The Nuggets Ink podcast is back. Denver Post beat writer Bennett Durando is joined by ESPN’s Tim MacMahon to break down the beef between Nikola Jokic, Lu Dort and Jaylin Williams.

• Who won the night in the public’s eye? Is Oklahoma City dirty or just the league’s best?
• Are the Nuggets truly good enough to win the championship, or is “if they’re healthy” too flimsy of an argument for them at this point?
• Is Jokic a different version of himself as he deals with injuries of his own?
• Just how important is the injured Aaron Gordon, and will he be back soon?
• How should Denver navigate Cam Johnson’s recent confidence issues?

All this and more on the Nuggets Ink Podcast.

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Producer: AAron Ontiveroz
Music: “The Last Dragons” by Schama Noel

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MPJ finding fulfillment in Brooklyn

You always wondered, throughout Michael Porter Jr.’s six years in Denver, whether he had some lingering untapped potential as a ball-in-hand scorer. He was a lethal off-ball weapon in the Nuggets’ system, and he bought into that role enough to help them win a championship, much to his credit.

But he always wondered the same thing. This is a former No. 1 high school recruit in the country, after all, back surgeries or not. What would he look like as a first option on a bad team?

We’re all watching that experiment play out in real time. In his first 15 games of the season, Porter averaged 24.8 points (6.6 more than last year), 7.6 rebounds and 3.2 assists as the front-man of an aimless Nets squad. Even without Nikola Jokic’s gravity to enhance the quality of his shots, he’s still shooting 38% from 3-point range on a career-high 8.6 attempts per game, and 58.3% from 2-point range, remarkably consistent with his 58.5% mark over his last three seasons in Denver combined.

I use that sample size because it encompasses everything after his third surgery, a critical demarcation point in his career. Porter touched the ball 41.8 times per game across those three years, taking a backseat to Jokic and Jamal Murray’s two-man game. He’s averaging 61.9 touches so far in Brooklyn, the most on the team. As of early this week, he was one of eight players in the league with at least 50 touches per game and 0.4 points per touch. That collection of players included the likes of Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Steph Curry and Kawhi Leonard.

Is the individual production amounting to winning basketball? Not exactly. But for a shot-making talent who said he wanted to use the opportunity in Brooklyn to “explore” and “expand” his game, it looks that trade has been fulfilling. Maybe Porter will find another home eventually where his role can be a happy medium between the two he’s played so far in the NBA. Both experiences can be informative.

I was wrong about L.A.

Specifically, about which team there would be the more serious contender. All the offseason moves that made the Clippers look so much deeper on paper have backfired spectacularly. Bradley Beal is out for the year and John Collins hasn’t made a meaningful impact, while Norman Powell thrives in Miami; Brook Lopez looks mighty old at backup center; and Chris Paul hasn’t even been an everyday rotation player in his final season.

Oh, also, Leonard is hurt again after purportedly coming into the season fully healthy. My fault for falling for the Clippers once again.

Downtown, the Lakers keep finding ways to win games despite LeBron James’s sciatica. I had my doubts before the season about how all the pieces would fit together, and I still do — they rank outside the top 10 in offense and defense. But I’m not going to argue with the results. Anyone can recognize that Luka Doncic’s Lakers have one of the highest ceilings in the league.

Sadly, the Nuggets won’t be seeing them until late January. Something worth monitoring in the meantime: L.A.’s net rating is zero when Doncic and his new roll man Deandre Ayton share the floor; it’s 14.6 when Doncic plays without Ayton.

West is weaker than we thought

Owing partly to that sinking Clipper ship, the Western Conference is nowhere close to the gauntlet Denver was prepared to face this season. Several teams that expected to be competitive have been disasters.

The Mavericks spent their first 10 games finding a convenient opportunity to fire general Nico Harrison — which unfortunately does not give them the right to any takesies backsies on recent transactions. Ja Morant has been causing distractions left and right in Memphis, . Sacramento’s “Beam Team” feels like it was two centuries ago, not two years. Then you have the Pelicans, who maybe shouldn’t count alongside these other teams, except that they bet on themselves to be good with a reckless draft-day trade in June.

The result is a Western landscape that’s surprisingly barren in the bottom half of the standings. At least one opportunistic underdog should make the Play-In Tournament as a top-10 seed. Phoenix and Portland are both in the picture for now.

What does it mean for Denver? Maybe not much in the grand scheme. The regular-season schedule takes on an easier appearance, but the playoffs won’t be any less daunting. The West remains top-heavy. The Thunder legitimately may win 70 games.

Head-to-head season series records against other contenders like the Rockets and Lakers could be vital in the pursuit of the No. 2 or No. 3 seed, rather than No. 4 — teams will want to avoid OKC’s side of the bracket. Those spots could come down to tiebreakers; Denver got a head start on Houston last week with a massive road win.

Eventful trade deadline ahead?

Quite a few will-they-won’t-they trade possibilities are developing around the league. Would the Hawks rather move on from Trae Young than extend him? Will Morant or LaMelo Ball have enough value for Memphis or Charlotte to finally press the “eject” button? Will Timberwolves president Tim Connelly, the famously trigger-happy former Nuggets GM, take another bold swing to get Anthony Edwards a point guard?

Detroit’s next move will be particularly fascinating after a 15-2 start in the wide open East. The Pistons could ride out this season and see what they have — the 2023-24 Thunder approach — or they could try to land a forward upgrade with more three-level scoring ability. Right now, point guard Cade Cunningham is averaging 10.5 more field goal attempts than any of his teammates, and he’s doing a lot of the work to generate their scoring chances as well.

Utah’s Lauri Markkanen has been linked to the Pistons, but he’ll have a designer brand price tag. Dallas might shop the increasingly fragile Anthony Davis, but that seems too risky for the young Pistons’ ascendant timeline. Same probably goes for DeMar DeRozan (not to mention he wouldn’t fix Detroit’s 3-point shooting shortage), but his contract is easier to stomach, and Sacramento needs to de-clutter with a yard sale. How about Trey Murphy III from New Orleans? Or an MPJ rental for two playoff runs, if Brooklyn decides to flip him?

The Nuggets already got most of their roster refurbishment done in the offseason, but I would expect them to at least sniff around for secondary ball-handling to help out Murray, especially now with the knowledge that Aaron Gordon’s injury risk isn’t going away.

Injury epidemic will muck up awards races

The two most uttered words in the NBA this season have been “calf strain.” Not ideal, after the 2025 playoffs were defined by torn Achilles tendons. Aside from the considerable impact on the league’s product quality, this proliferation of soft-tissue injuries could result in some odd All-NBA team inclusions.

Under the new collective bargaining agreement, players are required to appear in at least 65 out of 82 games to qualify for awards. With the increased pace of play and subsequent physical demand, that’s looking like a tall task for many of the sport’s best athletes. Fifteen players every year receive All-NBA honors, which impact the flow of millions of dollars. How many of them this year will actually be top-15 players in the league, if guys keep straining muscles at this rate?

If you’re a fan of basketball, you have to hope Milwaukee’s Giannis Antetokounmpo (abductor strain) will be able to return soon and stay on the court. It’s shaping up to be a ridiculous four-way MVP race between him, Jokic, Doncic and Gilgeous-Alexander — assuming they’re all healthy, which might not be such a safe assumption.

One last thing

A hearty au revoir to our devoted and dependable sports editor Matt Schubert, whose last day at The Denver Post was a week ago. I would not be in Colorado without Matt, who worked tirelessly to put out this section and ensure high-quality coverage from a small staff. He cared about his writers and was an exceptional leader, more than making up for his questionable track record as host of our Nuggets Ink podcast.

I’m endlessly thankful for Matt and wish him the best. If he was still in charge, he would probably cut this blurb. Tough.

In the latest edition of the Nuggets Ink podcast, beat writer Bennett Durando and sports editor Matt Schubert reconvene after the first week of the regular season. Among the topics discussed:

• Jamal Murray is tired of hearing about slow starts, and he proved as much Monday night by dropping 43 points on the Minnesota Timberwolves. Is this the year Murray finally gets the All-Star recognition that’s eluded him?
• Aaron Gordon got the season started with a 50-burger against the Golden State Warriors. The Nuggets forward says he’s not as athletic as he once was, but is he the best he’s been at basketball, as he contended this offseason?
• Is Tim Hardaway Jr. going to be the Nuggets’ sixth man all season? How has Jonas Valanciunas fit in with the second unit? Is Julian Strawther going to remain tethered to the bench?
• Christian Braun got his big-money extension, but fellow fourth-year player Peyton Watson didn’t. What does that mean for them and the future of the franchise?
• How has new head coach David Adelman fared running the show? His rotations? His adjustments? What’s been different between how he runs things and how Michael Malone did?
• Emails and iTunes reviews … would’ve been read had anyone sent them in!

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Producer: AAron Ontiveroz
Music: “The Last Dragons” by Schama Noel

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In the latest edition of the Nuggets Ink podcast, beat writer Bennett Durando and sports editor Matt Schubert reconvene ahead of Denver’s media day. Among the topics discussed:

• What will Jonas Valanciunas say in his first encounter with Denver media? Will Christian Braun sign an extension ahead of the season? Is Bruce Brown already writing love notes to Nikola Jokic? With media day just days away, it’s time to talk storylines.
• The annual wins draft. Bennett won in 2024-25. Who takes the crown in 2025-26? Could the Charlotte Hornets really be a dark horse playoff pick in the Eastern Conference?
• Will Nikola Jokic win another MVP? Who will be the NBA champion? The fellas make their picks.
• Emails and iTunes reviews … would’ve been read had anyone sent them in!

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Producer: AAron Ontiveroz
Music: “The Last Dragons” by Schama Noel

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All in all, the Nuggets have reached the playoffs 17 out of 25 seasons in the new millennium, winning 55% of their regular-season games with nine 50-win seasons. They’ve won 12 playoff series. They’ve had only five All-Stars — but three of them have been inducted to the Hall of Fame, while another has three MVP awards and counting.

We all love a round number, so to reflect on the last 25 years of basketball — almost half of the franchise’s existence under the “Nuggets” name — we assembled The Denver Post brain trust to vote on an All-Quarter Century Nuggets Team.

Five of our staffers who cover the Nuggets voted on a First Team and a Second Team. Five players who received votes but didn’t make the 10-man rotation were also included as reserves.

The voting body was made up of yours truly, sports columnist Troy Renck, sports columnist Sean Keeler, sports editor and Nuggets Ink Podcast host Matt Schubert, and photographer and Nuggets Ink producer AAron Ontiveroz. Note: Statistics and accolades before the 2000-01 season were not taken into account in the voting process.

First Team

Point guard: Chauncey Billups (2008-11)

When building a ceremonial fake roster like this, there’s an inherent conflict between longevity with the team and short-term excellence. Mr. Big Shot technically played only one full season in Denver during the 2000s (but more than half of two other seasons). He made the most of his 201 regular-season games, averaging 18.1 points and 5.1 assists. He earned an All-Star nod and finished 12th in 2009-10 MVP voting.

More importantly, in 2008-09, Billups helped lead his hometown team to its first Western Conference Finals appearance in 24 years. The George Washington High School and CU alum shot 46.8% from 3-point range during that 16-game playoff run, averaging 20.6 points and 6.8 assists.

As a result, Billups was a First-Team honoree on all but one ballot. He’s best remembered nationally as a Finals MVP with Detroit, but his significance to Denver basketball history adds to his case here.

Shooting guard: Jamal Murray (2016-present)

One of the best players of his generation to never make an All-Star Game or All-NBA team (yet), Murray lacks the on-paper success of a few other Nuggets stars this century. Yet his status in franchise history is undeniable: He was one of three unanimous First-Team honorees in our vote.

Murray established a reputation as the quintessential “playoff riser” in the 2020 bubble, when the COVID-19 pandemic forced the NBA into quarantine. His battles with Donovan Mitchell were legendary. His iron will contributed to six consecutive wins in elimination games as Denver made it back to the WCF for the first time since 2009.

The torn ACL that knocked Murray out of two postseasons remains a major “what if” in Nuggets history. Could they have won the 2021 or 2022 championship with a healthy star guard? In his first season back from the injury, Murray was the ceiling-raiser Denver needed during a dominant run to the championship. His and Nikola Jokic’s dueling 30-point triple-doubles in Game 3 of the NBA Finals will immortalize Murray no matter what the future holds. He also had a not-so-sneaky case for Western Conference Finals MVP that year: 32.5 points, 6.3 rebounds, 5.3 assists and 2.8 steals per game.

Small forward: Carmelo Anthony (2003-11)

It’s complicated, we know. But Carmelo erasure is just plain irresponsible. He was too good, too important to an entire era of Denver basketball. When you envision the baby blue uniforms, you probably think of him first.

Anthony saved the Nuggets before he walked out on them (if that’s what you want to call it). They were on a streak of eight consecutive losing seasons when they drafted him third overall in 2003. Then they proceeded to make the playoffs in all seven seasons he finished with Denver. The first-round exits are certainly part of his legacy, but he brought back competitive basketball after a decade of futility.

Anthony played more games for the Nuggets (564) than for any other team, including the Knicks. He was a four-time All-NBA honoree in Denver, a four-time All-Star. He averaged 24.8 points and 6.3 rebounds. He got the team within two wins of the NBA Finals against Kobe Bryant’s Lakers. Then came the infamous 2011 trade, the origins of which are still being litigated on podcasts and social media to this day. Much less controversial was Anthony’s First-Team status here. He was unanimous.

Power forward: Aaron Gordon (2021-present)

Nikola Jokic described Gordon during the 2025 playoffs as “the soul of this team.” Trading for the former Orlando Magic first option elevated the Nuggets to a new echelon of championship contention. In four full seasons (so far), he has morphed his play style to complement Jokic, transforming into a super-role player and becoming a fan favorite in the process. Hence his place here, with three First-Team votes.

The stats don’t jump off the page, but the versatility is unparalleled. Gordon is a power forward in the traditional sense, but the Nuggets have used him as a point guard, a center, and almost everything in between.

He cemented his legacy this year with a pair of memorable game-winning buckets: the first buzzer-beater slam dunk in NBA playoff history, and a 3-pointer to complete a stunning comeback in Oklahoma City. Even though Denver didn’t win the title, fans will relive those moments for decades.

Center: Nikola Jokić (2015-present)

Awkward yet graceful, perpetually battle-scarred by his dominant physicality yet possessed by a preference for finesse, Jokic is a revolutionary center. His spot on this roster was always going to be the most obvious and anticlimactic. The more suitable topic for him is where he lands in relation to John Elway and Joe Sakic on the list of greatest athletes in Denver sports history.

Ten years in, he’s still adding to the following accolades: three MVPs, an NBA Finals MVP, seven consecutive All-NBA teams (five of them First-Team recognition). He just joined Oscar Robertson and Russell Westbrook as the only players to average a triple-double in a season. He’s on pace to break Westbrook’s career triple-doubles record. He’s the first player since Larry Bird to finish top-two in MVP voting five straight years. We could go on, but this paragraph might be outdated soon.

What can’t be expressed in those numbers is the lasting impact of the Joker: No basketball player has ever brought Coloradans as much joy and wonder.

Second Team

Point guard: Ty Lawson (2009-15)

Two Second-Team spots required a tiebreaker, including this one. A pair of us voted for Lawson, another pair for Andre Miller. The only person who omitted both from his ballot was Ontiveroz, so he was consulted for the deciding vote and chose Lawson, citing the “pure excitement” of watching him. Lawson averaged 14.4 points and 6.2 assists over six years in Denver. He finished 12th in MVP voting as the star of a 2012-13 Nuggets team that won 57 games — still tied for the most in franchise history.

Shooting guard: Allen Iverson (2006-08)

Another case of short-term elite play over longevity, Iverson played only 135 games as a Nugget but is technically in a club with Jokic, Anthony and Billups as the only players this century to represent Denver at multiple All-Star Games. In his one full season with the team, he averaged 26.4 points and 7.1 assists. Iverson received one First-Team vote in this exercise (over Billups).

Small forward: Michael Porter Jr. (2018-25)

MPJ is the fourth member of the championship team to make the cut. Recently traded to Brooklyn, his time in Denver was characterized by immense medical resilience. Porter overcame three back surgeries to average 16.2 points and 6.4 rebounds over 345 games, many of them while wearing a brace on his foot. He ranks second in franchise history in 3-pointers (843) behind Murray, and he made them at a 40.6% clip.

Power forward: Nenê (2002-12)

The initial vote was deadlocked between Nene and Kenyon Martin, both of whom received one First-Team and one Second-Team vote. Keeler was assigned the tiebreaking vote in this case, and he chose the Brazilian forward who spent a decade in Denver. In 555 games, Nene averaged 12.4 points and seven rebounds, registering career-highs in both statistics during the 2008-09 season when Denver reached the conference finals.

Center: Marcus Camby (2002-08)

Center was the only position where all five voters agreed on the First- and Second-Team selections. Camby led the league in blocks per game three times in his six years with Denver. He was named NBA Defensive Player of the Year in 2006-07, making him the franchise’s only player to win the award since Dikembe Mutombo.

Reserves

An NBA roster isn’t complete without 15 players, so the All-Quarter Century Team has room for a Third Team made up of the following leftover vote-getters: Andre Miller, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Danilo Gallinari, Kenyon Martin and Antonio McDyess (a 2001 All-Star).

In the latest edition of the Nuggets Ink podcast, beat writer Bennett Durando and sports editor Matt Schubert reconvene following DaRon Holmes II’s glorious return to NBA Summer League. Among the topics discussed:

• Nikola Jokic caused a stir in NBA circles by … doing nothing?! Denver’s MVP center became extension-eligible last week but declined to sign on the dotted line, according to league sources. Here’s why Nuggets fans need not freak out — yet.
• Jonas Valanciunas caused a stir in NBA circles by … visiting Greece?! The recently acquired backup to Jokic was offered a three-year contract by EuroLeague power Panathinaikos, and Valanciunas signaled mutual interest by visiting Greece. Yet the Nuggets hold all the cards. What happens next?
• Nuggets big man DaRon Holmes II returned to NBA Summer League a year after rupturing an Achilles tendon at the very same venue. How did the second-year player look? And how might he slot into what’s becoming a deep Nuggets rotation?
• With the Cam Johnson-MPJ trade now complete, the fellas ponder if the Nuggets might now have a better starting five than when the franchise won the NBA title in 2023.
• What’s Denver’s best public park? You better believe the fellas have some opinions.

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Producer: AAron Ontiveroz
Music: “The Last Dragons” by Schama Noel

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In the latest edition of the Nuggets Ink podcast, beat writer Bennett Durando and sports editor Matt Schubert reconvene three days after the stunning trade of Michael Porter Jr. to the Brooklyn Nets. Among the topics discussed:

• The Nuggets’ two-man brain trust turned Porter’s salary into four players: Cam Johnson, Jonas Valanciunas, Bruce Brown and Tim Hardaway Jr. How in the world did they pull this off? And how long had executives Ben Tenzer and Jon Wallace been mapping this out?
• How much better does this make the Nuggets? What will the rotation look like come October? And how many of these players will actually be able to give the Nuggets depth in the postseason?
• In light of the first two weeks of the Tenzer-Wallace era, what’s the confidence in this setup working going forward? Could other moves be made? Could these wizards find a way to dump Zeke Nnaji’s contract, too? Maybe cure cancer?
• Ranking the contenders after free agency and the draft: The boys provide their our own Top 10 following player acquisition season.
• Loose ends: Thoughts on the NBA Finals and the tragedy that was Tyrese Haliburton’s Game 7 injury.

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Producer: AAron Ontiveroz
Music: “The Last Dragons” by Schama Noel

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In the latest edition of the Nuggets Ink podcast, beat writer Bennett Durando and sports editor Matt Schubert reconvene with the NBA Finals on tap. Among the topics discussed:

• Speaking to reporters twice in the span of a few weeks, Nuggets President and Governor Josh Kroenke made it clear he thinks the answers to Denver’s problems are internal. Then he backed that up by officially hiring interim coach David Adelman as head coach. How much pressure does that put on Adelman to get the team back to title contention?
• Do Kroenke’s words mean we can expect another internal hire for the general manager opening? Who might that be? When will that decision be made? And who are some of the bargain free agents they can target?
• Are the Nuggets about to become a half-court team with a totally remade defensive strategy? Changes to the coaching staff seem to indicate that while there is an emphasis on maintaining the status quo, things won’t be entirely the same schematically.
• Bennett and Matt give an assessment of each of the Nuggets on the roster. Is their stock up, down or holding steady? And what does that mean for their future in Denver?

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Producer: AAron Ontiveroz
Music: “The Last Dragons” by Schama Noel

In the latest edition of the Nuggets Ink podcast, beat writer Bennett Durando and sports editor Matt Schubert reconvene after Denver’s elimination from the NBA Playoffs. Among the topics discussed:

• The Nuggets’ season not-so-mercifully came to an end in a Game 7 blowout loss at the Oklahoma City Thunder. What was the biggest culprit in their demise? Did the Thunder’s cynical approach to overtly physical defense finally break Nikola Jokic? Did Denver even stand a chance after all of the injuries and its relative lack of depth?
• How did the Nuggets get here? Who is ultimately responsible for their second consecutive exit in the Western Conference semifinals? Is this all on former general manager Calvin Booth? What role did Michael Malone play in the team’s inability to develop long-term depth? Is there even some blood on Tim Connelly’s hands?
• Now that the season is finished, where do the Nuggets go from here? Without any draft picks to add to the roster, are there moves that can be made to improve the roster or shake things up? What about trades? Could Michael Porter Jr. be on the trading block? What about Aaron Gordon or Jamal Murray? The fellas open up the trade machine to dive into a few possibilities.
• Did David Adelman do enough to take over as head coach for the 2025-26 season? Will the Nuggets opt to promote from within to fill both that opening and then one for general manager?

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Producer: AAron Ontiveroz
Music: “The Last Dragons” by Schama Noel

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In the latest edition of the Nuggets Ink podcast, beat writer Bennett Durando and sports editor Matt Schubert reconvene after Denver’s Game 4 loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder. Among the topics discussed:

• Game 4 reactions: The worst first quarter in the history of baskets or balls? Yes.
• What’s to blame for the poor start? Tired legs? The 36-hour crunch between games? Both?
• What’s wrong with Nikola Jokic? Another tough outing has some wondering if the arm sleeve is thinly concealing a nagging injury. The 3-point and free throw lines weigh in.
• Conversely, has anyone done more to elevate their stock than Aaron Gordon in these NBA Playoffs? Could the Nuggets ever consider trading a player who’s cemented his status as one of the most beloved players on the team?
• What do the Nuggets need to do to survive the Thunder and advance to the Western Conference Finals?

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Producer: AAron Ontiveroz
Music: “The Last Dragons” by Schama Noel