With a Game 7 upset over top-seeded Oklahoma City, Victor Wembanyama and the San Antonio Spurs guaranteed that an eighth different team in as many years will be crowned champion of the NBA. Such variety seemed impossible as recently as 2018, when the Golden State Warriors were at the height of their reign and decades of history suggested the NBA would always be the American sports league most characterized by dynasties.

But with a collective bargaining agreement averse to super-teams, everything changed. New luxury tax thresholds were introduced, imposing punitive roster-building restrictions on big spenders, scaring teams away from keeping their championship cores intact. The second apron became the boogeyman to front offices. Unrestricted free agency has crept toward extinction. The art of roster architecture has been replaced by the tedium of money management in many cases.

The Nuggets have been profoundly impacted by a system designed to make it harder for them to win Nikola Jokic a second ring. Other repeat dreamers have been thwarted as well. Boston essentially salary-dumped multiple Finals starters last offseason. Even the indefatigable Thunder will face uncomfortable decisions this summer (and next) as its payroll spikes into the second apron.

Titles are not to be taken for granted anymore. One is the new two.

As the Spurs and Knicks tipped off their best-of-seven series this week, we endeavored to rank all 16 teams that have reached the NBA Finals (including them) during the eight-year era of parity, dating back to 2019. Thirteen different franchises have fielded a Finals team during that time, including seven different Western Conference champs in the last seven seasons.

Which one-hit wonders have stood out most in a decade defined by the elusiveness of sustained dominance?

1. Boston Celtics, 2024 

• Regular season: 64-18 (1st in East)
• Net rating: 11.7 (1st)
• Playoffs: 16-3
• Playoff net: 8.6

The only team on this list that won 60 or more regular-season games and never faced elimination in the playoffs. The Celtics are a fitting choice for the most dominant team of the parity era so far because they’re the rare case of an NBA champion without an inner circle Hall of Famer. Instead, they caught lightning in a bottle with a starting lineup featuring five All-Star-caliber two-way talents: Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown (the franchise cornerstones) were surrounded by Jrue Holiday, Derrick White and Kristaps Porzingis.

2. Oklahoma City Thunder, 2025

• Regular season: 68-14 (1st in West)
• RS net rating: 12.7 (1st)
• Playoffs: 16-7
• Playoff net: 8.6

OKC has a fair case for the No. 1 spot, but nitpicking is the only way to differentiate between this team and Boston. The 2025 champs are docked a few brownie points only because they had to survive two home Game 7s against hobbled opponents. That doesn’t make the banner any less valid, but it does leave room to distinguish between their regular-season dominance and their ability to close out a playoff series. Still, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Jalen Williams were brilliant throughout this run, and OKC’s depth (aided by a lopsided 2024 offseason trade for Alex Caruso) suffocated top-heavy teams like Denver.

3. Golden State Warriors, 2019

• Regular season: 57-25 (1st in West)
• RS net rating: 6.5 (2nd)
• Playoffs: 14-8
• Playoff net: 3.1

The most difficult team to place, for obvious reasons. Crushing injuries to Kevin Durant and Klay Thompson symbolically marked the end of Golden State’s dominion and the beginning of the post-dynasty NBA. But when the two-time defending champion Warriors were healthy, they were still, you know, arguably the greatest roster ever assembled. They still almost pushed Toronto to a Finals Game 7 even after Durant tore his Achilles and Thompson his ACL.

4. Denver Nuggets, 2023

• Regular season: 53-29 (1st in West)
• RS net rating: 3.3 (6th)
• Playoffs: 16-4
• Playoff net: 8.0

The Nuggets lack the eye-popping regular-season résumé of Boston or Oklahoma City, but they still controlled the No. 1 seed in their conference for the last four months of the season without dropping. More importantly, they proved their stature with the second-most dominant title run of the teams on this list, mowing through Anthony Edwards, Durant, Devin Booker, LeBron James and Anthony Davis in the West. Perhaps this will be the only year it all comes together in perfect harmony around Nikola Jokic, the most decorated player of the decade so far.

5. Los Angeles Lakers, 2020

• Regular season: 52-19 (1st in West)
• RS net rating: 5.6 (5th)
• Playoffs: 16-5
• Playoff net: 6.9

It’s hard to escape the skepticism that has greeted LeBron and the Lakers for years since they emerged from the bubble, where they won the pandemic championship in an empty gym. But make no mistake, this team was a wagon. Aside from James and Davis, Los Angeles had a stellar defensive supporting cast headlined by Alex Caruso and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, both of whom went on to solidify their status as winning players with other champions higher on this list.

6. Toronto Raptors, 2019

• Regular season: 58-24 (2nd in East)
• Net rating: 5.8 (3rd)
• Playoffs: 16-8
• Playoff net: 5.6

One of the wildest playoff runs in league history, from Kawhi Leonard’s four-bounce buzzer beater to win Game 7, to the 2-0 series comeback in the Eastern Conference Finals, to the upset of Curry’s injury-hampered Warriors. It was Leonard’s masterpiece, but the roster around him was deeper than it’s given credit for: Kyle Lowry, Pascal Siakam, Fred VanVleet, Danny Green, OG Anunoby (until he missed the playoffs due to appendicitis), Norman Powell, Marc Gasol and Serge Ibaka each left their marks. A delightful team.

7. Milwaukee Bucks, 2021

• Regular season: 46-26 (3rd in East)
• Net rating: 5.8 (4th)
• Playoffs: 16-7
• Playoff net: 5.3

Sure, if Kevin Durant’s foot was behind the 3-point line, Milwaukee’s season would’ve technically ended in Game 7 of the second round. But every champion needs a little bit of luck. The Bucks just got slightly more than most. They also got an absolute tour de force of a playoff run from Giannis Antetokounmpo, who scored 40 in that Game 7 against Brooklyn, then 50 in a Game 6 win over Phoenix to close out the best Finals of the decade so far. If the Giannis era is indeed about to end in Milwaukee, at least they’ll always have 2021, when the stars aligned for Antetokounmpo, Khris Middleton and Jrue Holiday.

8. San Antonio Spurs, 2026*

• Regular season: 62-20 (2nd in West)
• Net rating: 8.4 (3rd)
• Playoffs: 12-7*
• Playoff net: 11.0*

They’re a few wins away from making eighth place look criminally low. For now, consider this one last gesture of trepidation toward a radically young team. By prevailing over Minnesota and OKC in back-to-back slugfests, the Spurs have shattered every precedent that experience is a non-negotiable playoff virtue. Victor Wembanyama is wise beyond his years, and Stephon Castle and Dylan Harper don’t seem to care that their combined age equals one LeBron.

9. New York Knicks, 2026*

• Regular season: 53-29 (3rd in East)
• Net rating: 6.4 (5th)
• Playoffs: 12-2*
• Playoff net: 19.8*

An 11-game win streak to bulldoze through the East playoffs forced NBA analysts to reconsider how good this Knicks team might actually be. If they can end Madison Square Garden’s title drought without needing a Game 7, they’ll join Denver and Boston as the only champions of the era to go 16-4 or better. Like the 2024 Celtics, they don’t depend on a bona fide all-time great (though Jalen Brunson will certainly achieve New York immortality if they finish this thing off). It’s the four-man core of Brunson, Karl-Anthony Towns, OG Anunoby and Mikal Bridges that has fueled this run, plus an unexpectedly free-wheeling use of the bench by first-year coach Mike Brown.

10. Golden State Warriors, 2022

• Regular season: 53-29 (3rd in West)
• Net rating: 5.5 (4th)
• Playoffs: 16-6
• Playoff net: 4.9

Of all the teams to raise a banner during this era, the Warriors probably had the flimsiest roster — the last remnants of their dynasty and some new friends they met along the way. That’s ultimately a credit to Curry, who averaged an efficient 31, six and five to knock off Boston. This championship is his greatest achievement. Klay Thompson and Draymond Green’s glory days were in the rearview mirror, Andrew Wiggins was the team’s second option, and Otto Porter Jr. started the last three games of the Finals.

11. Indiana Pacers, 2025

• Regular season: 50-32 (4th in East)
• Net rating: 2.1 (13th)
• Playoffs: 15-8
• Playoff net: 2.1

Basketball fans around the globe will never stop lamenting the timing of Tyrese Haliburton’s torn Achilles tendon, moments after an awe-inspiring barrage of deep 3s early in Game 7 of the Finals. Thanks in large part to their four ridiculous last-minute comebacks — one in each playoff round — the Pacers will go down in history as one of the most exciting teams that didn’t win the title.

12. Phoenix Suns, 2021

• Regular season: 51-21 (2nd in West)
• Net rating: 5.9 (3rd)
• Playoffs: 14-8
• Playoff net: 4.2

Up 2-0 on Milwaukee, then later down one point with the ball on the last possession of Game 5, Phoenix was as close to a ring as any Finals loser this century. Chris Paul and Devin Booker formed one of the best backcourts on this list. But 18 months later, the team was sold, and young role players Mikal Bridges and Cam Johnson were shipped off to Brooklyn in the fateful Durant trade.

13. Boston Celtics, 2022

• Regular season: 51-31 (2nd in East)
• Net rating: 7.4 (2nd)
• Playoffs: 14-10
• Playoff net: 3.9

Playing in their fourth Eastern Conference Finals together, Tatum and Brown finally broke through. Also buoyed by Defensive Player of the Year Marcus Smart, the Celtics survived Game 7s against Milwaukee and Miami to gain a 2-1 series edge over Golden State. Then they got fried by Curry.

14. Dallas Mavericks, 2024

• Regular season: 50-32 (5th in West)
• RS net rating: 2.1 (15th)
• Playoffs: 13-9
• Playoff net: 2.6

These regular-season numbers disguise a team that was altered at the trade deadline and dominated down the stretch. PJ Washington and Daniel Gafford were savvy acquisitions to assist Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving on an impressive playoff run, highlighted by a six-game upset of the top-seeded Thunder. Little did Doncic know it would be his last chance in Dallas.

15. Miami Heat, 2020

• Regular season: 44-29 (5th in East)
• Net rating: 2.7 (7th)
• Playoffs: 14-7
• Playoff net: 1.9

Playoff risers in the bubble. An unimpeachable Jimmy Butler performance made the Finals look closer than they were, forcing Game 6 and delaying LeBron’s fourth title.

16. Miami Heat, 2023

• Regular season: 44-38 (7th in East)
• Net rating: -0.5 (21st)
• Playoffs: 13-10
• Playoff net: 1.9

Props to the Heat for milking everything it possibly could out of the Butler era. This is the only Play-In Tournament team to ever reach the Finals. Butler, Bam Adebayo and Erik Spoelstra outdid themselves, needing only five games to upset the top-seeded Bucks in the first round.

The harsh reality is that very few players available for the veteran minimum salary end up impacting teams at a championship level. Expecting to improve from good to great merely by signing guys out of the bargain bin is a fool’s errand.

But a clever vet minimum acquisition can pay dividends over the course of a season. The Nuggets have pulled off two of the savviest signings of the last two years, in terms of regular-season production relative to salary. Russell Westbrook was a chaotic but dynamic player in 2024-25, shouldering a high usage rate and playing a huge part in Denver’s first-round playoff series against the Clippers. In the next free agency cycle, a new front office scooped up Tim Hardaway Jr., who proceeded to shoot 40.7% from 3-point range and finish in third place for Sixth Man of the Year.

Both players ultimately struggled in the playoff rounds that ended Denver’s 2025 and 2026 seasons — a reminder that role player output is fickle, and that even the successful minimum signings shouldn’t be over-relied on during a series. But that doesn’t change the fact that both players were essential in their own ways to Denver’s survival of the 82-game grind.

Jon Wallace and Ben Tenzer will need to make use of the veteran minimum again this summer as they seek creative ways to assemble a competitive bench despite likely payroll restraints. If the Nuggets shed enough salary via a trade, they might be able to open up part of , giving them a little more spending money to throw at free agents. But for the most part, they’ll be working on the minimum scale. (A player’s minimum salary is dependent on his service time in the league, but his cap hit is a fixed number regardless of experience beyond two years, so that teams aren’t incentivized to choose younger players just for the cap space. Next year’s projected vet minimum cap hit is $2.45 million.)

One advantage the Nuggets have as they try to pitch players? Evidence of countless others who’ve benefited statistically and financially from playing alongside Nikola Jokic. We’ve compiled a list of 20 free agents they could try to lure to Denver this summer. For the sake of the exercise, we’re only looking at potential newcomers here — not Denver’s own free agents, who are also candidates to re-sign (Hardaway, Peyton Watson, Spencer Jones, Bruce Brown, Tyus Jones).

LeBron James, Lakers F

Look, what kind of a list would this be if we didn’t take advantage of the opportunity to start with LeBron?

Let’s preface by recognizing this is probably not happening. If James signs for the minimum outside of Los Angeles this offseason (and that’s a big “if”), it’s way more likely to be somewhere that A) maximizes his chances of going out with a fifth championship (*coughs* Eastern Conference), and B) has either some emotional resonance (*coughs again* Cleveland) or historical gravitas (*something must’ve gone down the wrong pipe* New York). And that’s all if the conveniently located incumbent team with ample cap space and his son on the roster doesn’t make enough of an effort to retain him for one last contract.

Alternatively for the Nuggets, there’s the sign-and-trade route — if they’re willing to get older while helping the Lakers get younger (Peyton Watson? Cam Johnson?), and if they can navigate the salary cap obstacles (you can’t complete a sign-and-trade if you’re in the second apron), and if James is onboard with the whole thing. In any case, a complex alignment of the stars would be required to get him to Denver.

But if you want to talk yourself into it, you can start with the fact that James and Josh Kroenke have a friendship that dates back years. Or that Kroenke once sent LeBron a Nuggets jersey in a cheeky attempt to recruit him to Denver. Or that Jokic’s Serbian agent, Misko Raznatovic, posted a photo to Instagram of him and LeBron on a boat last summer, captioned: “The summer of 2025 is the perfect time to make big plans for the fall of 2026!” Or that James has long admired Jokic’s basketball IQ and has seen it up close in three playoff clashes between their teams. Or that Jared Dudley, a former teammate and noted confidant of James, is David Adelman’s lead assistant coach. Or that to land the all-time great back in March. Anything is possible in a league where Luka Doncic can get traded to the Lakers in the middle of the night — maybe even something as wacky as LeBron leaving the Lakers for a less prestigious team in a landlocked smaller market.

Khris Middleton, Mavericks F

Denver pursued Middleton pretty aggressively before the buyout market deadline earlier this year. The three-time All-Star ultimately chose to play out the season in Dallas, where he had landed in February as part of the Anthony Davis trade. Once an NBA Finals hero for Milwaukee, Middleton turns 35 this offseason. He’s entering the twilight of his career. Does that mean he’ll be open to signing a cheap deal with a contender? He’s worth revisiting as Denver goes looking for ball-handlers who can take over the scoring load on a random Tuesday in January when Jamal Murray is out.

Collin Sexton, Bulls G

Sexton can probably get paid more than the minimum if he wants. But the 27-year-old combo guard has never appeared in a playoff game, and Denver is a winning team in need of his specific talents. He’s a quick driver with a bit of maniacal competitive energy to him. That personality has never really experienced the NBA spotlight, though, as Sexton has spent eight years in the wilderness of several rebuilds. If the Nuggets are feeling ambitious, he’s the kind of player they could try to convince to take a cheap, short-term contract — a “prove it” year that could parlay into more money later.

Nikola Vucevic, Celtics C

The Jonas Valanciunas experiment was smooth enough in the regular season, but underwhelming in the playoffs. The Nuggets are unlikely to bring him back at a non-guaranteed salary of $10 million. They’ll need a new backup center, especially if they remain reluctant to play DaRon Holmes II. Can they find another veteran innings-eater for less money than they paid the last one? Vucevic would make a lot of sense. A trade deadline acquisition for Boston on a $20 million expiring salary, he never established a consistent role in a frontcourt with two younger centers. If a handful of contenders recruit the 35-year-old Montenegrin, his friendship with Jokic should give Denver an upper hand. Vucevic is certainly flawed (especially on defense), but he’s also a viable five-out big man and a vocal locker room leader.

Bogdan Bogdanovic, Clippers G

Speaking of Jokic’s friends, how about his longtime partner in crime on the Serbian national team? Bogdanovic has a $17 million team option next season. The Clippers might want to pick up the option to use it in a salary match for a trade, but if they choose to let him walk instead, he could be drawn to Denver, where he would be an affordable bench option. Bogdanovic seems to be a scorer in relative decline, but maybe he can capture some of that Serbian pick-and-roll chemistry with Jokic.

Keon Ellis, Cavaliers G

After getting traded from Sacramento to Cleveland this February, Ellis didn’t get as much playoff run as expected with the Cavaliers. The Nuggets could look to add some point-of-attack defense on the perimeter with the 26-year-old wing if he doesn’t want to re-sign with the Cavs.

Gabe Vincent, Hawks G

Vincent is coming off a down year that saw him shoot just 35.2% from the field while getting traded from Los Angeles to Atlanta. He turns 30 this summer.

Matisse Thybulle, Trail Blazers G

How much do the Blazers want to spend on a wild card like Thybulle as they take their next steps toward contending? He guards at a high level — when he plays. His durability has become a major concern, on top of his offensive limitations, as he has played only 45 games over the last two years. Maybe his value hasn’t dipped all the way into minimum territory, but he’s another dynamic defender the Nuggets might want to keep an eye on.

Gary Payton II, Warriors G

The Golden State veteran could add leadership and defense if he finds a new home this offseason. Wherever he ends up, it’ll likely be on a minimum contract. Fellow Warriors guards De’Anthony Melton (player option) and Seth Curry could also be on the market, as their team faces an uncertain future of building around Seth’s brother.

Jordan Goodwin, Suns F

Waived by the Lakers last summer, Goodwin found a home in Phoenix, where the former two-way player continued to develop as a reliable 3-and-D rotation player. The Suns might just do everything in their power to retain him.

Aaron Holiday, Rockets G

Long ago, the Nuggets were in trade talks to acquire Jrue Holiday before he went to Milwaukee. They had Justin Holiday on their roster two years ago when they tied a franchise record with 57 wins. The third Holiday brother is on the market this summer after averaging 11.2 minutes for Houston in the playoffs.

Jordan Clarkson, Knicks G

The 34-year-old scoring guard averaged 8.6 points in 17.8 minutes with New York this season. His minutes have predictably decreased in the playoffs, but he’s headed to his second career NBA Finals nonetheless. Nuggets connection: Clarkson and Josh Kroenke share University of Missouri basketball roots.

Guerschon Yabusele, Bulls F

There’s been a lot of smoke involving Yabusele and a return to Europe. If he stays in the NBA, though, Denver is a landing spot that might appeal to the French power forward after bouncing between Philly, New York and Chicago over the last two seasons.

Andre Drummond, 76ers C

Another backup center option. Drummond was in trade rumors around the deadline, but nothing came of them. (Instead, Philadelphia ducked the luxury tax by handing over Jared McCain to the best team in the league.) There are a few free agent bigs who are probably out of Denver’s price range (Mitchell Robinson, Robert Williams III, Kristaps Porzingis). Drummond, like Vucevic, is sort of in that next tier — affordable former All-Stars who can give you a short stint of minutes each half. For a younger alternative? Perhaps Marvin Bagley III (27), who finished the season strong in Dallas.

Harrison Barnes, Spurs F

Barnes’ on-court role decreased throughout the year, but there’s no reason to think the Spurs won’t want him back anyway for his locker room leadership. If he has the choice between signing a minimum in San Antonio or in Denver, he seems more likely to stay where he’s at. Not a shabby situation down there in Texas.

Josh Okogie, Rockets G

Okogie played well on a one-year minimum deal in Houston. In fact, he might’ve played himself out of needing to sign for the minimum again this summer. If he doesn’t have enough of a market to get the taxpayer mid-level exception, Denver could swoop in and pursue the 3-and-D wing who’ll be 28 on opening day.

Jeff Green, Rockets F

We started this list with the oldest active player in the NBA. We’ll finish it with the fifth-oldest. Not only was Green a valued presence on Denver’s 2023 championship team; he’s also a close friend and former college roommate of Nuggets co-general manager Jon Wallace.

Now that we recognize Murray, Gordon and small forward Cam Johnson are the main candidates the Nuggets could trade for reasonably positive value, their offseason predicament also raises questions about what type of return they could get for Murray or Gordon in particular. Both players are 29 or older, with unfortunate injury histories and long-term commitments remaining on their current contracts.

They’re also extraordinary players. Murray was (in the opinion of this All-NBA voter) comfortably one of the 10 best players in the league this regular season. Gordon is the epitome of an overused term that coaches love to preach: He is a star in his role, one of the most versatile forwards in the game when he’s on the court.

They both make sense as win-now pieces for teams looking to take an immediate next step toward contention. They probably don’t make sense for most teams residing at the bottom of the league. (Johnson, on the other hand, could be reasonably appealing on an expiring contract to the vast majority of teams.)

So who are the Nuggets’ most likely trade partners, if they do make dramatic changes? Keep in mind that lot of deals might have to involve three or more teams due to salary-matching complications, and Denver’s return on one of these players might not even come from the same team that’s on the receiving end of Murray or Gordon. In any case, here’s a speculative list of teams that could benefit from their skillsets, and some of the contracts those teams could offload. Consider it a place to start before you open up — but remember, part of the Nuggets’ goal will probably be to take back less salary than they send out.

Potential Jamal Murray trade partners

Houston Rockets: Man, does it look shaky when Kevin Durant has to initiate the offense out of a double-team at midcourt. The Rockets just went an entire year without a true point guard. Fred VanVleet is set to return from a torn ACL, but if they’re worried about the residual effects and want to explore potential upgrades, Murray would be an obvious fit. That is, unless 21-year-old Reed Sheppard actually turns into the second coming of Steve Nash on a timeline that fits with the 37-year-old Durant.

Trade candidates who could appeal to Nuggets (2026-27 salary): Fred VanVleet ($25 million, right to veto), Dorian Finney-Smith ($12.7 million), Clint Capela ($6.7 million), Tari Eason (RFA).

Toronto Raptors: As uncomfortable as it is to picture Murray in any other uniform, this is the only one that would feel somewhat right. He receives a warm welcome from Toronto’s fans every time the Nuggets play in his home province. The Raptors view Scottie Barnes as a superstar in the making, but he needs some offensive help after a first-round series in which his team struggled to score against Cleveland.

Trade candidates: Immanuel Quickley ($32.5 million), RJ Barrett ($29.6 million), Gradey Dick ($7.1 million), Ja’Kobe Walter ($3.8 million).

Atlanta Hawks: They have a stacked defensive backcourt between Dyson Daniels and Nickeil Alexander-Walker, but their offense ran through CJ McCollum at the end of playoff games this year. Murray could make them a better half-court team, partnering with another elite facilitator in Jalen Johnson.

Trade candidates: CJ McCollum (UFA), Gabe Vincent (UFA), Jonathan Kuminga ($24.3 million, team option), Corey Kispert ($14 million), Zaccharie Risacher ($13.8 million), Buddy Hield ($9.7 million).

Orlando Magic: One of the most disappointing teams of 2025-26, Orlando is widely expected to try moving point guard Jalen Suggs this summer. The Magic might simply give the keys to Anthony Black if they feel content with the star power of Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner on the wings. But even with that tandem and Desmond Bane, their offense hasn’t escaped the bottom half of the league in years. Purely in terms of basketball fit, Murray would make a ton of sense here. But one of the biggest obstacles would be that Orlando’s offseason motivations could also involve cost-cutting.

Trade candidates: Franz Wagner ($41.8 million), Jalen Suggs ($32.4 million), Jonathan Isaac ($14.5 million), Goga Bitadze ($7.6 million), Tristian da Silva ($4 million).

Boston Celtics: It’s difficult to imagine the Celtics going after someone with Murray’s max salary unless they decide the Jayson Tatum-Jaylen Brown partnership has run its course. But if that is their decision, then pairing Tatum with a second option like Murray would be one less costly way to pivot than chasing Giannis Antetokounmpo.

Trade candidates: Jaylen Brown ($57.1 million), Derrick White ($30.3 million), Sam Hauser ($10.8 million).

Dallas Mavericks: Old friend Masai Ujiri would be justified if he decided the Mavs have a miniature window for the next three seasons, before Cooper Flagg gets expensive. He’s already a budding superstar one year into his career. If his upward trajectory proves to be anywhere near as exponential as Victor Wembanyama’s, then the remainder of Murray’s prime could fit the timeline of Flagg’s rookie contract. Kyrie Irving is 34 and hasn’t played in more than a year; with a new front-office regime in place, the Mavericks’ commitment to him as a foundational piece is unclear.

Trade candidates: Kyrie Irving ($39.5 million), PJ Washington ($19.8 million), Klay Thompson ($17.5 million), Caleb Martin ($10 million), Naji Marshall ($9.4 million), Max Christie ($8.3 million).

Miami Heat: Like Boston, Miami might have more ambitious pursuits in mind than Murray. But after years stuck in the middle, it feels like some sort of change is coming to an awkwardly built roster around defensive anchor (and 83-point scorer!) Bam Adebayo.

Trade candidates: Norman Powell (UFA), Tyler Herro ($33 million), Andrew Wiggins ($30.2 million, player option), Davion Mitchell ($12.4 million), Jaime Jaquez Jr. ($5.9 million), Kel’el Ware ($4.7 million), Kasparas Jakucionas ($3.8 million).

Sacramento Kings: No, they’re not a contender by any means. But you never know what the Kings might do. Perhaps Vivek Ranadive is overcome with seller’s remorse and wants to aggressively pursue a new star point guard after watching Tyrese Haliburton and De’Aaron Fox thrive in the last three postseasons. One thing that would be appealing to Denver is the amount of 2027 expiring salary the Kings have on their books with trade candidates like Zach LaVine.

Trade candidates: Zach LaVine ($49 million), DeMar DeRozan ($25.7 million), De’Andre Hunter ($24.9 million), Keegan Murray ($24.1 million), Malik Monk ($20.2 million), Devin Carter ($5.2 million).

Potential Aaron Gordon trade partners

Charlotte Hornets: After a meteoric midseason rise to become one of the NBA’s best offenses, Charlotte went out sad in the Play-In Tournament. The future is bright. The Hornets have every reason to believe they can compete with the best teams in the East next year. Gordon would be a clear upgrade from Miles Bridges at power forward, adding defensive toughness and championship experience to a young roster.

Trade candidates: Miles Bridges ($22.8 million), Josh Green ($14.7 million), Grant Williams ($14.3 million), Tre Mann ($8 million), Pat Connaughton ($3.8 million, team option), Liam McNeeley ($2.9 million).

Detroit Pistons: Maybe the Pistons can re-sign the aging Tobias Harris for an affordable price (he was already making $26 million) and trade for a star-caliber upgrade on the wing, like Trey Murphy III. But if those plans don’t work out, Gordon is the type of player who could bolster their offense — both as a secondary ball-handler and spot-up shooter — without giving up any of the doggedness that became Detroit’s identity as a flawed No. 1 seed.

Trade candidates: Kevin Huerter (UFA), Duncan Robinson ($16 million), Isaiah Stewart ($15 million), Caris LeVert ($14.8 million), Marcus Sasser ($5.2 million).

Los Angeles Lakers: Los Angeles would probably love to steal any of Watson, Johnson or Gordon from Denver. The hard part to imagine about this fit is a Denver fan favorite wearing the loathsome purple and gold of the Lakers.

Trade candidates: LeBron James (UFA), Rui Hachimura (UFA), Luke Kennard (UFA), Jarred Vanderbilt ($12.4 million), Jake LaRavia ($6 million), Marcus Smart ($5.4 million, player option), Dalton Knecht ($4.2 million).

San Antonio Spurs: Similarly, it seems unlikely that Denver would trade a core player to one of its biggest adversaries in the Western Conference. But the Spurs could benefit from getting a little bigger on the wing around Wembanyama, and Gordon would be an outstanding four in their starting lineup. Another obstacle: The Spurs have so many talented young players on team-friendly contracts that it’s difficult to see them wanting to part with, well, almost anyone on their 2026-27 roster. Gordon would make them older and more fragile in the legs.

Trade candidates: Harrison Barnes (UFA), Keldon Johnson ($17.5 million), Luke Kornet ($10.5 million), Carter Bryant ($5.1 million).

Phoenix Suns: Phoenix seems fully committed to building around Devin Booker for the foreseeable future, and Gordon does fit his timeline. The Suns will have to get creative if they want to keep trending up after a pleasantly surprising seventh-place finish. The power forward position is an obvious hole in their roster.

Trade candidates: Dillon Brooks ($21 million), Grayson Allen ($18.1 million), Royce O’Neale ($10.9 million).

Golden State Warriors: There might not be a more desperate team to stay competitive short-term than Golden State. Age is just a number to the Warriors right now. They’re reportedly preparing to pursue Antetokounmpo, LeBron James, Kawhi Leonard and anyone else they can get their hands on in an effort to stay relevant as the sun begins to set on Steph Curry’s career. Gordon would look young and spry on this roster.

Trade candidates: Moses Moody ($12.5 million), Al Horford ($6 million, player option), Brandin Podziemski ($5.7 million), Gui Santos ($4.6 million).

Los Angeles Clippers: An absolute wild card. Do they tear it down and start a rebuild around Darius Garland and the No. 5 pick? Or do they try to stay competitive after a 15th consecutive season above .500, the longest active streak in the league?

Trade candidates: John Collins (UFA), Bogdan Bogdanovic ($16 million, team option), Derrick Jones Jr. ($10.5 million), Brook Lopez ($9.2 million, team option), Isaiah Jackson ($7 million), Kris Dunn ($5.7 million, non-guaranteed).

That endearing quality allows the Nuggets’ ownership to take advantage of him, permitting strategic neutrality through glossy double talk as the franchise reaches a crossroads.

Honestly? At this point in his career, there really is only one way Jokic can help the Nuggets win a championship.

Force them to pick a lane.

The Nuggets insist their championship window remains open because of Jokic. President Josh Kroenke emphasized as much last Friday.

But, the Nuggets front office knows the team is flawed, exposed as inferior and soft by the Minnesota Timberwolves. But, they have a good core with Jamal Murray, Aaron Gordon and Jokic. They could run it back.

And round and round it goes.

The Nuggets held a press conference to let us know they could do everything or nothing this offseason. Thanks for clearing that up. It is like the cable guy saying he will show up sometime between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m.

The ambiguity is maddening and messy.

The Nuggets need a clear direction.

What if Jokic walked into the corner office of Stan and Josh Kroenke — or set up a Zoom call from the race track — and demanded the owners spend into the luxury tax or risk the three-time MVP not signing his four-year, $278 million contract extension?

Some people are convinced that the Nuggets are fine and should never acquiesce to any player, even the greatest in franchise history. But would they really say no and risk the consecutive sellout streak and the merchandise money tied to his presence?

The idea of Jokic with a meaner demeanor struck me as to get Lakers general manager Rob Pelinka fired — how dare he not give James a game ball after he set the record for most victories by any player in NBA history? And the chronically tardy while maintaining plausible deniability.

It is exhausting. And it makes us appreciate Jokic.

But what if the Nuggets need something different? For him to command an all-in approach or agree to exercise patience.

At this point in his career — 11 seasons deep — Jokic should demand ownership spend into the luxury tax to improve the roster around him. Or hold his peace and show patience.

And ownership must come clean, and admit this offseason is about avoiding the repeater tax penalties, and that another title run will begin in earnest in 2029 as beat writer Bennett Durando explained, setting “Denver up for three seasons of aggressive spending that coincide with the term of Jokic’s next contract.”

Running it back is the equivalent of being half-pregnant.

The idea of Jokic asserting authority is appealing, rather than remaining satisfied that the front office listens to his opinions and runs big decisions past him. But the time he needed to do it was in 2024.

It is hard to see the Nuggets adding or reconfiguring the pieces in a meaningful way. General managers Jon Wallace and Ben Tenzer have shown acumen, but asking them to thread the needle by avoiding the apron and keeping the core together seems unrealistic.

Trading multiple players, though, can re-energize the franchise and make it more flexible with draft capital. It is not ideal. But it is not a terrible idea when looking at how the Nuggets measure up against the Timberwolves, Spurs and Oklahoma City.

Those teams are more athletic, deeper and way better defensively at a time when that trend is dominating the postseason.

It is fair to wonder if the era of winning with offense — even one as prolific as the Nuggets — is over. Jokic’s reign as the best player is. Victor Wembanyama is ready to turn the MVP trophy into a personal paperweight beginning next season.

This is why taking a step back to move forward is rational, if executed properly. I am never a fan of saving owners money, but going all in with the same team, including retaining Peyton Watson, is sentimental and shortsighted.

The Jokic-Murray-Gordon trio is not what it once was.

The players are three years older since winning rings. Gordon has been hurt and has only been available for half the games. And it doesn’t help that Jokic and Murray, below-average defenders in 2023, are worse now because they lack the burst to make stops in big moments or at the end of games.

It would be great to challenge them to produce one last dance together. But even if they have the determination, it cannot mask aging bodies that can betray them.

Their best chance seems to be avoiding a quick fix. The Nuggets don’t have to rebuild. They have to reboot around Jokic.

The risk of standing pat is not worth the reward. They would be better off trading Cam Johnson and Gordon or Murray than winning 55 games next season, knowing the second round is the ceiling.

The idea of stepping back with Jokic seems outrageous. I get it. But the Nuggets are not one or two players away. Jokic can make the team competitive, entertaining. I am pretty sure Jokic and four guys from the YMCA would post a winning record.

Wouldn’t you rather see 48 victories with young players with an eye on supplementing the group with big-name free agents starting in 2028? Think back to when the Nuggets produced their most memorable victories last season — at Philadelphia, at Boston and at San Antonio.

The common thread in those games?  Players who were hungry with more energy. A younger team with promise is easy to embrace after watching the Nuggets capitulate in the playoffs.

They need a reset. It is an uncomfortable conversation. But the only way ownership will have failed Jokic is if he doesn’t get another championship. Not next year. Over the next five years.

A grade-schooler stormed the field just after Messi, the Argentinian midfielder with the magic left foot, had fled the Colorado Rapids’ 3-2 loss. Then another. And another.

A young man in an FC Barcelona shirt made it the longest, twisting and shouting past security for about 50 seconds, breaking at least four ankles inside the 18-yard box before being hauled down to the turf. We counted at least five field-stormers in all, scamps to the last.

“I work at a school, and I see kids with Messi’s shirt in every classroom,” Claudia Hendricks said. “And I told them, ‘I’m from the same town,’ and people say, ‘Really?’ And they want to touch me. It’s weird.”

Hendricks has called Boulder home for decades. But Claudia, you see, actually hails from Messi’s hometown of Rosario, Argentina. Her sister still lives 2 miles from the legend’s house in Funes Hills, known locally as “The Fortress.” It’s a 10-minute drive down the road. They see it, from afar, every Christmas. Small world.

“We drive by it every day (during the holidays) to see if we can see him,” Hendricks told me outside Empower on Saturday, just before the Rapids hosted Messi’s current club, Inter Miami, for their 30th anniversary match and Messi’s Colorado debut.

“Sometimes, they say, ‘Oh, he’s getting ice cream in this place,’ so we all go over there.”

“Is he ever there?” I wondered.

A grin.

“No, but he owns a bar in Rosario, so we go there sometimes with the hope of seeing him.”

“So is he ever there?” I asked.

Another grin.

“No. I haven’t met him … but I was thinking, if I scream, ‘Messi,’ and I name his neighborhood, that he will look at me anyway.”

To most Americans, No. 10 is the guy who pops up on your television during World Cup years to hawk potato chips or Pepsi products. To Hendricks and her fellow Argentinians, he’s Michael Jordan, Bill Russell, Tom Brady, and LeBron James, all rolled into one. The GOAT’S GOAT.

Since 1956, a footballer has been presented with the Ballon d’Or, the Heisman Trophy of world soccer. Messi, now 38, has won it on eight different occasions — including four in a row from 2009-2012. No one else has received it more than five times.

“I don’t think that Michael or LeBron move 70,000 people into a single stadium for a single game,” Sergio Martinez of Lakewood, a Buenos Aires native, opined before the match.

“Messi is … a feeling,” Silvina Irimia, another Buenos Aires native, now of Aurora, continued. “He’s like (Diego) Maradona … there’s nothing like him.

“Argentina is a feeling. That’s what we say. Argentina no lo entenderias.”

Translation: “Argentina, you wouldn’t understand it.”

Then again, when 75,824 people show up for a soccer match during a Nuggets playoff game and a Rockies-Dodgers weekend, you start to understand plenty.

Messi turns 39 in June. It’s presumed that this summer will be his final run with the Argentinian national team in the World Cup. His Inter Miami contract runs through 2028. In a sport with no scoreboard clock, Messi’s clock is ticking.

There were more No. 10 jerseys at Empower Saturday than in half of the Broncos’ home games last fall. Claudia’s son, Elias, owns at least four Messi shirts, at last count. He wore his Argentina replica look on Saturday. He cried when the Argentines lost to Germany in the ’06 World Cup. He still rates Argentina’s 2022 World Cup win as sweeter than the Broncos’ Super Bowl 50 victory and the Avalanche and Nuggets’ titles in ’22 and ’23, respectively. And he loves his Broncos, Avs and Nuggets.

“(Denver is) a bit of a humble city, I’d say,” Elias noted. “So it’s really cool to have all that greatness in here.”

And talk about greatness. Messi on Stadium Circle. Shohei Ohtani on Blake. Nikola Jokic on Speer. Do you realize that for one Saturday in the Front Range, Denver hosted the best soccer player in the world, the best basketball player in the world, and the best baseball player on the planet — all shining within four hours and 3 miles of one another?

Yet Messi outdrew them all. Half an hour into the first half, the upper deck resembled something of an Easter quilt, seats alternating between Argentina blue and Miami hot pink. Only a few empty seats lingered in Empower’s nooks and crannies. An announced crowd of 75,000 more than passed the eye test.

Elias’ eyes were a bit tired after trying to track down Messi downtown on Friday. He drove slowly past Denver’s finest hotels, thinking he might catch a glimpse of all that, ya know, greatness.

“He doesn’t come out very much in Argentina. He gets swarmed,” the younger Hendricks said. “I thought I might have a better chance out here.”

Nada. Braved the snow, though.

“I’m sure (Messi) landed and went, ‘What is this?’ ” Elias laughed. “(I’d tell him), ‘No, no, in two hours, it’ll all be gone.’ But just to have him in the city of Denver is so exciting. I’ve loved him for so long. And I’m in Rosario all the time. Just to think, does he know that somebody from Colorado is in the same town as him (in Argentina) every year?”

He does now. And while the Rapids were celebrating their 30th birthday, it didn’t take long for Messi to ruin the party.

Some 19 minutes into the match, the Rapids’ Josh Atencio was whistled for a tripping call in the Miami box that was so soft, a toddler could’ve slept on it.

Even after a video review, the ref pointed to the spot anyway. Messi, the master, strode to center stage, as if on cue. Colorado keeper Zack Steffen waved, stretched both arms high, feinted right and dove hard to his left. No. 10 rolled it coolly across the grass Steffen had just vacated. All the goalie could do was watch, prone, as Inter Miami took a 1-0 lead.

Trailing 2-0 at the halftime break, the birthday boys fought back to make it 2-2 midway through the second stanza. But in the 80th minute, Messi struck again.

The main attraction supported an Inter Miami break along the right wing, eventually isolating Rapids defender Lucas Herrington, 1-on-1, in the back of the box. Messi stutter-stepped without ever losing stride or pace, set himself and fired with that laser left foot into the top left corner of the net. His line drive hissed past a leaping Steffen for a 3-2 Miami lead.

“His grandma is still in the same house,” Claudia laughed. “Same humble house where she lived all her life.”

Same humble legend. No lo entenderias. Messi celebrated the winning goal in the arms of his teammates, another stadium conquered, with a smile anyone could understand.

The only thing standing between the Nuggets center and entry into the NBA’s list of top 10 all-time greats is another championship.

One more ring, one more parade to end the argument, and shove Shaquille O’Neal into the second tier.

The journey starts Saturday against rival Minnesota, then, if Waze can be trusted, through San Antonio, Oklahoma City and Boston. If Jokic guides the Nuggets to 16 wins, it would be his greatest achievement and silence the debate.

Jokic would sit officially and unquestionably at the big table, joining Michael Jordan, LeBron James, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Wilt Chamberlain, Magic Johnson, Larry Bird, Tim Duncan, Bill Russell and Kobe Bryant.

The singular accomplishment of doubling up the number of Nuggets’ banners will cut Jokic in front of Steph Curry, Hakeem Olajuwon, Jerry West, Kevin Durant and Oscar Robertson.

Jokic is not competing against the Timberwolves’ Anthony Edwards — though both will leave mouths agape over the next two weeks. He is competing against legends.

Jokic boasts three league MVP awards and has finished in the top two in the voting for five consecutive seasons. It’s a streak, while in jeopardy, that could extend this June. He is a Finals MVP.

He enters the playoffs with his knee healthy and nine straight wins with the regular starting lineup and 12 overall, the longest of his career. He is the best player on the planet again, and not just because he led the league in rebounds and assists, something forever unthinkable for a player standing 6-foot-11 and weighing 284 pounds.

Over the past 11 years, he has placed himself in a rare stratosphere. His brilliance cannot be ignored, and modern stars have recognized as much, including Durant. It took awhile to warm up to the idea that the unicorn lives below the rim and always makes the right play for his team, not his brand.

Why this topic before a first-round series?

Because of the way we talk about the league, its history and the playoffs. There is a constant variable regarding the all-time lists, especially the top 10.

Multiple championships.

In this era, it is harder than ever to pull off. There have been seven straight different title winners. No defending champion has reached the Western Conference Finals since 2019.

But not having a second ring is what separates Jokic from Abdul-Jabbar, Chamberlain and Russell, among others.

The reason to bring this up now is that this is the best roster Jokic has had around him.

Yes, this team is better than the 2023 group. There is no comparing the depth.

Denver has 10 players who have shot over 38 % from 3-point range, benefiting from the center’s vision and the space he creates on the court. The Nuggets feature the league’s most efficient offense, and Jokic is the sun, the hub of the universe. And, depending on the matchup, he has a legit backup in Jonas Valanciunas, an upgrade over DeAndre Jordan.

Given how the NBA works and how the collective bargaining agreement is structured, teams don’t get title shots every season. We saw this a year ago when the Nuggets, unwilling to go into the second apron, pretended they could reach the finish line with Russell Westbrook as their one quality reserve.

This year, they had the means, the room, and the GMs to assemble a championship roster.

The timing stinks. The path was much easier last season.

Other than the 1995 Houston Rockets, this might be the hardest bracket to navigate for a championship. But find a way, somehow, and it is time to acknowledge that the man equals the myth. Jokic will be mentioned in barstool chatter with LeBron and Jordan.

This is the type of series to begin cementing that status.

The Timberwolves are good and annoying. Since 2022, the teams have split 28 games, counting the playoffs. But since Minnesota traded Karl Anthony-Towns, Jokic has treated the Wolves like a chew toy, averaging 35 points per game.

“We just need to be the aggressor and set the tone,” Jokic said Wednesday.

At 31, you would think he wants the six days off before getting into the starter’s block. But that is one of the misconceptions. Jokic loves basketball. Yes, he adores his horses. That is a hobby. Hoops are his profession. He does not want to wait.

“To be honest, I don’t like it,” Jokic said. “Maybe it will help the guys who were injured, but I want to play right away.”

Things broke perfectly this season for roster construction. They found a taker for Michael Porter Jr., providing room to add Bruce Brown and Valanciunas. And they landed a deadly sniper willing to sign at a clearance-rack price in Tim Hardaway Jr.

Spencer Jones should return Saturday, but uncertainty surrounds Peyton Watson. When healthy, the Nuggets have so many options in terms of style of play. They can go small. They can go big. They can run, which is when they are at their best. And they can slow it down and let Jokic dominate on post-ups.

There is no guarantee this team will look anything like this a year from now.

Therein lies the urgency.

As it stands, Jokic is in a conversation beneath him.

He is arguably the greatest player to win only one title. The group features West. He is “The Logo,” “Mr. Clutch,” a 14-time All-Star, who went 1-8 in the NBA Finals, though he was the only losing player to win MVP in 1969.

It includes Moses Malone. Like Jokic, he is a three-time MVP, known as the “Chairman of the Boards” for his ridiculous rebounding. It continues with Robertson, “The Big O.” He made 12 All-Star teams, but only one appeared in the Finals twice.

Dirk Nowitzki only has one. Kevin Garnett, too.

So does Giannis Antetokounmpo, a modern comp to Jokic, though he lacks the Nuggets star’s overall offensive prowess.

After the Thunder eliminated Denver last season, Jokic offered up a candid assessment. The Nuggets required more depth. Well, they’ve got it.

“To win a championship, you need the guys to step up at the right moment. If it is not your night one game, it’s OK because the next one is coming soon,” Jokic said. “I think we need everybody on our roster. Everybody needs to step up.”

It is time. The league’s best and most unselfish player deserves another ring to crash the all-time top 10 party.

And Draymond Green may be a lot of things. But the man’s no fool.

“What we’ve seen now is the tip of the iceberg (for Watson). He ain’t even scratched the surface yet,” “Peyton Watson is going to be an elite NBA player … so, y’all keep an eye out for Peyton Watson. That kid is going to be an All-Star. No questions asked.”

Exactly. And yet, because it’s April, because it’s “Where Will LeBron Play Next Year” season, silly questions give way to even sillier suggestions.

On Tuesday, longtime ESPN scribes Dave McMenamin and Tim Bontemps authored a piece for Worldwide Leader’s website — including one that featured the Nuggets. In it, they speculated that Denver and Los Angeles could work out a sign-and-trade that would see the Lakers land Peyton Watson (a former UCLA star and Long Beach native) or Cam Johnson for the King. This was backed by an unnamed source, a “West executive,” who suggested:

“Who is the only guy on (James’) level from a basketball IQ standpoint in the league? Go there and team up with that guy.”

‘There’ would be the Front Range. The ‘only guy’ would be Nikola Jokic. Fun? Sure. Flattering? No doubt. But for Watson? Who ships a 23-year-old player coming into their prime for a soon-to-be 42-year-old? Even if that middle-aged wonder is one of the best five guys to ever play the game?

Yes, Tom Brady won a Super Bowl at age 42. Barry Bonds, at the same age, led the National League in walks (132). Some 44 years earlier, a 42-year-old Warren Spahn led the National League in wins (23). Age is just a number.

Although the numbers in this scenario are bonkers. Especially when you consider that, odds are, James is staying put with the Lakers, popping back to the Cavaliers, or hanging it up. Of the ESPN.com hypotheticals, Denver was fifth on the list — and it’s hard to believe King James’ camp, once push comes to shove, would even have to dig that deep.

But let’s humor the concept for a second.

There’s the cost, for one thing. Watson is a restricted free agent after the season who’s made the Nuggets look bad for not giving him an extension earlier — putting up, as of Tuesday evening, career highs in points (14.9 per game) and rebounds. A show-stopping leaper and defender over his first three seasons on Chopper Circle, at age 23, he’s evolved into a foundational, two-way wing whose jumper now complements years of sky-walking athleticism. He’s also currently sporting a team-friendly $4.36 million cap number. That’s about to be tripled, or quadrupled, by somebody.

King James is slated to hit the open market as an unrestricted free agent coming off a $52.6 million cap hit this season following a $48.7 million hit in ’24-25. If he’s going to give any franchise a “hometown” discount, it’s more likely to be given to his actual hometown — Cleveland — than to the Nuggets. If the Kroenkes can’t afford Watson, how would they turn around and justify stretching the cap that much more for James?

There are the realities of the East vs. the West. If the King wants at least one more ring, more power to him. Oklahoma City’s core is young enough that they’re not going anywhere, and the Spurs with Victor Wembanyama are right behind them. The road back to the Finals in the East through Detroit, Boston and New York is far easier than the brutal hellscape of the current West bracket.

There’s the fit. Remember The Russell Westbrook Experience? Now picture that vibe, times about 50. As part of Team ‘Bron, the Joker might start seeing kinder foul calls come his way more consistently. But when you get The King, you get his demands, his parameters, his show. And maybe his family members, too. In some ways, it wouldn’t be all that unlike The Prime Effect at CU. And yet, this situation is markedly different than Boulder four years ago. The Buffs, at the time, needed an identity besides irrelevance and bad football. The Nuggets don’t.

On the court, James is an alpha who can play with anybody. If you squint hard enough, you can even see LeBron doing for the Nuggets next year what Aaron Gordon, whose health has become a daily concern, does now. Although so could Watson, at a price close to or less than James’ likely asking price.

The genius in building this Nuggets core was not just in finding Jokic and grooming him into a generational big man. It was also in finding pieces that accented Joker’s ridiculous, prodigious strengths (hands, feet, vision, touch, IQ, passing, shooting, ball-handling, strength, physicality, dexterity, anticipation, etc., etc.) while simultaneously lessening the impact of his few on-court weaknesses (rim protection, straight-line speed).

Jokic could find the open man in the middle of a crowded supermarket, so you surround him with excellent spot-up shooters (Jamal Murray, Michael Porter Jr., Tim Hardaway Jr., Aaron Gordon, etc., etc.) and let him pick from several poisons. He can hit an earwig in stride from 80 yards away, so you give him superlative sprinters and finishers on runouts (Also Gordon, Christian Braun, Peyton Watson, Bruce Brown, etc., etc.). He’ll contest shots, but probably won’t swat many into the second row — so you pair him with defenders who can cut off the supply chain of drivers at the head (Also AG, also Watson, also Braun, also Brown, etc., etc.).

Even at age 41, King James is still an elite scoring machine (20.7 points per game as of Wednesday). That long-distance shooting, though, has been slipping — James’ 41% conversion rate on 3-pointers in ’23-24 dropped to 37.6% last season and was at 31.4% as of Wednesday, a dip of 10% over about three years.

Watson, meanwhile, is trending in the exact opposite direction on his treys. Two seasons ago? 29.6%. A year ago? 35.3%. This season, before Wednesday? 41.5%.

And then there’s the defense. , James went into Wednesday evening with a Defensive Rating (DR) of 116 opponent points allowed per 100 possessions (lower is better), and that number has been trending the wrong way, too. Last season, LeBron’s DR was 114, the same as the season before that. In ’22-23, that DR was 113. In ’21-22, it was 111. Career blocks per 100 possessions: 1.0 — 0.9 this season, 0.8 two years prior.

While Watson’s DR, per Basketball-Reference, Even in a “down” defensive year for P-Swat, he was blocking 1.9 shots per 100 possessions this season before the midweek Utah trip, after 2.7 stuffs per 100 possessions in ’24-25 and 2.9 per 100 in ’23-24.

“Peyton Watson has gotten so much better,” Green continued. “He clearly has a high-level processor. When you have a high-level processor in this league, it’s an advantage. It’s very understated, but a very big advantage.”

Why give that one up so soon? When it comes to the question of an old King or a young Watson for the Nuggets next season,

Let me explain. The Broncos landed receiver Jaylen Waddle in a trade this week. He makes their offense better on first down, third down, against zone coverage and over the middle because defenses know he can bust them over the top.

When Waddle does score, he celebrates with a “Penguin Waddle” dance. Waddle’s ability to create space will force opponents to shade coverage in his direction. That means more openings for teammates, most notably Courtland Sutton.

But it also needs to unlock Evan Engram’s potential.

Last season he was the most disappointing Joker since Jared Leto.

Billed as a player capable of creating mismatches on linebackers and safeties, Engram filled a truncated role, catching 50 passes for 461 yards and one touchdown. Because the Broncos lacked confidence in Engram’s blocking, Adam Trautman took the majority of snaps. Engram played 42% of the time, a stunning decline from his 76% average over the previous eight seasons.

With Davis Webb given a chance to put his stamp on this offense with Waddle’s arrival, Engram should benefit. Webb helped recruit him to Denver. It does not require a leap of faith to believe Webb has a vision for his former teammate even if Denver drafts Ohio State’s Max Klare in the second round.

When Engram was on the field, it became a tell that the Broncos were passing. That might be the case this season, but teams will have way more difficulty choosing how to guard Engram with Waddle and Sutton on the outside.

Let’s be fair. Engram’s salad days from Jacksonville are over. But he needs to eat. Give him 50% of the snaps, and it should translate to 60 catches for 650 yards and four touchdowns.

His improvement will help determine if the Broncos offense is good or dynamic.

Thin Ice: The NHL’s ridiculous playoff format, which will again pit top teams against each other in the first two rounds, might goose ratings, but it hurts coaches. The Avs should face the Stars in the Western Conference Finals. If Colorado gets bounced in the second round, it is hard to see Jared Bednar surviving. He is the best coach in franchise history, but like Michael Malone a year ago, will become a victim of expectations. It’s not unfair given the Avs’ talent. But it remains stupid that the NHL’s playoff bracket plays a role in this.

Lake Show: Reading this next sentence aloud is nauseating. It is no longer a given that the Nuggets will beat the Lakers in the playoffs.They have owned them of late. That has changed this month, explained through the MVP race. Luca Doncic now boasts the second-best odds — Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is the runaway favorite — ahead of Victor Wembanyama and Nikola Jokic. Jokic should have four MVPs, but he has no case this year because of Denver’s recent slide and his career-high 3.9 turnovers per game. With LeBron James buying into a supporting actor role, the Lakers are a legitimate threat because Doncic is more focused on scoring buckets than whining to officials.

U-S-Hey Now: Giants pitcher Logan Webb took issue with the narrative that Team USA did not share the same passion for winning the World Baseball Classic as champion Venezuela, Dominican Republic, Japan and Italy. “That’s complete (BS). I think we probably cared the most of any team, to be honest with you. We do things in different ways than some of the other teams, but we care a lot.” The way to show it? Convince the best starting pitchers to sign up. And get a manager with prior big-league experience.

On the Road Again: It’s OK to note the difficulty of the Nuggets’ travel schedule and the number of back-to-back games, especially this month. The problem is that it feeds into a victim mentality of a first-time head coach dealing with a battery of injuries. If it makes you feel better as a way to explain the season, fine. Just know that it will sound like an excuse if Jokic never wins another championship in Denver.

Sean Keeler: Losing sleep? No. Losing games? Sadly, yes. The Nuggets’ maddening inability to put good teams away isn’t a fluke anymore — it has become baked into this team’s DNA. Denver woke up Monday with a 7-11 record in games decided by three points or fewer. They were 8-6 in those games a year ago. They were 6-6 in ’23-24. They were 7-6 in ’22-23, when those Nuggets won it all. In ’21-22? A mark of 8-3. Just one Western Conference team since the pandemic has lost more than 11 games decided by three or less — Dallas in ’22-23 (8-12). These Nuggets are the only team in the West this season to have played in more than 15 tilts decided by three or fewer, which shows, on one level, they’re used to the kind of frenetic finishes they’ll see in the postseason. But winning fewer than 40% of those nail-biters is the stuff that can become a habit. And not a good one.

Renck: Adelman must improve in critical situations. The injuries provided cover for months, and, frankly, Adelman was at his best when putting together starting lineups with chicken wire and duct tape. When Peyton Watson returns, Adelman will have the team that was expected to push for a title. He has stressed that the players need time to find their rhythm, accepting blame for any hiccups. But the indigestion can’t come from the sideline. Last Saturday alone, there were multiple gaffes. He should have challenged Jamal Murray’s sixth foul. The rebound strategy on Austin Reaves’ intentionally missed free throw was a mistake. Jokic and Gordon were underneath and Spencer Jones on the top right. Murray fronted Marcus Smart above the 3-point line and Cam Johnson face-guarded LeBron James near midcourt. It makes sense to shadow James. Not so much with Smart. Adelman could have positioned Murray or Johnson right outside the arc on the single side to chase the ball to make up for the empty space, instead of being so preoccupied with crashing rebounders. Regardless of the odds of Reaves executing the play, he should not have been in a position to beat the Nuggets.

Keeler: Doncic’s winner was a Kobe/MJ level dagger — right down to the no-call on Luka’s push to create space. Grit your teeth. Tip your cap. Stars don’t get foul calls on those makes. . You have to scheme for the carom and account for the shooter. Jones looks as if he’s doubling Doncic, which makes sense, then realizes too late that Reaves is all alone. That’s on the staff, either in how it was drawn up or in making sure that the instructions were understood.

Renck: Adelman also has to be prepared to pivot. Twice, he has trusted Spencer Jones to defend a star in the closing seconds. Both times, Jones failed to direct the player, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Luka Doncic, into defensive help. They made great shots. But Adelman has to communicate the assignment better or ask Christian Braun or Bruce Brown to fill the role. Adelman admitted “it����ap going to be an investigation of what the team is supposed to be” when fully healthy. That’s on him. As is the increasing responsibility to put the Nuggets in the best position to win.

Keeler: To Adelman’s credit, he’s rarely had the full complement the front office designed for him. He’s had to “MacGyver” lineups and looks for most of the past three months. He’s weathered 18 months’ worth of crummy injuries packed into about three months. He’s given Watson runway to be a star. But this is a league of elite talent and fine margins — The lead blows up, the other team’s fans laugh, roll closing credits.

Protecting a 118-115 lead, Denver intentionally fouled Austin Reaves with 5.2 seconds left in regulation Saturday night. It was properly executed, a low-risk foul while Reaves’ back was to the basket so that he couldn’t feasibly go into a shooting motion. The Lakers guard stepped to the line for only two free throws — decidedly not enough to tie the game. Or so the Nuggets thought.

The one thing that could go wrong did go wrong.

“That����ap one in 100 in the NBA,” coach David Adelman said after a 127-125 overtime loss. “It happened. You give them credit.”

Reaves made the first free throw then intentionally missed the second, launching a bullet off the front of the rim. The ball caromed to the left, beyond the reach of Denver’s two players stationed on the low blocks, and Reaves chased down his own rebound. Collecting the ball in stride, he buried a game-tying baseline runner with 1.9 seconds left to force overtime and eventually steal the season series from Denver.

“I mean, it����ap a really good play. A perfect bounce,” a frustrated Nikola Jokic told The Denver Post. “He got the ball off his rebound. He made a floater.”

In the NBA, teams can only have three players inside the perimeter for an opponent����ap free throw. Spencer Jones was the third in this case, but he was on the right side of the lane, while Jokic and Aaron Gordon were down low. Reaves had a step on Jones if he could engineer the perfect miss into the empty space.

“JJ (Redick) told me to tell AR to miss right,” Luka Doncic said. “So, he missed left.”

“When I had kind of relayed instructions, it was to miss it to the right side because that was the single side at the time,” said Redick, the second-year coach of the Lakers. “It ended up being the left side was the single side, so they all gave me crap in the locker room. But AR made the right play. He missed it on the single side. It’s a hell of a basketball play.”

‘It’s a really tough play to make’

From the Nuggets’ vantage point, it was half cruel serendipity, half self-inflicted wound to not box out Reaves more urgently.

“He’s a really skilled player,” Aaron Gordon said. “He’s a talented guy. So it����ap just in the flow of the game. It worked out for him. So tip your cap.”

“It����ap a tough thing to do, to execute that like they did,” Cam Johnson said. “For us, it����ap just, we’ve gotta kind of get a body on everybody and make it a little bit more murky. And that includes the shooter. So it����ap a really tough play to make, but we gave it up.”

The Lakers could have chosen to make the free throw and extend the game with another foul; it would have guaranteed them one more opportunity to hoist a potential game-tying shot before the buzzer, down by three at worst. But they were out of timeouts at 5.2 seconds to go, which would’ve prevented them from advancing the ball and drawing up a play. They would’ve had to go the length of the floor, with the looming risk of another intentional foul by Denver.

What they did instead, by intentionally missing, was a play call itself, with multiple moving parts. Lakers center Deandre Ayton was on the left block. He allowed Jokic to get into ideal box-out position between him and the basket, then pushed the three-time MVP farther into the paint, clearing space on the left side for Reaves to pursue the rebound. Johnson and Jamal Murray were outside the 3-point line, trying to prevent LeBron James and Marcus Smart from crashing the glass.

The element of surprise on the intentional miss wasn’t a factor, according to Adelman, who pointed out that Smart����ap lack of rebound attempt took another Nugget out of the play.

“We were expecting them to miss it,” he said. “We could see them saying ‘miss it.’ That����ap why Spence came in. Spence is our best free-throw third rebounder. Had AG, had Nikola down there. Cam was dealing with LeBron coming from half-court, so he’s gotta stand him up. I think Jamal thought Marcus Smart was gonna crash, and he held, which gave Reaves an angle. And obviously, Ayton screened it in. … A wild play to force overtime.”

Jones made his initial motion toward the basket, a split-second decision that cost him the ability to get in front of Reaves and deny him the ball. Reaves was beelining for it as soon as it touched the rim.

“That����ap a tough one, especially when we’re loaded up on the other side,” Jones told The Post, “and he’s able to get it off the rim to the opposite side where he might have a little bit of an advantage getting to it. … He put it in the right place where he had the best chance of getting it, and he got it.”

When asked if Doncic’s “miss right” instruction to Reaves threw anything off for Denver, Jones said no, noting that “either way, if we wind up on the (left) side, he would’ve tried to miss the other way.”

In a season of missed opportunities and clutch conundrums, this might’ve been Denver’s most painful stinger yet. Players were openly frustrated with defensive inconsistencies in the locker room after blowing a 106-98 lead with 5:13 to play. The end of regulation also included a missed free throw by Gordon with 9.9 seconds left that would’ve extended the lead to four.

Instead, it set up a stunning sequence that doubled as a fitting encapsulation of both teams’ seasons. Denver fell below .500 in clutch-time games. Los Angeles improved its NBA-best clutch record to 18-6. Adding insult to injury, the NBA’s Last Two Minutes officiating report Sunday revealed that Denver’s first foul while up three should’ve actually been called a clean strip for Jones. The report made it unclear which team would’ve retained possession on an out-of-bounds call.

The Nuggets fell back into fifth place in the West with the loss. With a win, they would’ve been alone in third. Now, if they finish the season in a two-way tie with the Lakers, the higher seed will belong to Los Angeles by virtue of head-to-head advantage.

“There are just so many ways we could have won the game tonight,” Johnson said. “We were in the driver’s seat for a lot of that fourth quarter. So for us, it����ap just about closing games more effectively. And come playoff time, that����ap really what it is. Playoff time is all about fourth-quarter execution. So we just have to be better.”