The Suns are on the clock.
They don’t have years to build a title contending roster. Not with Kevin Durant closer to the end than the beginning. Denver holds the hardware. Nuggets head coach Michael Malone quoted the great Pat Riley late Monday night after the win. “You go from a nobody to an upstart, upstart to a winner, a winner to a contender, a contender to a champion. And the last step after a champion is to be a dynasty. So we aren’t satisfied”.
It’s impressive how the Nuggets were constructed. This wasn’t a bunch of high draft picks that came together. Jokic was a second round pick. Jamal Murray came out of the lottery as the seventh choice. Kentavious Caldwell-Pope came to Denver via trade. Bruce Brown was signed as a free agent. Aaron Gordon picked up in a deal with Orlando. and Michael Porter Jr. was a mid-first round pick.
Hit on your trades and first round picks. Stay healthy. Get lucky with a second round pick who will be a Hall of Famer. Build a culture that on the outside looks rock solid.
Denver isn’t going away. They’re a young team.
Tough putt for the Suns in their narrow window of opportunity…
Brad Cesmat
