3 moves new Nuggets boss Calvin Booth needs to consider this summer

While we have yet to hear from the Kroenkes—something we expect to do this week—it’s been heavily reported Calvin Booth is now in charge of basketball operations for the Denver Nuggets.

Booth, the team’s General Manager since 2020, now takes complete control as President of Basketball Operations Tim Connelly departed for the same role with the Minnesota Timberwolves. Luckily for Booth, the biggest question about the Nuggets this offseason has already been answered. Nikola Jokic will sign a supermax contract extension this summer, a deal that will kick in during the 2023-24 season and make the back-to-back MVP the highest-paid player in league history.

Despite the future Hall of Fame center, injuries have heavily impacted the Nuggets. The last time the team was fully healthy, they reached the conference final. Two years have passed, and it’s become clear health isn’t the only thing holding the Nuggets back from their first title. They need to build more around Jokic.

Here are three moves Booth needs to think about:

1. Figure out what to do with Will Barton
The 31-year-old has played eight seasons in Denver and has been pretty good. He has one year left on the extension he signed last summer, and the Nuggets have to ask if they want to keep this player, who has averaged 14, five, and three in his time in the Mile High City. We haven’t seen Barton play as a fourth or fifth fiddle at all with this core, which has been the intention. He’s been hurt during many playoff runs, and when he’s been healthy, others have been hurt. He had an unimpressive season, is older, and the Nuggets might need a different style of player in his position.

Most NBA teams have guards who can play make for each other, with the No. 2 being a stronger defender. Barton plays decently well off-ball but does a lot of “my turn” now “your turn” while on it. Barton’s defense is just not up to snuff.

Booth needs to see what’s out there for Barton. Especially with the emergence of Barton’s protege Bones Hyland, who, like Barton, can play point guard, shooting guard, or small forward. Hyland also offers similar scoring touch and more length. Hyland’s great rookie season also makes it possible for the Nuggets to trade Monte Morris, who has been a really solid NBA player. Both Barton and Morris have very trade-friendly contracts. The Nuggets could also package the No. 21 pick in this year’s NBA draft or the expiring contracts of Jeff Green and JaMychal Green.

Packaging Barton in a trade seems most likely as the Nuggets will try to target a more defensive-minded two-guard. The bigger the package, the bigger the swing the Nuggets are gonna make. Reportedly Booth plans to be very aggressive this summer, which hints at a possible shooing guard shake-up.

2. Get a defender for the league’s quickest guards
With or without trading Barton, the Nuggets need a point of attack defender. Aaron Gordon has proved to be a very good defender for the Nuggets, taking on some of the league’s toughest assignments. But Gordon struggles on some of the quickest guards. A true perimeter defender with a bit of size, some length, and offensive touch would push the Nuggets into a championship-caliber tier right away.

Here are some players the Nuggets may target in trade, ranging in cost and fit: Lu Dort, Matisse Thybulle, Josh Hart, Josh Richardson, Jae’Sean Tate and others.

Dort is my favorite, scoring 17 points per game in 51 outings for the lowly OKC Thunder this past year. As an undrafted player from Arizona State, he’s in a peculiar position with his contract status. The Thunder have guards SGA and Giddey, who will command most of the playing time; they also have the No. 2 pick in the draft and intriguing backup Tre Mann. Dort is one of the league’s better defenders.

Thybulle has his limitations; Hart and Richardson are more offensive players but are solid on defense, while Tate is more of a wing.

The Nuggets could also address this issue in free agency with guys like Donte DiVincenzo, Otto Porter Jr., Troy Brown Jr., PJ Dozier, etc. These are intriguing but likely not as quality as the trade candidates. That’s not to say the Nuggets couldn’t go for both options; the club could use it.

The issue is every team in the league could use these players and is looking for a high-efficiency three-point shooter with some playmaking that can bother opponents defensively.

The Nuggets got much better on defense after signing backup center DeMarcus Cousins. Having a strong anchor on the back end with a stout player on the perimeter would be very helpful for both the first and second units.

3. Re-sign role players
Cousins is at the top of the list of guys the Nuggets should possibly bring back. In 31 games backing up the league’s best player, Boogie went for nine points, nearly six rebounds and two assists a night, over 31 games. In the playoffs, he even stepped it up again. This season he became a second unit force with Hyland. The Nuggets initially tried to go small ball on the bench but it’s evident they need a true backup center.

The Nuggets can really only offer Boogie under $2 million. Another team may see him as a starter or worth more money, making him too expensive. Either way, the Nuggets will need a backup big man.

Another veteran that has found a home in Denver as a role player is Austin Rivers. Since the shooting guard got a shot with the Nuggets he’s taken it and run. He’s proved to be a very solid defender after being known most of his career as a talented offensive player. Rivers plays hard and the Nuggets can also offer him a substantial amount of money since he’s been in the Mile High City for two seasons.

Davon Reed would’ve played in the playoffs had roster rules allowed it. But Reed was on a two-way contract which made him ineligible. Then versatile wing showed to be a really strong defender, who played his butt off and shot well. Reed could be a sneaky great role player next season.

And the Nuggets may want to consider bringing back shooter Bryn Forbes, even though he struggled to crack the rotation.
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