second within the Northwest Division and second within the Western Convention behind the 57-25 Oklahoma Metropolis Thunder.
The Nuggets rolled via their first-round matchup with the Lakers however inconceivably dropped two straight at dwelling to the Timberwolves within the Western Convention semifinals. Denver gained three of the following 4 to pressure a Sport 7, however Minnesota overcame a 20-point deficit to stun the defending champs at Mile Excessive.
Jokic was a fantasy stud but once more, and Jamal Murray supplied helpful manufacturing when obtainable. The remainder of Denver’s beginning 5 was large in complete fantasy worth because of their availability. The place do fantasy managers go from right here when evaluating Nuggets gamers in 2024-25 fantasy drafts? Let’s dive in!
Fantasy Standout: Nikola Jokic
All good issues should come to an finish, proper? Jokic’s streak of seasons ending as fantasy basketball’s prime total participant ended at three on the conclusion of the 2023-24 marketing campaign. The Joker confirmed that he’s a mere mortal by ending as fantasy’s third-ranked participant on a per-game foundation. Not one to fall utterly off his pedestal, Jokic was the highest total participant in complete fantasy worth, averaging 26.4 factors, 12.4 boards, 9.0 dimes, 1.4 steals, 0.9 blocks and 1.1 triples throughout 79 appearances. The massive man shot 58.3% from the ground and 81.7% from the charity stripe.
Nikola Jokic says he was conscious previous to tonight that the Wizards had been the one crew he did not have a triple-double towards: “It is simply one thing after I end my profession, legacy, milestone, I’ll look again and I’ll say that is a very cool factor to do.” pic.twitter.com/BItNrFAO2Z
— Harrison Wind (@HarrisonWind) February 23, 2024
Throughout the board, most of Jokic’s counting stats had been the second-best marks of his profession, and he added extra {hardware} to his trophy case with a 3rd MVP in 4 seasons.Jokic has been a top-10 participant in totals in seven straight seasons thanks partly to his constant availability. He has performed no fewer than 69 video games in all 9 of his skilled seasons.
In 2023-24, he compiled 25 triple-doubles and handed Jason Kidd and LeBron James for fourth-most on the all-time leaderboard. Jokic is now solely eight triple-doubles behind Magic Johnson on that illustrious checklist. He’s one in every of solely 5 gamers to file at the least 25 triple-doubles in a single season and one in every of solely three to do it a number of occasions.
Joker remains to be in his prime, and his skillset is one which we’ve seen only a few occasions in NBA historical past. Fantasy managers should not have any qualms about drafting him as a top-3 participant in 2024-25 fantasy drafts, and he’s acquired a powerful case to be fantasy’s prime total decide but once more.
Fantasy Revelation: Jamal Murray
Availability was a priority for Murray as soon as once more, and he appeared in solely 59 video games in 2023-24. Over the past 4 seasons, he’s logged 59, 48, 65, and 59 video games respectively, lacking the whole lot of the 2021-22 marketing campaign. Murray completed forty third in per-game fantasy hoops worth, the second-best mark of his profession. The Blue Arrow averaged 21.2 factors, 4.1 boards, 6.5 dimes, 1.0 steals, 0.7 blocks and a pair of.5 triples whereas capturing environment friendly 48.1/85.3/42.5 splits.
Although Murray loved a productive common season, he was much more electrical within the playoffs. Murray’s playoff highlights included two game-winners within the first spherical towards Los Angeles and a halfcourt heave on the buzzer towards Minnesota.
At this level in his profession, Murray has proven what he’s going to us every yr. He’ll submit a strong 20/4/5 line with a steal and a few three-pointers and shoot effectively from the ground and the charity stripe. Murray has a top-75 ground and a top-36 ceiling, and availability is the one concern for the regular producer. Fantasy managers should not have any drawback spending a mid-round decide on him in 2024-25 drafts.
Fantasy Disappointment: Christian Braun
Braun confirmed promise as a rookie in 2022-23, taking part in significant minutes for a championship-winning crew within the common season and all through the playoffs. In the summertime of 2023, Denver misplaced Jeff Inexperienced (19.5 MPG) and Bruce Brown (28.5 MPG) and didn’t usher in any gamers of be aware to fill their roles. Cue Braun… proper?
Sadly, he did not pan out for keen fantasy managers who drafted Braun excitedly as a late-round flyer in 2023-24 drafts. His taking part in time rose from 15.5 minutes to twenty.2, and he appeared in all 82 video games, however he averaged simply 7.3 factors, 3.7 rebounds, 1.6 assists, 0.5 steals, 0.4 blocks and 0.8 triples. His effectivity took a success, and whereas the counting stats confirmed an enchancment over his Yr 1 efficiency, they actually weren’t sufficient to make him viable in 12-team leagues.
Aside from Jamal Murray (59 video games), Denver’s beginning 5 all performed at the least 73 video games, and each starter averaged higher than 31 minutes. Solely Braun and Reggie Jackson logged at the least 20 minutes per sport off the bench, but it surely was Jackson (82 video games) who began when Murray was out. Braun was unable to seek out vital taking part in time in Yr 2, and that was largely as a result of availability of starters and a good Nuggets rotation. He’ll face related challenges in 2024-25 and is off the radar in normal leagues for now.
Fantasy Recaps/Look-Aheads
Aaron Gordon: He carried an ADP of 118.4, and Gordon completed as fantasy’s 127th ranked participant on a per-game foundation. He returned worth fairly just like the place he was drafted in that regard, however he was much more useful in totals, ending 83rd.
Gordon’s skillset isn’t extremely various. He averaged 13.9 factors, 6.5 rebounds, 3.5 assists, 0.8 steals, 0.6 blocks and 0.5 triples whereas capturing 55.6% from the ground and 65.8% from the charity stripe. As with all of Denver’s rotation, Gordon stuffed his function completely, working as a powerful rebounder and defender whereas catching lobs from his MVP teammate. Gordon completed sixth within the NBA in complete dunks with 171.
AG has been a top-140 participant in per-game worth in every of the final three seasons and a top-100 participant in totals in two of them. He’s a gentle contributor in rebounds and FG%, and he’ll supply helpful manufacturing in factors, assists and blocks.
Michael Porter Jr.: MPJ supplied fantasy managers with one other high quality exhibiting, posting averages of 16.7 factors, 7.0 boards, 1.5 dimes, 0.5 steals, 0.7 blocks and a pair of.7 triples. The sharpshooter knocked down 48.4% of his photographs from the ground and 83.6% of his free-throw makes an attempt. He logged 31.7 minutes per contest and appeared in 81 video games, simply probably the most of his profession.
He ranked 71st in per-game fantasy worth, ending contained in the top-80 for the second straight season and third time within the final 4. Regardless of the robust common season, Porter Jr. ended on a bitter be aware, averaging simply 6.3 factors, 6.3 rebounds and 1.0 triples whereas capturing 28.6% from the sector and 19.0% from three over the ultimate 4 video games of the Western Convention semifinals. MPJ might be simply 26 years previous subsequent season, and he’s coming into his prime. Fantasy managers ought to anticipate extra of the identical from him in Yr 6, making him a mid-to-late rounder in 2024-25 drafts.
Kentavious Caldwell-Pope: He was fantasy’s A hundred and first-ranked participant on a per-game foundation and 58th in totals, however KCP’s worth was derived primarily from his elite contributions within the steals class.
Caldwell-Pope averaged 10.1 factors, 2.4 rebounds, 2.4 assists, 1.3 steals, 0.6 blocks, and 1.6 triples whereas capturing 46.0% from the ground and 89.4% from the charity stripe. He wasn’t terribly dangerous in anybody class, additional buoying his fantasy inventory. KCP logged 31.6 minutes throughout 76 appearances, and he’s appeared in at the least that many video games for the third straight season. He will not be thrilling or supply large manufacturing in a number of classes, however he’s strong throughout the board and at all times obtainable.
Peyton Watson: Watson’s minutes jumped from 8.1 as a rookie to 18.6 in Yr 2, although his statistical output wasn’t sufficient to make him a viable possibility in normal leagues.
He wasn’t price rostering in 12-team leagues, however Watson seems to be like he’s acquired a vibrant future. He averaged 6.7 factors, 3.2 rebounds, 1.1 assists, 0.5 steals and 1.1 blocks in restricted taking part in time, exhibiting off his expertise on each ends of the courtroom. Discovering significant taking part in time might be a difficulty, however he’s price monitoring in 2024-25.
Reggie Jackson: Jackson logged simply 22.2 minutes per sport final season, his fewest since 2012-13 when he was with the Thunder. Jackson led the bench in minutes and appeared in all 82 regular-season video games, offering a lift off the bench as a scorer and facilitator. Jackson began 23 video games and averaged 15.4 factors, 2.4 boards, 5.3 dimes and 1.9 triples, filling in admirably for Jamal Murray.
Reggie Jackson had 35 PTS & 13 AST, together with 5 ALLEY-OOPS to DeAndre Jordan through the Nuggets (w/out Jokic, Gordon, Murray) win towards the Clippers!
Jordan’s 21 PTS is probably the most he is scored since 2018pic.twitter.com/ikBTAnireQ
— Ballislife.com (@Ballislife) November 28, 2023
Jackson isn’t price drafting in most fantasy leagues, however he’s at all times a man to search for on the waiver wire as a high-end streamer when Murray misses time. He’s acquired a participant possibility for the upcoming marketing campaign, and it wouldn’t be shocking if he picked it as much as stay with the Nuggets.
Julian Strawther: The rookie out of Gonzaga averaged 4.5 factors, 1.2 rebounds, 0.9 assists and 0.8 triples throughout 10.9 minutes per tilt in 50 appearances. He didn’t begin a single sport, however he dropped 22 factors and 6 triples on December 11 towards Atlanta when he performed a season-best 28 minutes. Strawther is in the identical predicament as the remainder of Denver’s bench, as he’s unlikely to get many significant minutes barring accidents forward of him on the depth chart.
DeAndre Jordan: He’ll be 36 when the 2024-25 marketing campaign ideas off, and he’s averaged fewer than 20 minutes per sport in every of his final three. The “Lob Metropolis” days are far behind him, and there’s no have to draft Jordan outdoors the deepest of leagues.
Restricted Free Brokers: Braxton Key, Jay Huff
Unrestricted Free Brokers: Justin Vacation, DeAndre Jordan
Participant Choice: Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Reggie Jackson
Membership Choice: Vlatko Cancar
