After early-season concerns, the Denver Nuggets have rounded into form and are currently tied for second in the West. While the Nuggets have been carried by Nikola Jokic, they have gotten strong play from Jamal Murray, averaging 27.2 points and 5.8 assists in his last 10 games.
Having Murray actually play like a star is huge for Denver, but so is the reemergence of a surprising player. Zeke Nnaji was an afterthought entering the season with him out of the rotation and his contract being seen as a big negative.
However, he has emerged from Mike Malone's doghouse and has played surprisingly well of late. Particularly on the defensive end, which has helped him start to live up to the 4-year, $32 million contract that was seen as an albatross for the over-the-apron Nuggets.
After many thought that the Nuggets would have to attach an asset to get him traded to another team, he has given them capable minutes of late, which was a bonus that few saw coming.
Keith beat me to this but yes Nnaji has been genuinely useful of late -- arguably defended DDR better than any other Nugget last night, and helped key a 12-2 *non-Jokic* run to start 4th that turned the game around. https://t.co/EAFyWZvwU1
— John Hollinger (@johnhollinger) March 6, 2025
The Zeke Nnaji renaissance really is one of the best stories of the season. https://t.co/2xBLOs9TX5
— Kevin O'Connor (@KevinOConnorNBA) March 6, 2025
Is Zeke Nnaji turning into an asset for the Denver Nuggets?
Nnaji being able to contribute at all is a nice turn of events after he was out of their rotation. He may not yet be worth the $8 million annual salary they pay him, but he is no longer a dead salary either.
Malone can count on him to come in and play solid defense and even task him with guarding the opposing team's best wing without getting cooked on that end of the floor. Whether that trust will extend into the playoffs is less certain, but having him soak up regular season minutes is at least useful on a team that doesn't have as much depth as it perhaps should.
While his role with the team going forward is still far from a certainty, he may not be as much of a lost cause as many had written him off to be. Even so, he still has a ways to go before he can fully live up to the amount that he's being paid annually, with him still lagging behind his $8-plus million price tag.
All in all, Nnaji has provided the Nuggets with good minutes of late after previously having been out of the rotation. Whether that can continue in the playoffs is a question mark, but getting positive contributions from Nnaji is still great news for Denver.