Denver Searching For a Big Man Big Time
The Denver Nuggets are making big steps to land the services of a legitimate big man in the middle, as the frantic free agency period continues in the NBA. Even with a roster that is already considered ‘dangerous,’ Denver’s search for the player who will fill the hole in the middle goes on.
Outside looking in, one may perceive the Denver Nuggets as a minor roster tweak or two from finally getting over their previous failures. For one, the Nuggets have a proven superstar and pure scorer in Carmelo Anthony. The arrival of Chauncey Billups bolstered the Nuggets’ bid for playoff success after a string of first-round exits. In Nene, the Nuggets are able to go down low and convert when it counted. In Kenyon Martin, Denver has a multi-dimensional defender that can block shots well, shut down the post, and close off the passing lanes.
Off the bench, the Nuggets enjoy instant offense whenever J.R. Smith comes in.
The slow but steady build of the squad has reaped its benefits, with Denver destroying the New Orleans Hornets and the Dallas Mavericks to enter the Conference Finals.
Despite their failure to progress in the playoffs after their loss in Game 6 of the Western Conference Finals, the Nuggets have shown that they are indeed perennial title contenders.
In fact, should the Nuggets field the same line up in the upcoming NBA season, they are still likely to be one of the top teams in the Western Conference.
But if they are to make a serious threat to the domination of the Los Angeles Lakers, then a slight squad shake-up is in order. One or two moves during the free agency period could catapult this team to the top of the Western Conference.
The main area to be addressed is in the middle. Denver simply needs to beef up its frontcourt.
Yes, Martin and Nene can hold their own down low, but a legitimate center can seriously increase their chances next year. But if the duo gets into foul trouble, then it could spell doom for Denver.
Make no mistake about it—their replacements off the bench are no pushovers. Chris Andersen, the aging Malik Allen, and Johan Petro are still options, but Denver cannot expect them to clean the deck against the likes of Amar’e Stoudemire, Lamar Odom and Pau Gasol.
Denver simply has to take a chance and dip into the slim pickings of serviceable big men on the free agent market.
Options will be limited due to Denver’s lack of cap space—but they can still get a good big man, while getting a bang for their buck.
Brendan Haywood and Jermaine O’Neal are out of the question. Haywood has decided to stay with the Mavericks, agreeing to a six-year $55 million dollar deal. O’Neal opted to sign with the Boston Celtics, agreeing to a two-year $5.7 million deal.
But there’s still Theo Ratliff. He may no longer be in his prime, and is a poor rebounder for a center, but this big man could block and alter shots at the rim. A move on Ratliff will allow Nene to stay in the power forward position, where he is most comfortable. And most of all, it will come at a cheap price.
Denver can also look at Kwame Brown, a man who has legitimate center size. But Brown has been billed as an underachiever since being selected first overall in the 2001 draft.
The best choice for Denver is probably Erick Dampier. He is nearly 7 feet, strong, and still adept at protecting the rim. Never mind that he lacks scoring ability-- Nene would offset that. The important thing is that the Nuggets will be able to form a formidable frontcourt.
In Denver’s case, it doesn’t have to be a dominant big man. A bit player is all that is needed. Definitely, it’s Dampier for Denver.
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