NBA: 30 reasons to be excited for 2019-20 season

10. The continuous rise of the Denver Nuggets

Most contending teams only have so much room to grow, but that isn’t the case with the Denver Nuggets. One of the youngest teams in the league last season, Denver came within a game of the Western Conference Finals despite limited postseason expertise and is now expected to reside in the thick of the playoff picture.

Nikola Jokic was named First-Team All-NBA and witnessed few growing pains against the postseason competition. Jamal Murray‘s standout playoff run netted him a $170 million extension. Neither is even approaching their prime years, yet both are already producing at a level that has the Nuggets soaring far beyond expectations.

It’s not just those two who make the future for Denver so bright. Gary Harris is a promising 3-and-D wing if he can maintain consistent health. Torrey Craig, Monte Morris and Malik Beasley all stood out at one point or another. This isn’t even including the recently acquired Jerian Grant or 2018 first-round pick Michael Porter Jr., who has yet to make his NBA debut.

Without the allure of a big market or the help of a top draft pick, the Nuggets have still managed to field a competitive roster in the now with plenty of room for improvement in the future. They’re far ahead of schedule and there’s no telling what that type of trajectory could mean for the rest of the NBA.