NBA: 30 Storylines Driving The 2015-16 Season

Jun 25, 2015; Brooklyn, NY, USA; Emmanuel Mudiay (China) greets NBA commissioner Adam Silver after being selected as the number seven overall pick to the Denver Nuggets in the first round of the 2015 NBA Draft at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports

Denver Nuggets – Finally at the Starting Line

The Denver Nuggets have been in a really awkward middle phase since the departure of former franchise player, Carmelo Anthony. They dabbled in mid-level free agent signings and a few good picks here and there in the NBA draft, but it consistently led them to the middle of the conference.

Now they have the reset button locked into place and, with Ty Lawson off to Houston, Emmanuel Mudiay will get his opportunity to take his lumps early and often at the reins of an NBA offense. The Nuggets’ only real star-caliber player at the moment is Kenneth Faried. His talent for rebounding and athleticism make him invaluable, and whether the Nuggets opt to keep him to build around or move him for a sizable crop of assets, he’ll be a huge factor in their future plans.

At the moment the Nuggets are my early pick to win the race to the bottom. Traditionally they’ve had the altitude and time-zone on their side but this season the lack of sheer talent will result in fewer home games won. This is the year they reach the bottom of the NBA record-wise, and as a result, the draft pick they receive will ideally be first overall (unless the lottery has other ideas).

Veterans like Danilo Gallinari, Wilson Chandler, and Jameer Nelson are all valuable assets who could certainly be on the move by the deadline or the off-season. Again though, if the Nuggets intend on moving any pieces like these vets they should be getting youth and potential in return.

Next: Pacers: Who Are We?