Denver Nuggets: Is Paul Millsap the right man to pair with Nikola Jokic?
The Denver Nuggets signed Paul Millsap to be their starting power forward next to emerging superstar Nikola Jokic. Will this pair work well together?
The Denver Nuggets added All-Star Paul Millsap to a roster that just missed the playoffs in 2017. Millsap joins a log jam at power forward, but he’s clearly the cream of the crop.
With Kenneth Faried, Darrell Arthur, Trey Lyles, and Tyler Lydon also playing the four, the Nuggets will need to make at least one move before the season starts. Juan Hernangomez and Wilson Chandler are their small forwards, but both may be at their best as small ball fours.
Faried and Arthur have been the likely trade candidates discussed by many NBA pundits, but teams may be reluctant to take on these contracts without getting an asset attached to the deal. The Nuggets acquired Lyles and drafted Lydon on draft night, but made a wise decision signing a player of Millsap’s caliber to a team friendly contract during free agency.
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The Denver Nuggets were rumored as the third team in the Cleveland Cavaliers and Indiana Pacers trade discussions involving Paul George. Since the Cavaliers wanted to part ways with Love to obtain George, they needed a third team in the deal because of Indiana’s disinterest in Love.
The Nuggets were rumored to trade away emerging star Gary Harris in that deal. The best part about this trade falling through is the Nuggets got their All-Star power forward without having to give away their second best player. Harris is a young and improving two-way star in the making.
Millsap is older than Love and doesn’t have his pedigree, but he’s a much better compliment to the Nuggets’ star player.
Nikola Jokic has emerged as one of the brightest stars in the NBA. In today’s evolving league that is phasing centers out of the game (just look at the deals centers are/aren’t signing this offseason), Jokic has become the focal point of his team.
It wasn’t too long ago that coach Mike Malone was trying to play Jokic at power forward next to Jusuf Nurkic. That failed, so Malone moved Jokic to the bench. He quickly realized his mistake and traded away Nurkic to make room for Jokic in the starting lineup. After making Jokic their starting center in December, the Nuggets led the NBA in offensive rating.
They used his uncanny passing ability to their advantage. Not many teams in NBA history have used their center as their primary distributor. Gary Harris and the other guards quickly adapted to their new style and become adept at cutting to the hoop. Jokic did an excellent job at finding his teammates and setting them up for easy buckets. As great as Jokic seemed, he still has a lot of room to grow, especially on the defensive end of the floor.
In today’s NBA, offensive skills have become more lauded than defensive skills. This is especially true for guards and forwards, but centers’ primary requirements are defense oriented. Nikola Jokic is tall and can protect the rim based on sheer size, but he doesn’t have the conditioning, defensive awareness, or experience to help on that end of the floor.
The Nuggets had the second worst defensive rating in the league for a reason. Insert Paul Millsap, one of the most underrated defenders in the NBA. Nuggets fans may have wanted Kevin Love, but his defensive inadequacies wouldn’t have helped Denver as much as the all-around veteran presence of Millsap.
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Paul Millsap can help the Nuggets on both ends of the floor. He isn’t a great three-point shooter, but he’s good enough to stretch the floor. He’s a savvy veteran that uses his strength, quickness, and elite footwork to dominate players in the post. But it’s his defensive efforts that will help the Nuggets immensely.
Nikola Jokic has the potential to be a great defender in the future, but he needs a veteran like Millsap to show him the ropes and hold him accountable. Jokic needs to improve his conditioning, which is something that he’s been doing this offseason according to Mike Malone. Jokic needs to try to emulate Marc Gasol.
Gasol was also out of shape during his early NBA years, but he improved his conditioning and become a student of the game. He wasn’t an elite athlete, but used his intelligence and size to alter shots. Gasol won the NBA’s Defensive Player of the Year in 2013, and has been a perennial contender for the award ever since. It will take Jokic a few years to reach that level of defensive dominance, but Millsap can be Denver’s rim protector in the meantime.
Signing a 32-year-old veteran to a deal worth 30 million dollars annually seems like a mistake, but it’s a risk the Nuggets had to take. Millsap may be past his prime, but he’s still playing at a high level and will be a great role model for the younger Nuggets.
He can add to their offensive arsenal and will be the rim protector that they lack. Most importantly, he’s a great fit with emerging star Nikola Jokic on both ends of the floor. The Denver Nuggets pulled off a heist getting his third year as a team option. If Millsap doesn’t age as well as they hope, the Nuggets can cut bait after two seasons.
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This move won’t likely put them over the hump in the ruthless Western Conference, but it’s the type of move that can pay dividends in future by helping Denver fulfill their long-term championship aspirations.