Nuggets Ink

In the latest Nuggets Ink podcast, beat writer Mike Singer is joined by deputy sports editor Matt Schubert to talk about Singer's time at the Nuggets' training camp in San Diego and storylines that have emerged over the past two weeks. Among the topics discussed...

+ Is the Bones Hyland hype real? Could Nuggets head coach Michael Malone give real minutes to a rookie? What does the VCU product, a +8,000 underdog for rookie of the year, need to do to find a spot in Denver's crowded backcourt?

+ Will Bol Bol finally appease the masses and make his long-awaited debut as a rotation staple? What's the story behind his reported attitude change? What happened that produced a more focused player ahead of camp?

+ What is the Nuggets' place in the Western Conference ahead of the 2021-22 NBA season? With Jamal Murray's return date unknown, what are reasonable expectations for this team?

+ Is this conference still the Lakers' to lose? Who should come out of the East? Does Kyrie Irving's bizarre behavior put the Nets at risk of squandering their real chance for an NBA title?

In the latest Nuggets Ink podcast, Nuggets guard Austin Rivers joins host Mike Singer in San Diego during the team's preseason training camp to discuss his winding NBA career. Rivers opens up about a basketball journey that has seen him go from YouTube sensation and heralded Duke recruit to league journeyman. Now 29 years old and on his sixth NBA franchise, and second season with the Nuggets, Rivers is a league veteran who values his opportunity with a team he believes has championship potential.

Producer: AAron Ontiveroz

Music: "Follow the Leader" The Trujillo Company

In the latest Nuggets Ink podcast, beat writer Mike Singer is joined by Kyle Fredrickson in the wake of Nuggets Media day and the news that Michael Porter Jr. and Denver had agreed to a five-year max contract extension. Among the topics discussed:

+ Did Nuggets brass make the right call giving Porter a five-year extension that could be worth as much as $207 million. What was it that convinced them MPJ is a max contract player? What does the timing of the agreement say about the relationship between Porter and the franchise? What does this mean for the Nuggets going forward?

+ Speaking on Monday, Bol Bol appeared to embrace the idea that he needs to be a more mature, consistent player. How encouraging were his responses to questions at Media Day? Is there still hope that the third-year player can be a long-term piece of the puzzle for the Nuggets? What must happen for him to finally break through? Is the clock ticking on his time in Denver?

+ Jamal Murray spoke for the first time since tearing his ACL on April 12 at Golden State. What are the main takeaways from his comments Monday? How encouraged should Nuggets fans be in spite of there being no timeline for Murray's return? How realistic is it to expect him to play this season?

+ The Nuggets and Singer are headed to San Diego. What is the pulse of the team with the season about to begin?

In the first Nuggets Ink podcast of the 2021-22 season, head coach Michael Malone and team president Tim Connelly join beat writer Mike Singer and columnist Mark Kiszla for a discussion before the start of training camp. Among the topics discussed:

+ Where are things at with Michael Porter Jr.'s potential contract extension? Is the team optimistic something can get worked out prior to the season? How has the young forward developed within the Nuggets' team-first culture? How has Malone's relationship with Porter grown through the years?

+ How is rehab going for Jamal Murray? Is the team hopeful he will be able to see the floor by the end of the season? What was the scene like in the locker room in the immediate aftermath of Murray's season-ending ACL injury last spring?

+ What more can be asked of Nikola Jokic after he just submitted the first NBA MVP season in franchise history? What has his mindset been during this offseason? Time to relax or push even harder?

+ How important was it to the team to lock up Aaron Gordon to a long-term contract? What did he show Malone and Connelly during his brief time in Denver last spring that convinced them he was an important piece of the Nuggets' championship future?

+ What do Malone and Connelly see as the formula to the team's unprecedented success during the past three seasons? How much of that can be attributed to luck? And how much is it about the franchise's strong organizational structure?

+ During a live question-and-answer session, one audience member asks: What does Bol Bol have to do to get on the floor more consistently.

In the latest edition of the Nuggets Ink podcast, Mike Singer and Matt Schubert check in two games into the Nuggets-Trail Blazers playoff series with things all tied up at 1-1 and Game 3 set for Thursday night. Among the topics discussed:

+ Michael Malone broke the glass in Game 2, calling on Aaron Gordon to take the emergency defensive assignment on Damian Lillard. How much more of that should we expect to see as the series goes on? Did Malone play the Gordon card earlier in the series than he wanted to?

+ The Nuggets have received significant contributions from the bench, from a big Game 2 performance from Paul Millsap to Markus Howard's surprise role in both games. Is this sustainable? When might Denver get reinforcements in the way of Will Barton and P.J. Dozier?

+ Nikola Jokic has had all of six assists combined in the first two games of the series — or two below his per game average during the regular season. How big of a deal is this for the Nuggets? And what can they do to open things up a bit more for the preternatural passer?

+ Things got chippy in Game 2, with plenty of jawing, fake fights and flopping between the Nuggets and Blazers. What is it about these two teams that brings out the nastiness? How has this become such a contentious rivalry?

+ The Nuggets just increased capacity for home playoff games, going past 10,000 for Game 5. How close was the atmosphere inside Ball Arena for Games 1 and 2 to typical playoff games? And how worried should Malone be about how his playoff newbies will respond to hitting the road for the first time in the postseason.

In the latest edition of the Nuggets Ink podcast, Mike Singer and Matt Schubert check in with Denver closing in on one of the top four seeds in the Western Conference playoffs. Among the topics discussed:

+ Another week has produced another injury in the Denver backcourt. Why do the Basketball Gods hate the Nuggets? How will this affect rotations going forward? What are potential scenarios for Denver's backcourt come playoff time?

+ How will things shake out in the front court between Paul Millsap, JaMychal Green and JaVale McGee? Are there enough minutes to go around? Which one of those players is sitting come playoff time?

+ Speaking of the playoffs, who are the Nuggets hoping to see in the first round between the L.A. Lakers, Dallas Mavericks and Portland Trail Blazers?

+ Is Aaron Gordon doing enough offensively? Is it time for him to start asserting himself more on the offensive end of the floor? Or would that take away from him defensive contributions?

+ Michael Porter Jr. has taken things up a notch in the wake of Jamal Murray's season-ending ACL tear. Just how much ceiling does MPJ have left? How much are all of those teams who passed on him in the 2018 NBA draft regretting not snatching him up when they had a chance? Is it possible MPJ will be the Nuggets' No. 2 option when Murray returns next season?

+ Is there any way someone other than Nikola Jokic is named MVP this season? Is the award already in the bag with just two weeks to go in the regular season?

In the latest edition of the Nuggets Ink podcast, Mike Singer is joined by ESPN's Brian Windhorst to discuss all things Nikola Jokic and why he still has Philadelphia's Joel Embiid atop his MVP rankings. Among the topics discussed:

+ Why Windhorst and fellow ESPN reporters Tim Bontemps and Tim MacMahon were all "in their feelings" during a contentious MVP debate last week on the Hoop Collective podcast.

+ Why Jokic's availability shouldn't be overlooked in comparison to Embiid's 18 games missed.

+ Whether Jokic is an acquired taste among casual NBA fans and how much of that the Serbian star has brought on himself. Does the NBA have a starpower problem?

+ What are the implications of Jamal Murray's injury for the Nuggets in both the long- and short-term?

+ Will Michael Porter Jr. command a max salary when he comes up for free agency?

+ Windhorst shares some of his favorite stories from Michael Malone's days in Cleveland as an assistant coach for the Cavaliers — back when he was known as "Mike."

+ How a wedding gift from Singer to Windhorst ended up in Oklahoma City general manager Sam Presti's office.

In the latest edition of the Nuggets Ink podcast, Mike Singer and The Athletic's Sam Amick break down all angles of the Jamal Murray injury. Among the topics discussed:

+ When Murray went down with 50 seconds left in the Golden State game, Amick didn't want to believe it was as bad as it looked. He didn't even want to focus on the potential injury when Steph Curry had just made history for the Warriors.

+ Why did Murray's torn ACL have a more profound impact on Amick than other similar injuries? How do journalists toe the line between objectivity and building a relationship with a player? Why do journalists root for the people in the NBA and not necessarily the teams they play for?

+ What are the immediate implications of Murray's injury this season and what does success look like from Denver's perspective in the postseason?

+ What impact will Murray's injury have heading into next season, and when can we expect his return? Would Murray's status alter free agent decisions for Will Barton, JaMychal Green or Paul Millsap? How does the Aaron Gordon trade factor into the Nuggets' championship window?

+ The best-case scenario for Murray might be Bulls superstar Zach LaVine. The worst-case might be former MVP Derrick Rose.

What does Murray's injury do to Nikola Jokic's MVP chances?

+ Amick and Singer break down their favorite memories from working together at USA Today, including the great Gordon Hayward free agent debacle.

In the latest edition of the Nuggets Ink podcast, Mike Singer and Matt Schubert check in with the trade deadline just 24 hours away. Among the topics discussed:

+ The Nuggets are on a roll, winning nine of their last 11 games. Is this really the time to be shopping for a deal? Should executive Tim Connelly be worried about messing with team chemistry?

+ Does Lakers star LeBron James' high ankle sprain factor into the front office's thinking around the deadline? Is there now an increased urgency to improve the roster with a path to the title seemingly widening?

+ Does Denver have the assets to entice other teams? What might those assets be? And who might other teams covet on the Nuggets roster?

+ Who are the possible targets for the Nuggets? We break down five names (Aaron Gordon, Harrison Barnes, JaVale McGee, Lonzo Ball and Kenrich Williams) and rank them in order of likelihood and team fit. Then Matt Schubert offers up a wish list of his own.

+ With LeBron and Joel Embiid now on the shelf, and voters unlikely to vote for Giannis Antetokounmpo a third consecutive year, is Nikola Jokic now the front runner for MVP?

In the latest edition of the Nuggets Ink podcast, Mike Singer and Matt Schubert check in after Denver absolutely destroyed the Charlotte Hornets on Wednesday night. Among the topics discussed:

+ Michael Porter Jr. appears to be ascending toward stardom. What has happened over the past month that has led to his consistently productive play? Has he found his spot at the four? Could we ever get to the point that he's the No. 2 on the Nuggets' Big Three of Nikola Jokic, Jamal Murray and MPJ?

+ Jamal Murray was open and honest with reporters about his desire to get away from basketball during the All-Star break. What does that say about Jamal? What does that say about his season? How much does that explain his uneven start following the break?

+ Facundo Campazzo is starting to look awfully comfortable with the second unit. Has the Argentinian sensation found his role? Is he here to stay in Michael Malone's rotation? Who else has Facu Fever?

+ Don't look now, but everyone's favorite punching bag, Will Barton, has returned to form. Is it time for Nuggets fans to appreciate what they have in Thrill? Is this all a result of him finally being healthy again?

+ The trade deadline is one week away, and the franchise is sending out mixed signals about its plans. Given how the team is playing, does it make sense for them to make a move? Who are some of the names the Nuggets might be interesting in?

+ Joel Embiid is injured. LeBron James and the Lakers are coming back to the pack. Nobody seems to want to give Giannis Antetokounmpo a third straight MVP. Could things be opening up for the Joker?