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Denver Nuggets: 2018-19 NBA season preview

By Luke Zahlmann

DENVER, CO - APRIL 5: The Denver Nuggets huddles up before the game against the Minnesota Timberwolves on April 5, 2018 at the Pepsi Center in Denver, Colorado. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2018 NBAE (Photo by Bart Young/NBAE via Getty Images)
DENVER, CO - APRIL 5: The Denver Nuggets huddles up before the game against the Minnesota Timberwolves on April 5, 2018 at the Pepsi Center in Denver, Colorado. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2018 NBAE (Photo by Bart Young/NBAE via Getty Images) /
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(Photo by Justin Tafoya/Getty Images)
(Photo by Justin Tafoya/Getty Images) /

1. A full season of Paul Millsap

Coming into the fold for the Nuggets, Millsap had been to four-straight NBA All-Star games and represented one of the few marquee names in free agency last offseason. Signed to a three-year, $90 million contract with a third-year team option, Millsap added a big name to the Nuggets’ starting lineup.

Unfortunately, he suffered a wrist injury in just the 16th game of the regular season, throwing a wrench into his plans to contribute. After a rehab stint of over three months, Millsap returned to the starting lineup. The addition for the Nuggets proved unfruitful as they were unable to build the requisite chemistry, falling a game short of the playoffs.

Coming into this season, he should be 100 percent healed and ready to go. The 2018-19 campaign serves as a second attempt at a full season for Millsap, with the Nuggets being the beneficiary.

Not only will the team benefit on offense, where Millsap is a career 14.2 points per game scorer, but also on defense where the former Atlanta Hawk has registered a career defensive rating of 103. On a team that was bottom-five in defensive rating last year, Millsap will stand as a huge addition.

The Nuggets will finally be able to run their offense through Jokic and Millsap with the former doing the ball-handling. With a pair of sharpshooting guards on the outside, Denver’s offense should have no problem adapting around Millsap, creating one of the deadlier units in the NBA.

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