Latest news with #CalvinBooth
Yahoo
09-07-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Nuggets Make Announcement on Former Champion During Free Agency
Nuggets Make Announcement on Former Champion During Free Agency originally appeared on Athlon Sports. The Denver Nuggets have been busy making moves, and not just in the offseason. The first of the significant moves came at an alarming time, when they chose to fire both head coach Michael Malone and general manager Calvin Booth just before the conclusion of the regular season. Advertisement That meant that the Nuggets, who earned the No. 4 seed in the Western Conference, would be entering the NBA Playoffs with David Adelman in an interim role. Some believed the move would come back to bite the Nuggets. Instead, they defeated the then-red-hot Los Angeles Clippers in a grueling seven-game series in the first round. Nov 22, 2024; Denver, Colorado, USA; Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic (15) controls the ball under pressure from Dallas Mavericks guard Jaden Hardy (1) in the first quarter at Ball Arena. © Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images Nuggets make announcement on former champion during free agency While they were eventually eliminated from the playoffs in the second round, they pushed the eventual champions, the Oklahoma City Thunder to seven games, displaying that they were just a few moves away from contending for a title again next season. Advertisement Once free agency opened, the Nuggets remained active, bringing back their fan-favorite guard Bruce Brown, who helped the Nuggets win a championship in 2023. "Bruce Brown is coming back to Denver," the Nuggets posted on During the NBA Finals, Brown averaged 11.4 points, 4.4 rebounds and one assist and steal per game. His most significant moment came in Game 4, when he scored 21 points on 8-for-11 shooting, including 3-for-5 from beyond the arc. The Nuggets made another significant move when they traded Michael Porter Jr. and a 2032 unprotected first-round draft pick to the Brooklyn Nets for Cam Johnson. Johnson averaged a career-high 18.8 points per game on a career-best 47.5% shooting percentage. Advertisement Between those two moves, the Nuggets are now expected to contend in a loaded Western Conference and have the third-best odds to win the conference next season behind only the defending champion Thunder and the Houston Rockets. This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jul 9, 2025, where it first appeared.
Yahoo
04-07-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Nuggets Get Unexpected News on Newly Acquired Player
Nuggets Get Unexpected News on Newly Acquired Player originally appeared on Athlon Sports. The Denver Nuggets are undergoing massive changes during this offseason. In fact, many significant changes came at the end of the regular season, when they made the shocking decision to fire head coach Michael Malone and general manager Calvin Booth. Advertisement Even without Malone, the Nuggets were impressive in the playoffs, defeating the then-red-hot Los Angeles Clippers, who had nine out of their last 10 games heading into the postseason. While it took timely offensive rebounding and Russell Westbrook shooting 41.9% from three, the Nuggets prevailed in seven games. Although they fell to the Oklahoma City Thunder in the subsequent series, they pushed the eventual champions to a seven-game series. Denver Nuggets forward Michael Porter Jr. (1) passes the ball against the New Orleans Chenoy-Imagn Images Nuggets get unexpected news on newly acquired player The Nuggets later named Adelman the full-time head coach, with Ben Tenzer and Jon Wallace leading the charge from the front office in what has been an active period for Denver. The Nuggets made a shocking trade when they sent Michael Porter Jr. and an unprotected first-round pick in 2032 to the Brooklyn Nets for forward Cameron Johnson. Advertisement Shortly after, the Nuggets announced they were signing former fan-favorite guard Bruce Brown. Shortly after, they announced that they were sending Dario Saric to the Sacramento Kings for Jonas Valanciunas. However, according to a recent report, Valanciunas' future with the Nuggets seems unclear. "Jonas Valanciunas is close to leaving the NBA and joining Greece's Panathinaikos Athens, per BasketNews. Valanciunas was traded to the Nuggets just two days ago but has reportedly been lured by Panathinaikos' 3-year €12 million offer," a ClutchPoints post read. At 33 years old, Valanciunas has played 13 seasons in the NBA. He played for the Washington Wizards last season before being traded to the Kings. He averaged 8.7 points and seven rebounds in 16.9 minutes per game. Advertisement Valanciunas has two years and roughly $20.4 million remaining on his deal. It remains unclear if he would retire or take a buyout to play for Panathinaikos next season. This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jul 3, 2025, where it first appeared.
Yahoo
01-07-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Nuggets reportedly trading Michael Porter Jr. to the Nets for Cam Johnson, immediately reunite with Bruce Brown
Michael Porter Jr. is done in Denver. In a move to create salary-cap flexibility, the Denver Nuggets struck a deal to send Porter to the Brooklyn Nets on Monday shortly after the NBA's free-agency period began, ESPN's Shams Charania reports. In exchange, the Nuggets will receive Cam Johnson. The Nets will also get an unprotected 2032 first-round draft pick. Advertisement Per Charania, the Nuggets agreed to a one-year contract with Bruce Brown after the trade, reuniting the Nuggets with the defensive wing who played a key role on their 2023 championship team. The trade signals the end of an era in Denver as the Nuggets ship off a core player from that championship team in an effort to create roster flexibility. Denver makes the move as it looks to retool its roster and salary distribution to compete with the champion Oklahoma City Thunder in the West. The move was the first of significance by the new tandem of Ben Tenzer and Jonathan Wallace, who are collectively running Denver's front office in the wake of ousted general manager Calvin Booth. Porter, 27, has played his entire six-season NBA career with the Nuggets since they selected him with the No. 14 pick in the 2018 NBA Draft. Once projected as a potential No. 1 overall pick, Porter slipped in the draft due to concerns about a back injury that sidelined him for his entire first NBA season. Once healthy, Porter emerged as a key player for the Nuggets who moved into the starting lineup in his second season and remained there. A 6-foot-10 forward with elite shooting ability (40.6% from 3 for his career), Porter was a key player as the Nuggets made a run to their first NBA championship in 2023. Advertisement He averaged 18.2 points, seven rebounds and 2.1 assists last season while shooting 50.4% from the floor and 39.5% on 6.4 3-pointers per game. Why did the Nuggets do this? Denver's roster construction has proven flawed since that title run, and the Nuggets have had little flexibility to retool, thanks in part to the max contracts signed by Porter and point guard Jamal Murray and the supermax deal signed by three-time MVP Nikola Jokić. Michael Porter Jr. is headed to Brooklyn. (AAron Ontiveroz/The Denver Post) (AAron Ontiveroz via Getty Images) When looking for a spot to retool, the Nuggets ultimately decided that Porter was expendable. Porter is approaching the fourth year of a five-year, $179 million contract. He's due $38.3 million in 2025-26 and $40.8 million in 2026-27. Advertisement By contrast, Johnson has two years remaining on a four-year, $94.5 million deal. He'll earn $21 million in 2025-26 and $23 million in 2026-27. In Johnson, a 6-foot-8 forward, the Nuggets add another sharp-shooting wing (39.2% from 3 for his career) with size while shedding salary. The move puts the Nuggets under the first salary cap apron and opens up a $14.1 million mid-level exception. And now they have Brown, who the Nuggets have sorely missed since they allowed him to walk in free agency in 2023 in a move that was dictated by the salary cap. In Brown, the Nuggets add depth and a defensive presence off the bench that was missing from last season's roster. Advertisement Denver gave up one of its few tradable assets in the 2032 unprotected first-round pick to open up that salary cap flexibility. Can Nuggets return to contention? The need for a change in Denver was exacerbated during the Nuggets' second-round playoff series against the Thunder. Denver repeatedly challenged the Thunder in a seven-game series that was OKC's toughest test en route to the NBA Finals. But Denver's lack of depth was exposed against the deep Thunder bench that made a significant difference in a series that was won in the margins. Porter also played injured in the series as a shoulder ailment limited him throughout the postseason. And new head coach David Adelman noted Porter's defensive lapses more than once after taking over for fired head coach Michael Malone. Now that Porter and his salary are gone, it will be up to the newly retooled Nuggets front office to continue to rebuild Denver's bench. The goal for the Nuggets should be to continue to compete for championships as long Jokić remains on their roster.
Yahoo
23-06-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Denver Nuggets Nearly Made Kevin Durant Decision During Offseason
Denver Nuggets Nearly Made Kevin Durant Decision During Offseason originally appeared on Athlon Sports. The Denver Nuggets are coming off a season in which they surprised many. First, it was the decision to fire head coach Michael Malone and general manager Calvin Booth just days before the end of the regular season. As a result, the Nuggets went into the playoffs with an interim head coach, David Adelman. Advertisement Some thought that the decision would prove to be a death sentence. Although still early, it proved to be the right move in the first round of the NBA Playoffs, as the team defeated the Los Angeles Clippers in seven games, who were one of the hottest teams in the NBA entering the playoffs. Nov 22, 2024; Denver, Colorado, USA; Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic (15) controls the ball under pressure from Dallas Mavericks guard Jaden Hardy (1) in the first quarter at Ball Arena. © Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images Denver Nuggets nearly made Kevin Durant decision In the second round, the Nuggets met up with the Oklahoma City Thunder. To that point, the Thunder had looked nearly invincible, making quick work of the Memphis Grizzlies in a sweep. Many believed that dominance would continue after the grueling Clippers series, but the Nuggets gave the Thunder a decent run for their money before falling short in Game 7. Advertisement The Nuggets lacked depth and top-tier talent outside of Nikola Jokic. Likely looking to make a trade in the offseason, the Nuggets were a surprise contender for the services of Kevin Durant, according to Shams Charania, before he was ultimately traded to the Houston Rockets. It's fun to imagine what such a trade package would've looked like from Denver's end. To make the salaries work, it would likely have had to involve Jamal Murray, or, more likely, Michael Porter Jr. in addition to young players like Peyton Watson, Julian Strawther or Christian Braun. Now, the Nuggets will look elsewhere to add depth to attempt to keep up in what will likely once again be a tough Western Conference. Contending next year should be Denver's top priority if they don't want to risk Jokic asking for a trade. If they can't build upon what they accomplished this season and at least get back to the Conference Finals, that's very well what could happen. This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 22, 2025, where it first appeared.
Yahoo
17-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Nuggets Make Major Front Office Decision During Offseason
Nuggets Make Major Front Office Decision During Offseason originally appeared on Athlon Sports. The Denver Nuggets enter the offseason with some interesting decisions to make regarding both their front office and their roster. Advertisement Denver is coming off a season that saw them be eliminated in the second round of the playoffs for the second consecutive season, though they were able to push the Oklahoma City Thunder to seven games. This came after the Nuggets made the shocking decision to fire both head coach Michael Malone and general manager Calvin Booth late in the regular season. Denver Nuggets head coach Michael Malone congratulates center Nikola Jokic (15) in the fourth quarter against the Washington Wizards at Ball Chenoy-Imagn Images Denver did start off their offseason by removing the interim tag and naming David Adelman as their new head coach, but they have yet to hire a new general manager. One person who was in the running to possibly land their general manager job was assistant general manager Tommy Balcetis, but that changed on Monday. Advertisement According to multiple reports, the Nuggets decided to part ways with Balcetis on Monday in a shocking decision. Balcetis had been with the Nuggets for since 2013 and played a key role in helping build their roster alongside Booth that helped them win a championship in 2023. Despite this, it seems as though Denver was looking for more change in their front office as they have now moved on from both Booth and Balcetis. Because of this, the Nuggets have two key decisions to make heading into the offseason as they first must hire a new general manager to replace Booth and then find a replacement for Balcetis as well. Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic (15) and guard Jamal Murray (27)© Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images So far, Denver has taken their time in finding a new general manager but with the 2025 NBA Draft quickly approaching, a decision could be made sooner rather than later. Advertisement Of course, the Nuggets may make some key changes to their roster this summer as they try to retool it around Nikola Jokic but they first need to hire a new general manager. This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 17, 2025, where it first appeared.
