The 2024-25 NBA season is soon approaching, and in preparation for that we’ve been looking at the biggest questions facing all 30 teams around the league. Going division by division, we looked at every team, wondering if the Celtics will repeat as champions, if the Lakers will finally make a trade and if the Knicks will be in need of more depth. For a deeper dive on all of those divisions you can find them here:
For the final installment we’re finishing up with the Northwest division, where a trio of teams here could all be the representative from the West in the NBA Finals next June. The Nuggets lost another key piece from their championship season, will a young player be able to fill those shoes? The Thunder had an incredibly successful offseason; will they live up to the expectations? And will Minnesota be able to rely on a young rookie who the team spent a future first-round pick to get? Some of these questions may not get answered until the end of the season, or even a couple years from now, but they’re worth thinking about as the 2024-25 season nears.
Aside from a max contract extension for Jamal Murray and watching a pivotal piece from their 2023 championship team leave for Orlando, the Nuggets did nothing to substantially upgrade the roster this summer. They re-signed Deandre Jordan, who played in two playoff games last season, and added Dario Saric and Russell Westbrook. Saric and Westbrook can both bring some value off the bench, but neither figure to be difference makers that can change a playoff series. Like several teams handicapped with expensive contracts, the second tax apron clearly spooked the Nuggets enough to not want to pay Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, and by not going out and finding a replacement for the 3-and-D veteran, that means the Nuggets are hoping for a leap from Braun.
Braun has been an impact player off the bench for the Nuggets, and he had impressive moments in the team’s championship run. He took a step forward in his development last season, shooting 38.4% from 3-point range on two attempts per game while…
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