“I think (the Nuggets) and the Houston Rockets have probably had the best summers (in the NBA),” Barkley, the longtime hoops analyst/icon, told me last Saturday night at Gaylord Rockies Resort & Convention Center.

“And (the Nuggets), they’ve got the best player in the world (in Nikola Jokic). They just needed some more depth. They kind of broke the team up after they won the first championship (2023), and that’s really unfortunate. (They’ve) still got the best player. You want to give them as many opportunities as possible. But I thought they had a great summer.”

Barkley, the hoops Hall of Famer and unfiltered co-host of the best studio show this century, “Inside The NBA,” which moves to ESPN this fall, flew into town to serve as keynote speaker at Saturday’s Porter-Billups Leadership Academy (PBLA) Gala.

A weekend getaway to Denver ticked off a bunch of boxes for The Chuckster: An excuse to visit an old friend in Chauncey Billups, a window to play some golf at altitude, and a chance to support a great cause in the PBLA — a summer academy at Regis University that provides academic and leadership training to students in underserved communities in Denver.

Billups, aka Mr. Big Shot, is co-executive director of the PBLA along with his old coach at CU, Ricardo Patton. It was established in 1996 by Regis men’s basketball coach Lonnie Porter and his daughter, Staci Porter-Bentley, as a launch pad for Front Range hopes and dreams.

And speaking of Denver dreams, Chuck, did the Nuggets land enough lightning for Nikola Jokic to run with the Thunder in 2026?

“They probably had the best chance of beating OKC (in the playoffs),” Barkley replied. “So it’s not like they were that far off. But like I say, them and the Rockets have both had great summers. So that’s all you can say until they start playing.

“I thought, in no particular order, the Nuggets, the Rockets (and) the Hawks, those three teams had the best summers.”

What a difference a new front office makes. Former Nuggets GM Calvin Booth gambled two years ago that a handful of young players would turn the same corner Christian Braun did. That they’d morph into a cost-effective second unit to balance pricey contract extensions for franchise mainstays Jamal Murray ($46.4 million cap hit in ’25-26), Aaron Gordon ($22.8 million) and the Joker ($55.2 million).

Yeah, that didn’t happen. Booth and coach Michael Malone clashed, sewing the seeds of contention that got both fired this past April and forcing Nuggets ownership to re-assess. Out of the ashes came a new coach (David Adelman), new co-GMs/vice presidents (Wallace and Tenzer), and, most importantly, a roster-shifting trade that got Michael Porter Jr.’s $38.3 million cap hit for ’25-26 and $40.8-million hit for ’26-27 off the books.

MPJ and a draft pick were shipped to the Nets earlier this month, bringing back a similarly-skilled but less expensive wing forward in Cam Johnson ($21.06 million in ’25-26). That, in turn, opened up cap space for the Nuggets to trade for center Jonas Valanciunas, sign 3-point specialist Tim Hardaway Jr., and re-up with Bruce Brown, a vital, popular cog of the ’23 NBA champs.

“Bruce was a big loss (via free agency to Indiana) the first time around,” Barkley said. “And then they lost Kentavious Caldwell-Pope (as a free agent to Orlando). Those were big losses. But now they have retooled. Now they can look forward to the season.”

Even better, Sir Charles, continued, Nuggets fans can look forward to better shooting. Better defense. And a roster that matches up better with divisional rivals in Oklahoma City and Minnesota — as well as the Rockets, Lakers, Clippers, Warriors and Grizzlies.

“First of all, (the Nuggets) got terrific (additions). I think they got more athletic, which they really needed to do,” Barkley said.

“Because if you’re going to beat OKC and the Rockets, you’ve got to be athletic on the perimeter, especially with Durant going down there with those other guys. OKC is probably the most athletic team in the league. But like I say, they got better. And that’s all you could ask for.”

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Everyone reveled in Jamal Murray’s playoff excellence en route to a championship. But Nuggets Nation suffered as Murray has dealt with one injury after another the past two seasons, bad luck and poor early-season conditioning conspiring to make him look old at the age of 28.

Now comes a chance for a reset. An opportunity to make critics — myself among them — swallow their tongues.

Friday, as co-general managers Jon Wallace and Ben Tenzer talked about the Nuggets’ upgraded roster, flashbacks interrupted the joy.

We’ve heard this before. The pieces are in place. Nikola Jokic is the best player on the planet. All that is needed is for Murray to operate at a season-long standard that meets the rest of our expectations.

Perhaps you heard: Murray will be the NBA’s 15th highest-paid player in 2025 at $46.3 million, the first year of a $207.8 million max contract extension. He is the only player among the top 26 to never make an All-Star Game.

Doesn’t this infuriate him? His contract has been called the worst in Colorado sports, non-Kris Bryant division. Doesn’t that disrespect fuel him?

Apparently, it does.

The Nuggets recently posted on Twitter pictures and video of Murray working out with the summer league team in Las Vegas. For a player who had a disjointed offseason last summer — Murray was recovering from multiple injuries while playing terribly for Team Canada in the Olympics — this represents a positive sign.

By itself, it was not a headline. This is: Word is Murray has also been playing in pick-up games in Las Vegas at the Wynn Casino, where the Toronto Raptors continued their tradition of setting up two regulation courts in a ballroom. These games feature heavy hitters, players capable of pushing Murray more than practices with future G-Leaguers.

This is the type of stuff that perks ears and widens eyes. The type of routine that suggests Murray wants to raise a finger after a championship, preferably the middle one.

This is what the Nuggets need: A motivated Murray, taking from his love of the UFC, from the glove tap to the final bell.

It is impossible to overstate his importance to a title run. He is the connective tissue that supports all the recent moves, binds them together.

Josh Kroenke acknowledged that the front office would push players to remember the sour ending in Oklahoma City, making it clear that attitude and effort were non-negotiable. Coach David Adelman challenged them to return ready for a competitive training camp designed to facilitate a fast launch.

“I think we can come back more ready to start the season. I would love for us to come back more ready to go,” Adelman said. “That’ll be the expectation, to come back in much better shape.”

He did not mention names. But if it were an ad lib, Murray would have filled in the blank. By all accounts, he has gotten the message.

Forget making an All-Star team. That has always been a mix of popularity and politics. The Nuggets need Murray to play like an All-Star. They no longer have the margin for error that existed in 2023, permitting him to ramp up his conditioning during the first few months.

If last season taught us anything, it’s this: Exerting so much energy to level up left Murray vulnerable to injuries and compromised in the playoffs. That version of Murray wins just enough to drive us crazy, making us yearn for the higher ceiling we witnessed during previous playoff runs.

Seeing Murray getting reps in practice in Las Vegas, hearing about him getting run in pickup games, suggests he is taking ownership and assuming the responsibility that comes with his contract.

Perhaps reminders from people he trusts helped. Or perhaps he looked in the mirror and recognized the truth. Jokic is the brains of the Nuggets, playing Peyton Manning-type chess on offense. Murray is the heart of the Nuggets.

Last year he showed up and played the first 20 games like he needed an angioplasty. If he arrives bought in, everything changes.

Teammates will feed off him. Including Jonas Valanciunas, a backup center the front office believes will report to the Nuggets and dazzle with his rebounding and passing. Including Cam Johnson, who learned to score off the dribble in Brooklyn and has the type of basketball IQ to maximize his time on the floor with Jokic. Including Bruce Brown, who is ready for a redux. And including Tim Hardaway Jr., who is already slobbering at all the open spot-up looks he will get in this offense.

If Murray sets the tone in training camp, as expected, then Adelman can focus on teaching his schemes to fast-learning veterans and not get bogged down in calisthenics and fundamentals.

The Nuggets wisely resisted the temptation to run it back with last season’s roster. They are better. But an existing player is more important than any new additions.

A mad Murray, instead of a maddening Murray, holds the key to another championship.

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The funny thing is, he wasn’t even in Denver. He was in Arizona, where he spends his offseasons, “just casually chilling” at a restaurant near his house. It was a couple of days after the Brooklyn Nets had traded him to the Nuggets for Michael Porter Jr. and a 2031 first-round pick.

“This whole table, I’m talking 10 old people, were shaking. Like beside themselves,” Johnson recalled on Friday, when he was formally introduced at Ball Arena. “They’re like, ‘We’ve been Nuggets fans for so long. We live in Arizona. We’re huge Nuggets fans.’ The ladies almost crying and stuff. I’m like, ‘Oh, this is awesome.'”

Johnson has a lot to figure out still. He and Porter have discussed the possibility of swapping homes, but he doesn’t quite know where he’ll live in the Denver area yet. The good news is that an offseason trade leaves him time to get settled in his third NBA city, where he’ll start for a title-contending team alongside three-time league MVP Nikola Jokic.

“It’s a tough style to play against,” Johnson said solemnly, reflecting on his encounters as a Net and Phoenix Sun.

Now he gets to learn what it’s like from the other side: “That’s the kind of basketball I want to play, where everybody’s in tune with each other and able to play off each other.”

Johnson was the centerpiece of Denver’s offseason moves under new front office leadership. Trading Porter for him was a roster shake-up in its own right, but the exchange of salaries also made room for the Nuggets to add another critical role player. Meanwhile, they weren’t sacrificing much from a size and shooting standpoint. Porter is 6-foot-10, Johnson 6-8. Porter was a 39.5% outside shooter last season, Johnson 39% sharp (at slightly higher volume).

The North Carolina grad is a 39.2% career 3-point shooter fresh off his best statistical season in Brooklyn, where he averaged 18.8 points on a lottery team devoid of elite scoring options.

The Nuggets are on a completely different timeline. Denver is a completely different vibe. The lifestyle is slower. The landscape and basketball expectations are steeper. Johnson “relishes” that, in his own words.

“The goal at the beginning, at the end of the day and everything in-between is to win a championship, and that’s what I’m here to do,” he said. “That’s what my teammates, I’m 100% sure, are here to do. So that’s the ultimate goal. Obviously, things happen over the course of the season. You never really know. If everybody only defines successful seasons by the championship, then there would really be a small amount of guys at the end of the season defining their season as successful. So it’s a wide range of things — and I think it starts with how well we can gel, and how the system works.”

Johnson’s new teammates are a good fit for his personality on paper. He’s a known basketball nerd, an X’s and O’s enthusiast with a clear-eyed appreciation for Aaron Gordon’s role in the dunker spot as much as Jokic’s flashy passing. When Johnson was growing up in Pittsburgh, he would draw up sets on “a little notebook” in his bedroom.

“I always loved the game,” he said. “I always loved the mental side of the game. And I’ve always prided myself on that.”

Nuggets coach David Adelman conceptualized Johnson as a focal point of off-ball actions when speaking with The Denver Post last week. Johnson agrees that his catch-and-shoot opportunities are likely to experience “a little bit of an uptick” after he was asked to play on the ball more in Brooklyn. Still, having dabbled in that type of role was another appeal to Denver. The roster had a shortage of shot-creating talent last season, adding to the burden of Jokic and Jamal Murray.

Johnson’s player development specialist with the Nets was Connor Griffin, who used to work for the Nuggets. His head coach, Jordi Fernandez, used to be an assistant under Michael Malone in Denver. “They said it’s a perfect situation for me, and they know my game,” Johnson said Friday.

He’s already well-acquainted with the basketball situation he’s walking into. What he’s eager to familiarize himself with next is the local community. Breakfast in Arizona was a good start.

“There’s a lot for me to learn about the city and a lot for me to learn about the fans of the Nuggets,” Johnson said. “So far, the reception has been incredible. I’m in random places where I wouldn’t expect to find any Nuggets fans, and it’s like, ‘Whoa, go Nuggets! We’re excited!’ And it’s been all over the place, no matter where I’ve been over the past couple of weeks. So that’s really encouraging.”

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Nuggets executive vice president of basketball operations Ben Tenzer said Friday that he has “no concerns” about the status of Valanciunas, a sentiment echoed by executive VP of player personnel Jon Wallace.

“We’ve had great conversations with him,” Tenzer said, “and there’s been nothing but healthy conversations in terms of him honoring his contract and him (being) excited to be a Nugget.”

Numerous team officials have spoken with Valanciunas at this point, including front office personnel and head coach David Adelman. The feeling around the team is that Valanciunas has been amicable and cooperative about playing in Denver, despite ongoing speculation regarding his willingness to stay in the NBA after receiving a contract offer from Panathinaikos.

News of the Greek club’s interest in him emerged after the Nuggets acquired Valanciunas in a trade with the Sacramento Kings this month. The Lithuanian big man is under contract in the NBA for at least the 2025-26 season, and Denver has remained steadfast that he’ll be held to that. In order for him to sign with a EuroLeague team, he would first be required to negotiate a release from his NBA contract. The Nuggets traded for him not to buy him out, but to use him as Nikola Jokic’s backup center.

“We’re still working through that right now,” Wallace said Friday when asked about plans to get Valanciunas to Denver.

Complicating matters somewhat is EuroBasket, the European championship tournament beginning in late August. Valanciunas will be competing for Lithuania, where he has already reported for national team training camp. There is a possibility that Denver will have someone in Europe to see him during the tournament. Jokic is also widely expected to compete for Serbia.

However the logistics are sorted out across continents, all signs point to a peaceful outcome to this unusual dilemma — reinforced by Tenzer’s first comments made to independent media about it on Friday.

Open roster spot?

With Valanciunas, Cam Johnson, Bruce Brown and Tim Hardaway Jr. officially joining the team, Denver still has one open roster spot that it can choose whether or not to fill. But when Tenzer was asked if he feels any pressure to address that before training camp in September, he indicated that he might feel comfortable leaving it open.

“I wouldn’t say there’s pressure. We’re going to be patient right now,” Tenzer said. “We feel really good about where the roster’s at. And if we feel like it’s important to add a 15th, we will. But no pressure right now.”

Teams are required to carry at least 14 players during the season, but there are potential benefits to leaving the final spot open. The Nuggets’ payroll is only $400,000 above the luxury tax line. They still have access to a portion of the non-taxpayer mid-level exception. If they aren’t in love with any remaining free agents, they can maintain the flexibility to pursue a player on the buyout market in February or March.

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It doesn’t matter if he wants a reality TV show, “My Big Fat Greek Meeting,” about his negotiations with Panathinaikos.

Jonas Valanciunas is a Denver Nugget.

The trade went through, making Dario Saric a King — read that without laughing — and Valanciunas the new backup center at Ball Arena. In a perfect world, this would be the end of it, capping one of the most remarkable offseasons in franchise history.

But there remains a catch. A loose thread dangling from Valanciunas, that if pulled, could cause everything to unravel. This leaves the Nuggets no choice but to continue taking a hard-line stance. It’s Denver or nothing. No budging.

Valanciunas, through vague comments, has suggested that he might not want to be here. He met with the Greek powerhouse, mulling a three-year offer. Panathinaikos represents a soft landing spot closer to his Lithuanian home, closer to family, and a role closer to the stardom that brought him to the States in the first place.

There is, however, the little matter of his contract. He has one year left on his deal for $10.4 million. Per FIBA rules, he cannot sign with the EuroLeague team without the Nuggets releasing him. Denver would have happily done this for Saric. This is different. The Nuggets need Valanciunas as much as any player they have added over the last few weeks.

The idea of contending for a championship blows up if they cannot take mileage off Nikola Jokic.

There was internal frustration the last two years that former coach Mike Malone rode Jokic too hard during the regular season, though his counterargument was that Calvin Booth built a roster more top-heavy than a sunflower.

Ever since David Adelman took over, he has stressed the importance of reaching the finish line with gas in the tank. Translation: The Nuggets have to be deep enough to give their three-time MVP some more rest after he averaged a career-high 36.7 minutes per game last season and 40.2 in the playoffs.

For the first time in five years, they landed a legitimate option. Valanciunas connects to Jokic.

He is stuck. Not like gum on the bottom of a shoe. But like a vase held together by Gorilla Glue.

Valanciunas doesn’t have to like it. If his desire to play in Greece is tied to family, he deserves compassion. If his odd messaging traces to a desire for more money, those dots connect much easier since he has a non-guaranteed salary of $10 million for 2026-27.

But he is stuck.

The Nuggets have all the leverage. And frankly, they would likely not be interested in reworking his contract because having him on a one-year deal helps them better handle a Christian Braun extension that should be coming in the next few days or months.

We don’t know exactly what Valanciunas is thinking. Earlier this week, he reported to training camp for the Lithuanian National Team, which will play in EuroBasket 2025 in August. When asked about his future with the Nuggets, he replied, “When I am sure, I will talk about everything.”

Let’s be clear: The Nuggets were surprised by this drama, regardless of their public posture. Ben Tenzer and John Wallace, the Nuggets’ co-general managers, would have driven an Uber to Sacramento to unload Saric’s contract. But for all of the pieces to fit on this improved roster, it requires Valanciunas. Not push back. Or buyouts.

Tenzer told the Nuggets’ flagship station, Altitude 92.5 FM, that he “absolutely” expects Valanciunas to play for Denver, adding, “We had indications that he was going to honor that contract. We were never worried about anything going on out there (in Greece) to be honest.”

This is the appropriate messaging, even if some apprehension remains in the building. Tenzer and Wallace must navigate this carefully. Show no weaknesses. Demonstrate nuance. They have to make it clear through back channels how much they want Valanciunas, explaining that Adelman has a clear vision for his role, one that will include running the offense through him with the second unit while carving out 20 minutes per night.

Valanciunas has long been an inspiration in his country and respected for his work ethic and professionalism. The Nuggets must lean into this, remind the center of his stellar reputation. Does Valanciunas really want to go full Jimmy Butler on Denver?

Again, he’s stuck.

Valanciunas’ only play is to throw a tantrum, start missing meetings and force a suspension. Those are things reserved for the likes of Butler and DeMarcus Cousins. Does Valanciunas have the stomach to be a malcontent?

The Nuggets have to be willing to find out.

Everything about Valanciunas suggests that once the season starts, he will roll up his sleeves and play hard. He ranks eighth among active players in rebounds. That is a hustle stat, a reflection of a player who cares.

So, yeah, maybe he isn’t crazy about playing for his sixth team in seven years. And backing up Jokic is not exactly glamorous after starting 82 games two seasons ago.

It stinks. But he’s stuck. And you know what doesn’t suck? Winning a championship.

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Did Sacramento know about the Jonas Valanciunas/Europe situation when they made the trade? The whole thing seems shady from that end.

— Andrew, Denver

Thanks for starting us off, Andrew. I honestly don’t know for sure how much the Kings did or didn’t know ahead of time. That part definitely remains murky, and I can see how it’s tempting to assume they were stealth-dumping their problem on Denver’s doorstep. But my educated guess is that they couldn’t have known Panathinaikos was lurking. Why would they have made the trade if they did? The whole purpose of the deal for them was to shed salary. There is no other justification for trading a sturdy, dependable backup center for one who played 16 underwhelming games last season.

By turning Valanciunas into Dario Saric, the Kings saved about $4.7 million in cap space for 2025-26. If they had known Valanciunas was yearning for the beaches of Greece (or the increase in guaranteed money), they could have hypothetically reached a contract buyout agreement instead of trading him. Sacramento would’ve had the same leverage that Denver now has, except with actual incentive to release him from his NBA contract.

There’s no telling exactly how that would’ve played out — maybe the Kings felt that trading him was the safer outcome than risking a failed buyout negotiation — but if Valanciunas earnestly wants to play overseas and would’ve willingly forfeited his entire salary, Sacramento could’ve conceivably saved $10.4 million in cap space. That’s more than twice what was saved by taking on Saric’s contract.

Bennett, love your reporting. My question is about Christian Braun. He improved by leaps and bounds last year. What do you think he’ll do this year?

— AJ, Aurora

How much do you think Christian Braun will get paid on his next contract?

— David, Denver

The salary cap is expected to increase by only 7% in 2026-27, which could rain on the Braun extension parade a bit. I do expect the Nuggets and him to get a deal done while he’s eligible this offseason, but the number will be interesting.

Bleacher Report’s Eric Pincus recently projected four years and $94 million for an average annual value of $23.5 million. That might be on the low end, though. Spotrac’s Keith Smith projected Braun to be one of only five players in the 2022 draft class to eclipse $30 million annually on his second contract (at four years and $120 million), along with Paolo Banchero, Chet Holmgren, Jalen Williams and Walker Kessler. ESPN front office insider Bobby Marks also offered a valuation of “at least $30 million per year,” but that was notably when the cap was expected to increase by a larger percentage.

Due diligence for the Nuggets is to negotiate. They’re already on the hook for at least $171.6 million in 2026-27, spread across five contracts — even after they improved their cap sheet with the Michael Porter Jr. trade.

If Braun’s salary does exceed $30 million, the 2026-27 starting lineup plus Zeke Nnaji will cost more than $200 million, with the second apron estimated to be $222.4 million. That doesn’t account for Peyton Watson’s possible extension, Jonas Valanciunas’ non-guaranteed salary and four rookie-scale contracts with team options on them. It’s very much within the realm of possibility that Denver ends up with a second-apron payroll and multiple roster spots still open.

Braun is already a versatile and valuable player with room to keep improving. His screen navigation as a lead defensive guard is on an upward trajectory. On offense, he can boost his 3-point shooting reputation by maintaining his efficiency at higher volume — and by punishing defenses that ignore him in the playoffs more than he did this year. I don’t believe that his on-ball ability is fully developed yet, either. The foundation of who he is as a player is established, but there are supporting layers he can add.

If one thing’s clear after last season, it’s that Braun is highly committed to making those strides. Denver should want him to be part of its long-term future alongside Nikola Jokic, who’s an advocate for the young guard. One way to possibly get Braun’s AAV down could be to offer him five years for a higher total dollar amount.

For reference, 2021 draftees Jalen Suggs (Orlando) and Jalen Johnson (Atlanta) both signed five-year extensions last offseason for $150 million, when the cap was lower. Is Braun in that same class of player? Is his ceiling higher or lower? His floor? Several angles to consider when evaluating what percentage of the cap he’s worth.

Hey Bennett, what’s the rotation going to look like this year? We picked up so many pieces that our depth looks amazing on paper. I have a starting five of Nikola Jokic, Aaron Gordon, Cam Johnson, Jamal Murray and Christian Braun. And then we could play Bruce Brown, Tim Hardaway Jr., Jonas Valanciunas, Peyton Watson, Julian Strawther and Jalen Pickett. That’s 11 guys deep.

— Mike, Denver

“You really would like to have a long rotation to start the season,” David Adelman told The Denver Post in Las Vegas, “and then let things play out as they will.”

I think the first-year head coach is likely to tinker with that rotation a lot throughout the regular season. It’s difficult to assess exactly how much depth the Nuggets have at this point (you never know who might have a down season or injury), but what they indisputably do have is an abundance of options. You’d like to think that at least one of Strawther or Hardaway will be an effective backup shooting guard, whereas you were holding your breath last season that Strawther could be consistently dependable in that role as an NBA sophomore.

The same goes for the architecture of the frontcourt. Watson can theoretically play more on the wing than in previous years, but he could also provide reinforcements at the four if Holmes struggles to find his footing. Or Holmes can slide to the five when Denver gives Jokic a night off and Valanciunas starts. Not everything is going to work, but the Nuggets should have enough moving parts to gracefully navigate the ideas that don’t.

I wouldn’t be shocked to see all 11 of the players you mentioned in the opening-night rotation, but that could eventually morph into an arrangement where nine or 10 guys play every game, with the ninth and 10th spots dependent on the matchup or the hot hand.

Bennett, I know it makes sense financially for Jokic to delay extension talks until next year, but should we be worried about him joining Luka in L.A. at all?

— Ashley, Golden

The reality of the NBA is that anytime a player of Jokic’s pedigree chooses not to extend with his current team, it’s going to be fodder for speculation. The talk show segments and greedy Laker fans are kind of unavoidable, even in cases like this where the financial incentive to decline an extension is pretty obvious.

The Luka trade taught me to never say the word “impossible” about a hypothetical transaction. But my advice would be that it’s pointless to live in fear of losing a player who’s never given any indication he wants to leave. I think it would take a pretty disastrous season in Denver for Jokic to consider turning down the extension next summer. Even if the Nuggets fall short again in the playoffs, their recent coaching, front office and roster moves have sent a clear message that they’re not treating their superstar’s prime with complacency.

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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.

Subscribe to the podcast

SoundCloud | iTunes | Spotify | YouTube Music | RSS

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

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Jonas Valanciunas is officially a Nugget, and Dario Saric is officially a King, despite a seemingly ill-fated attempt to intervene by the Greek club Panathinaikos. When the Nuggets agreed to the trade, Valanciunas was already mulling a three-year contract from the EuroLeague powerhouse — an offer that would require him to be released from his NBA contract with cooperation from Denver.

One problem: Denver had already been celebrating the Valanciunas acquisition internally. The 33-year-old Lithuanian big man is an ideal fit to anchor the second unit and shoulder a heavier load than Nikola Jokic’s previous backup centers. The team has made it clear behind the scenes that Valanciunas is expected to honor his contract, while also understanding that efforts must be made to help him feel comfortable and content with the idea of spending at least a year in Denver.

He’s owed $10.4 million for the upcoming 2025-26 season, and he has a non-guaranteed salary of $10 million for 2026-27, the last year of his NBA contract.

In league circles, Valanciunas is widely respected for his professionalism. How he navigates this situation publicly will be telling, as uncertainty lingers regarding how he’ll feel as the NBA season draws closer. During a series of otherwise cryptic comments in Lithuania last week, he said he was planning to travel to Denver and meet with the team at some point. However, the timing of that trip is unclear because he also reported to his national team’s training camp this week ahead of the EuroBasket tournament.

“When I am sure, I’ll definitely let you know,” he said on Monday about his future, according to BasketNews.

Considering Denver’s stance, other major developments seem unlikely until Valanciunas himself is willing to speak more directly.

And so it’s business as usual from the Nuggets’ perspective. They’re operating under the expectation that Valanciunas will be on the court for them in October, when the season begins. He was just one piece of their sprawling offseason puzzle, a series of moves that added depth and flexibility to David Adelman’s rotation, plus a handful of new assistant coaches.

Adelman spoke briefly with The Denver Post on Sunday at the NBA’s Las Vegas Summer League, offering insight on Valanciunas and the second unit.

The Valanciunas ‘point center’ concept

Adelman shared on an ESPN broadcast last week that he envisions Valanciunas as a “point center” in Denver — an odd label at surface level considering his career average of 1.4 assists per game. The first-year Nuggets coach provided some clarification on what that means to him Sunday.

“He’s a bona fide, big-time center over the last decade who you can put in a bunch of different spots all over the floor,” Adelman told The Post. “And when I say ‘point center,’ I mean someone you can play through in the half-court. I don’t envision him getting a rebound and pushing the ball up. I do think some of the things we already do (work with him): playing five-out with back-side dribble handoffs, playing off the elbows, posting him up against smaller lineups, his ability to make others better.

“It’s not the assist numbers that matter to me. It’s his ability to start ball movement through the impact of who he is. So he’s an enormous get. I’m super excited about getting him here, getting him acclimated.”

Second unit ‘open competition’

When asked if he’s thought up any lineups to put around Valanciunas yet, Adelman said “I think it’s way too early,” stressing that bench minutes are up for grabs.

“Those guys have to compete for spots. That’s new guys included. They all know that,” he said. “We’re very excited about some of the things those guys have done through their careers. We expect them to come to compete like they’ve done, and there’s a reason they’ve all played in rotations across the league. But this is going to be an open competition. I hope our young guys understand that. … And all those guys will complement Jonas. It’s gonna be the guys who earn these spots that get to play with him.”

The Nuggets have signed Bruce Brown and Tim Hardaway Jr. to veteran minimum contracts to bolster a mostly young bench.

“I think it just gets you through the season to have more depth. I think the young guys that end up getting on the court, you hope there’s a combination of youth and the experience that we’ve gained,” Adelman said. “But again, all that’s earned. And this is only July. Right now, guys should be working to earn those spots, earn those minutes. And then I think the combinations take care of themselves. That’s how you find out what flows well together, what guys will flow well with some of our starters who’ll come back in to play with the second unit. You really would like to have a long rotation to start the season and then let things play out as they will.”

Other notes from Adelman

On whether the Nuggets have a minutes benchmark they want to keep Nikola Jokic under after he was fourth in minutes per game last season: “We know that one of the most important things we have to do next season is take care of him, and make sure that he is the best version of himself if we’re lucky enough to get to that playoff spot. So yeah, it’s a concern. But it needs to be talked about. It needs to be done the right way. That’s what we’re gonna do.”

On differences between Cam Johnson and Michael Porter Jr.: “Both guys in that trade are extremely unique players. … They both shoot the ball really well. I see Cam as a guy that can be in more off-ball actions, which will help us. It alleviates some pressure on the ball-handling. But we’ve always, to have Aaron (Gordon) and Jamal (Murray) and Nikola bring the ball up, and to have a guy like Cam that can go play two-man game will just add in another element, another level to that offense. … Beyond the basketball thing, Michael was a great teammate, and now just talking to Cam last night, great personality. He’s gonna fit in the locker room really well.”

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“I played first, catcher and third. It sounds crazy, but I was actually better at baseball. I played travel ball and really enjoyed it,” Roach told The Post. “I was a power hitter.”

He still is. He has simply replaced a bat with shoulder pads and a helmet.

Roach is a big reason why the Broncos went from being unable to stop a candidate from running for city council to becoming one of the best rush defenses in the NFL.

Denver ranked third in yards allowed and second in yards per carry last season.

“We had to stop the run better. How were we going to do that? We had some pieces in place,” general manager George Paton said. “But signing Malcolm Roach was a huge addition – it could’ve been our best addition in the offseason in free agency.”

Roach, 27, is not well known to fans, but he is impossible to miss inside the locker room or at practice. He has an easy smile, infectious sense of humor and a willingness to dispense justice.

“He brings leadership,” coach Sean Payton said. “And one of his great traits is that he doesn’t have bad days.”

Do the math in your head, hit the plus sign twice for inside linebacker Dre Greenlaw and safety Talanoa Hufanga, and it is easy to see why it adds up to the Broncos having the NFL’s best defense.

Roach isn’t buying it. That title must be earned not given.

“At the end of the day it’s still about having a beginner’s mentality from Day One,” Roach said. “I felt like last year we put in a lot of work to become a good defense. I won’t say great yet. But, we have talent at every level.”

So how do they go from most improved to top of class? It starts off the field. The way Roach sees it, players don’t have to like each other. They have to love each other. It creates ownership, accountability and honest communication.

“You have to really know your teammates. I know there are certain things I can tell D.J. (Jones). We can yell at each other all day like brothers, but the job is going to get done and we will be good. But I know I can’t just go to JFM (John Franklin-Myers) yelling all the time or Zach (Allen) yelling all the time,” Roach said. “You have to put in time to be able to talk to them that way. That is the special thing about this group. We knew that from Day One. We felt that vibe.”

Humility and confidence exist because of defensive coordinator Vance Joseph. He allows personalities to blossom, but stresses the importance of players knowing their roles. Taking his cue from CU legend Bill McCartney, Joseph views “camaraderie as four times more important than the physical traits.”

But can we be honest? This group has eye-opening talent, the most since 2015. It starts with Defensive Player of the Year Pat Surtain, and includes Allen, and edge rushers Nik Bonitto and Jonathon Cooper, whom Roach considers “the best tandem in the league.”

Roach believes this group can “get really scary” if they can consistently generate pressure without blitzing, allowing the secondary to mix in zone coverage. That should translate to more takeaways, forcing quarterbacks to ignore the Do Not Disturb sign Surtain II places on one side of the field.

The Broncos set a franchise-record with 63 sacks last season.

And what happens next could be better? Really?

“Yes, because we are still hungry. We have a lot of young guys who are still unproven,” Roach said. “We have another level we can get to. We know what we can be. But it’s like Coach Payton tells us, ‘Keep your head down and carry a lunch pail.’ If we do that, the results will take care of themselves.”

Roach, who will be a free agent at season’s end, remains a critical component. While most defensive tackles are built like something you have to defrost every two months, Roach plays at 6-foot-3, 290 pounds, his athleticism a reminder of how he once ran the 200-meter dash in high school.

His agility is unique. He dropped into coverage once last season, and he is strong enough to make it difficult for one man to block him. He finished last season with career-highs in tackles (43), tackles for loss (five), sacks (2.5) and quarterback hits (eight).

“I know when I first got here, we had a talk about what had happened (in 2023), and I was like that was unacceptable. I can’t be a part of a group like that,” Roach said. “We were able to talk openly to each other because there is so much respect. We all want each other to be our best.”

Life cannot get much better for Roach. While he recently returned to Baton Rouge, La., to host his Elite Football Camp, he has established roots in Colorado. He stayed here this offseason to train, stressing “that is the culture that has been created.” He also attended Nuggets, Avs and Rockies games, leaving a lasting impression.

“The city supports you, you really feel they are behind you. You can tell they want winners around here,” Roach said. “You have (Nikola) Jokic in basketball, Pat Surtain and Bo Nix in football, (Nate) MacKinnon with the Avs and Ezequiel Tovar is an up-and-coming star for the Rockies. I love it here. I sit home and call my parents and tell them, ‘I don’t want to leave Denver.'”

There is unfinished business for Roach and this defense. Getting good was never the goal.

“We are really motivated because last year showed us that we can do this. We’ve got a good squad together. Like coach said, ‘We are entering the start of our window.’ We’ve seen what we have in 10 (Bo Nix). He’s one of the best in the league and only going to get better. And we know what we’ve got upfront,” Roach said. “But we haven’t done anything yet. We have to keep putting in that work.”

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In an appearance on ESPN’s Summer League broadcast, Adelman shared his belief that Valanciunas can operate as a point center for Denver next season, replicating some of Nikola Jokic’s role as a hub for the offense.

The Nuggets expect Valanciunas to honor his NBA contract and play for them next season, league sources have told The Denver Post, despite his strong interest in an offer from the Greek EuroLeague club Panathinaikos that coincided with Denver trading for him. Valanciunas told reporters in his native Lithuania this week that he plans to travel to Denver this summer once the trade is made official.

When they agreed to that trade with Sacramento on July 1, the Nuggets were unaware of the situation brewing in Europe, which jeopardized their backup center arrangement several days after the NBA’s window to negotiate with free agents opened.

But with Dario Saric’s $5.4 million salary being sent out in the trade, Denver had incentive to go through with it even if the Valanciunas acquisition ended up falling apart. That scenario would’ve likely involved him forfeiting his entire $10.4 million salary for next season, an outcome that would have saved the Nuggets some cap space.

But at this stage, all signs point to Valanciunas being in Denver when the 2025-26 NBA season begins. Especially now that Adelman has outlined a role for him.

“Point center. You can play combo guards. You don’t need a lead point guard (in lineups with him),” Adelman said. “You can play five-out offense, play off the elbow, post him up. He’s such a skilled player. … He shoots the ball better than most people realize. So that’s how I envision him. I think you have multiple combination guards. You can get away with that with a guy like that.”

The Nuggets have indeed positioned themselves this offseason with more secondary ball-handlers who aren’t traditional point guards or who double in other roles. Bruce Brown and Tim Hardaway Jr. both meet that description, in addition to incumbent shooting guards Julian Strawther and Christian Braun.

Valanciunas obviously is not known for having a tight handle at 6-foot-11, but if the Nuggets run dribble handoffs through him on the perimeter or various actions playing off of him at the elbow, they’ll automatically limit the amount of dribbling on those possessions.

As for the Lithuanian big man’s jump shot? It’s a weapon he’s happy to deploy, but Denver shouldn’t want to rely on it too much outside of the midrange. In the last two seasons, Valanciunas is 28.7% from the 3-point line.

Panathinaikos owner Dimitris Giannakopoulos seemed to accept defeat Friday in a series of comments made on Instagram, according to a report by Eurohoops: “We want to sign him. He wants to come to us. But if his team doesn’t say yes, what can we do? There are some things that aren’t in our hand.”

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