“Basketball is a great sport. It’s a live thing.” Nikola Jokic said it and I believe it. The day that forces breath back into our lungs after a long offseason is Media Day, even if Nikola Jokic and most of the Denver Nuggets could live without it. “I don’t know why we’re doing it every year.” That’s what Jokic jokingly(?) said about media day, but even so there were some highlights from todays interviews worth detailing. It’s that time again when hope is pure and everyone can win a title, but the Nuggets are a team that takes that hope and goal very seriously now, knowing what it takes to win it and how it feels to fall short after having reached the top of the mountain.

There was plenty of levity to be had today however, from Russell Westbrook getting in his digs at Deandre Jordan over their college battles to Jokic himself reminding us all that he has fun out there in a dead monotone. Some of the moments that stuck out:

– Coach Michael Malone looked a little worn, but was happy to answer any question. He did mention that his goal for his interactions with the front office is not necessarily to get along, but more to provide an extra voice. “Calvin [Booth] and I shouldn’t always agree. If we’re always agreeing, then we’re not really accomplishing what we need to accomplish.” He talked about how he can put blinders on for the game and needs to take a longer view, but that he has always had the support of the front office and ownership and is grateful for it. He then talked about the Spurs dynasty comparisons and how “you want to be remembered as a team that achieved greatness.” Championships are still obviously the goal, and he specifically said that his goal was to move from a top-8 defense last year to being top-3 this year.

Malone mentioned that the starting shooting guard position would be decided by a competition between Julian Strawther and Christian Braun. He talked about Peyton Watson later and in not-so-many words laid out a plan for him at both forward positions, doing some of the things that Aaron Gordon can do and finding a place for himself between actions at the rim and on the perimeter. But from a guard perspective, it looks like Strawther and Braun will be the ones shooting it out, and with Malone saying he thought they had plenty of shooters on the roster I expect those guys to get up more shots than perhaps one would expect in the KCP role.

– Calvin Booth then came out and didn’t add a lot to that. He did mention he felt the Nuggets had a 10 year championship window around Nikola Jokic that started about 5 years ago, with 5 to go. He also said that the Aaron Gordon extension talks could start tomorrow. “Tomorrow is the first day we can formally start negotiations. Hopefully we have some productive conversations with his representation and can find a deal that works for both parties.” Booth also talked up the addition of Dario Saric as the main backup big. “He’s just a really good player… his versatility. I think we’ll have the ability to rest Nikola a little more during the season. He can play with or without Nikola, with or without Aaron Gordon.” When it came to shooting, Booth was adamant that making the most of the best player in the world was more important than simply getting up more threes. With Nikola Jokic shooting so well from 3-16 feet and MPJ being an amazing mid-range shooter, those are not bad shots for Denver.

– Jokic was asked what he thought Christian Braun needed to improve on, and he thought on it for about 10 seconds before listing a bunch of things he does well and then asking him to make better decisions. He didn’t elaborate, but when to shoot vs. when to pass or drive is a crucial decision he will be making as the potential open man as teams have to cover Jokic, Jamal, MPJ and then AG in the dunker spot. The hole in the opposing defense is likely to be Braun until he proves he can and will make those shots, so deciding how best to attack that weakness is going to be crucial for his success, and the proper spacing and functioning of the Jokic offense. Nikola didn’t have a lot else to say of note, though he did call Jamal his “partner in crime” and Jokic reiterated that he loves to play basketball, even if it doesn’t always show on his face.

– Jamal Murray had a media day where he was essentially short and dismissive for the most part, with no real in depth answers to questions. His usual “I’m just here so I don’t get fined” energy with the media was back in full force. What he has to prove is on the court, not in media scrums, but this wasn’t his most loquacious appearance in front of a microphone. He was laughing backstage with Russell Westbrook though, who had a great moment mimicking the blue arrow at him before the picture part of the day started.

– MPJ didn’t have a lot to add but did come in looking huge for Muscle Season. He said he was 236 pounds, and his build reflected that. He looked built for some interior battles for rebounds, maybe not as much for staying slippery on the perimeter. But using him as a backup stretch 4 for this squad could make a ton of sense in the non-Jokic minutes, sandwiched between Watson and Saric to keep that spacing for the bench. He also said he can probably score 20 points a game rather than his normal 17, and I hope Denver gives him the extra few touches to make that happen. Taking the usage pressure off Murray and Jokic would be a nice thing in the regular season, and prep him for better actions in the post-season.

– Speaking of Russ, he WAS quite verbose when talking about his basketball experience, how much he enjoys basketball and is expecting to use his leadership skills here in Denver as well has his competitive spirit. “Just compete,” he said when asked what he would bring to the team. “Play hard. Lead. I have many traits, and leadership is probably the one I enjoy doing most on and off the floor.” A little later he added, “Excuse my language, but I’m here to kick some ass.” Definitely rooting for Russ to do just that. Everyone throughout the day was vocally positive about what Russ would bring, from the young guards to the old guys like Deandre Jordan, but Russ was also positive about his approach and treating this year as an opportunity to learn as well as win.

“This time of year everybody’s gonna say they want to win a championship,” Westbrook said.  “Everybody’s gonna say the same thing. It’s not like live or die, to be honest – I love playing the game of basketball, I love having fun. I love using this platform to do other things, and winning a championship is very difficult, very hard, and a lot of things have to go your way. I think as long as we as a team put our best foot forward we can live with the results. And if that’s a championship, then I’m grateful for that. And if it’s not I’m also grateful for the opportunity to be able to learn through a process that you may not be able to encounter for years.”

 

– Aaron Gordon made it clear he would like to get an extension done with Denver. “It seems like it’s moving in the right direction.” He was also clear that he felt disrespected by the snub from the USA Basketball Olympics team and enjoyed Jokic putting a scare into them, though he did say he was rooting for the USA. He also had a lot of good things to say about Dario Saric and how he would suprise Denver fans. And then he had this wonderful quote about what inspires him and how much he is working to make sure Nikola Jokic’s time in the NBA is maximized. Mr. Nugget indeed.

 

All in all it was a very full day with far to much for just one post to expand on it all, so look for further features this week as the Nuggets kick off training camp and prepare to travel to Abu Dhabi, capital of the United Arab Emirates to play their first pair of preseason games against the Boston Celtics!