Why the Von Miller trade should provide hope for Nuggets Nation
Nov 2, 2021, 6:38 AM
A sports bombshell dropped on our city yesterday when the Broncos traded Von Miller to the Los Angeles Rams. One of the all-time great Broncos said goodbye after the Rams jumped at the opportunity to add the Super Bowl 50 MVP with the hopes of bringing a title to Tinseltown.
In 2018, the Rams lost the Super Bowl. The following year, they traded for cornerback Jalen Ramsey to try to put them over the top. It didn’t work, so they doubled down by trading for Matthew Stafford last summer. Now with a 7-1 record, they tripled down by trading for Von.
We're all in. pic.twitter.com/3Z0ELD11RW
— Los Angeles Rams (@RamsNFL) November 1, 2021
So what does this have to do with the Nuggets?
Fans like nothing more than when their favorite teams and owners go for it. Trading for or signing superstars and luring key veterans to play for pennies on the dollar for a chance at a ring. That’s how it works in the NBA. Just ask LeBron James.
After years of fans wanting the Nuggets to go all-in on a big deal, they finally found the opportunity last year when they traded for Aaron Gordon. Undeterred when Jamal Murray got hurt, Denver extended Gordon with a new deal this summer and maxed out Michael Porter Jr. with a huge guarantee. They’re all-in on their core.
While it’s not nearly as common in the NFL, the Rams are the one team that’s been operating very much like an NBA contender.
You already know what the Rams and the Nuggets have in common: Ownership. There’s no denying Rams general manager Les Snead has taken a page from the NBA playbook in trying to bring home a championship for Kroenke sports.
The Nuggets built their core through the draft with three home-run picks in Jokic, Murray, and Porter Jr. before trading for Gordon.
The Rams last first-round draft pick was Jared Goff in 2016. They don’t have another one until 2024.
Both teams are going all-in in different ways, but both require the go-ahead from ownership to strike while the iron is hot.
Pierre Lacroix was a master at this for the Colorado Avalanche, and Kroenke benefitted with a Stanley Cup in his first year owning the team. In two decades since, they’ve had a MLS Cup and a NLL crown, but that’s not enough for the KSE empire.
Watching the Rams grab Von Miller for a Super Bowl push may just mean that the Nuggets front office will have the same green light to push this team over the top too.
