Exit Survey: 3 goals for the wounded Denver Nuggets
By Luke Duffy
3 goals for the wounded Denver Nuggets: 3. Find a temporary co-star
It is of real importance for the Nuggets to find a legitimate co-star for Jokic. Murray was that player, and he might still be, but there needs to be a backup plan. If you look at some of the other fringe contenders in the league, they have done a good job of unearthing players who can help them during the playoffs.
The Philadelphia 76ers are one such example. Seemingly out of nowhere, Tyrese Maxey rose to become probably their second most important player after Joel Embiid. This includes James Harden, who is not going to be given an easy go of it by Father Time as the years pass (unlike the suddenly ageless Al Horford).
Do the Nuggets have one of these guys in their ranks already? Could Bones Hyland come back next year and take a significant leap forward, just as Maxey did for the 76ers this year? The rookie point guard had a nice showing during the regular season and in the playoffs, saw nearly 18 minutes of action a night.
A young and exciting floor general to put beside Jokic (and hopefully Murray) would go some way to strengthening their depth. Aaron Gordon is already in place, with his defensive skills still being overlooked by some, despite doing the same while a member of the Orlando Magic.
Hyland showed some nice defensive flashes as well, and given that defending to a high level isn’t what Jokic and Murray are about, it would be a great compliment to the group if Hyland could continue to improve in that area.
He shot over 34 percent from deep in their brief postseason run, and over 36 percent during the regular season, which is a nice place to start if Hyland wants to one day be a starter and ascend to an important cog around Jokic.