Nuggets Preview Player Chapter: Jokic refuses to renew his contract early and aims at 290 million in 4 years, and he will reach the top of the three double kings in the new season?

Review of last season

Nuggets mainly rotated 7 players last season, among which Porter Jr. and Westbrook have left the team, so we mainly review the performance of the remaining 5 players last season.

Jokic was still at the MVP level last season, playing in 70 regular season games, averaging 36.7 minutes per game, scoring 29.6 points, 12.7 rebounds, 10.2 assists and 1.8 steals, shooting percentage of 57.6% from the field and shooting percentage of 41.7% from three-pointers; 14 playoff games, averaging 40.2 minutes per game, scoring 26.2 points, 12.7 rebounds, 8 assists and 2 steals, shooting percentage of 48.9% and three-point shooting percentage of 38%.

Murray still firmly sits in the second place, playing 67 games in the regular season, averaging 36 minutes per game, scoring 21.4 points, 3.9 rebounds, 6 assists and 1.4 steals, shooting 47.4%, and 39.3% of three-pointers. He played in 14 playoff games, averaging 41.3 minutes per game, scoring 21.8 points, 4.9 rebounds, 5.2 assists and 1.2 steals, shooting 44.4% and three-pointers 35.4%.

As the team's main power forward, Aaron Gordon played 51 regular season games last season, averaging 28.3 minutes per game, scoring 14.7 points, 4.8 rebounds and 3.2 assists, shooting percentage of 53.1% and three-point shooting percentage of 43.6%; in 14 playoff games, averaging 37.2 minutes per game, scoring 16.2 points, 7.6 rebounds and 2.7 assists, shooting 48.5% and three-point shooting percentage of 37.9%.

It is worth mentioning that Gordon became the team's hero twice last season's playoffs. In the first round of G4, he contributed the ultimate buzzer-beating and hit the final score, and in the second round of G1, he scored the final score of the Thunder with three-pointer. After Pope left the team, Braun became the team's starting shooting guard last season, and his data also rose sharply, playing in 79 regular season games, averaging 33.9 minutes per game, scoring 15.4 points, 5.2 rebounds and 2.6 assists, shooting 58% from the field and 39.7% from three-pointers; in 14 playoff games, averaging 38.8 minutes per game, scoring 12.6 points, 6.4 rebounds, 2.4 assists and 1.2 steals, shooting 45.3% and 30% of three-pointers.

Looking back on last season, Braun's scoring, rebounding, assists and three-point shooting percentage were career highs.

Payton Watson finished his third NBA season. Last season, he played as a substitute small forward in the Nuggets, playing 68 regular season games, averaging 24.3 minutes per game, scoring 8.1 points, 3.4 rebounds, 1.4 assists and 1.4 blocks, shooting percentage of 47.7% and 35.3% of three-pointers; in 14 playoff games, averaging 14.2 minutes per game, scoring 4.5 points and 2.9 rebounds, shooting 40.7% and 36.8% of three-pointers. However, Watson's three-point production has not been large so far in his career. He averaged two three-pointers per game last season, which is a career high.

Milestone Outlook

Jokic hits the triple-double king in history. So far in his career, Jokic scored 164 triple-doubles, ranking third in the history triple-doubles list. The top two are Westbrook (203 times) and Big O (181 times). I got to know my teacher scored 34 triple-double last season. It is highly likely that he will surpass Big O in the new season. The suspense is whether he will surpass Westbrook and become the new historical triple-double king.

Currently, he is 39 times behind Westbrook. He wants to surpass him in the new season. He has to score at least 40 triple-doubles, which is very difficult. He has 34 triple-doubles last season, which is already a career high. And this is when Westbrook is staying in place. Westbrook may continue to compete in the new season, and his triple-even may continue to rise, which will make it more difficult for Jokic to surpass.

Jokic unlocked 18,000 points in his career. Currently, his total score in his career is 16,210. He has scored more than 2,000 points per season in the past two seasons, and he is expected to score more than 18,000 points in the new season.

Item worth paying attention to

Gordon's three-pointer. In an interview this summer, Aaron Gordon said that his biggest improvement last season was three-pointers, which is a fact. Gordon averaged 3.4 three-pointers per game last season, with a three-point shooting percentage of 43.6%, both of which were career highs. As the uncrowned king of the slam dunk contest, Gordon's physical fitness is unquestionable. Now the three-pointer has become his powerful weapon, which undoubtedly makes him more powerful on the court.

Braun's output. After Pope left the team, Braun quickly hit the vacancy. Last season, he averaged 15.4 points, 5.2 rebounds and 2.6 assists per game, with a shooting percentage of 58% and 39.7% of three-pointers. The particularly eye-catching one is the score, which is more than doubled compared to the average of 7.4 points in the 23-24 season.

Contract Situation Inventory

The Nuggets, Murray and Gordon have four years left in contracts, including Gordon's last year's player option, and Cameron Johnson and Valan's contracts are two years left. These players have no problem of renewing their contracts for the time being. Worth paying attention to Jokic, Braun and Watson.

Jokic's contract has 3 years left, with the last year being the player option. Denver Post reporter Bennett Durando reported in July this year that Jokic had informed the Nuggets that he would not renew his contract early this offseason and he plans to wait until next summer to negotiate contracts.

The postponement of early renewal until next year, which is mainly based on financial considerations. If the contract with the Nuggets is renewed early this summer, Jokic can renew a contract of up to $212 million for three years. If he waits until next summer, he can renew it for up to $292 million for four years.

Braun is the No. 21 pick in 2022, and the last year left in the rookie contract, and he is eligible to renew his contract early this summer. His performance last season has laid a good foundation for Braun to win a big contract, and he may renew his contract with the Nuggets early this summer. Even if the contract is not renewed in advance, if you maintain your performance last season, even if you become a restricted free agent next summer, you will not have to worry about a fat contract..

Watson is the No. 30 show in 2022 and is also eligible for an early renewal this summer, but his prospects for renewal are not as good as Braun. His prospects for renewal may refer to the Thunder's Aaron Wiggins, who rejected Wiggins' last summer's 2 million team option, and then the two sides signed a new five-year contract of 45 million.

Players worth paying attention to in the new season

Strauser

Strauser

Strauser was the No. 29 pick in 2023, and he is also one of the young players of the Nuggets. In the two years since he entered the league, he has made great progress. He played 65 games last season, averaged 21.3 minutes per game, scored 9 points, 2.2 rebounds and 1.3 assists, shooting percentage of 43.2% and three-point shooting percentage of 34.9%. It was just that it was not reused in the playoffs. It played 9 games last season, averaging 9.8 minutes per game.

Compared with Watson, Strauser has an advantage that his three-point output is greater, and he averaged 4.1 three-point shots per game last season. If he maintains upward momentum and continues to improve in the new season, then the Nuggets will have another option on the outside.

Daron Holmes or Hunter Tyson, who can occupy the position of substitute power forward?

Currently, the Nuggets have a clear first substitute in all positions, Bruce Brown's substitute point guard, Hardaway Jr.'s second substitute, Watson's substitute for the bench, and Valan's substitute center, except for the power forward. Last season, the Nuggets included Najib, Chanchar and Hunter Tyson in the substitute power forward position, but none of these three players were reliable.

Nagy has been playing in the Nuggets for 5 years and has little training potential. Qian Chal has left the team this summer. If he wants to tap the potential internally to solve the problem of substitute power forwards, the two people who hope that the biggest are Tyson and Holmes.

Tyson was the No. 37 pick in 23 years, 2.03 meters tall. He played in 51 regular season games last season, averaged 7.8 minutes per game, scoring 2.6 points and 1.5 rebounds; Holmes was the No. 22 pick last year, 2.08 meters tall. He can play center or big front. The Nuggets chose him last year to train him to become Jokic's substitute, but he tore his right Achilles tendon in July last year and was reimbursed for the season. After a year of recovery, he will officially step on the NBA field in the new season. Teacher Yo now has Varan as a strong substitute, and Holmes may have more room for development in the power forward position in the new season.

Who will become the main substitute in the team's power forward position in the new season is a highlight of the Nuggets' new season.