Fansided

5 teams that got worse during 2020 NBA free agency

By Bryan Toporek

Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images
Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
5 of 6
Next
SACRAMENTO, CALIFORNIA – NOVEMBER 30: Buddy Hield #24 of the Sacramento Kings is fouled by Jerami Grant #9 of the Denver Nuggets in overtime at Golden 1 Center on November 30, 2019 in Sacramento, California. 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. (Photo by Lachlan Cunningham/Getty Images)
SACRAMENTO, CALIFORNIA – NOVEMBER 30: Buddy Hield #24 of the Sacramento Kings is fouled by Jerami Grant #9 of the Denver Nuggets in overtime at Golden 1 Center on November 30, 2019 in Sacramento, California. 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. (Photo by Lachlan Cunningham/Getty Images) /

2. Denver Nuggets

The Detroit Pistons were a perpetual thorn in the Denver Nuggets’ side this offseason.

Shortly after free agency began, ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reported the Pistons had agreed to a three-year, $25 million deal with Mason Plumlee, who served as the primary backup behind Nuggets All-Star center Nikola Jokic last season. A few hours later, Shams Charania of The Athletic reported Jerami Grant would join his former Nuggets teammate in Detroit after agreeing to a three-year, $60 million deal with the Pistons.

Considering the going rate for backup centers, the Nuggets likely would have been able to replace Plumlee without losing too much sleep. Grant’s departure was far more painful, particularly considering they reportedly offered him the same amount of money, per Nuggets beat writer T.J. McBride.

The Nuggets had strangely awful on/off splits with Grant on the floor, but he underscored his value to them in the playoffs. Standing 6’8″ with a 7’3″ wingspan, Grant spent a majority of his time guarding the opposing team’s No. 1 offensive option, whether it was Utah Jazz guard Donovan Mitchell, Los Angeles Clippers forward Kawhi Leonard or Los Angeles Lakers point forward LeBron James.

Denver rebounded as well as it could have from Grant’s departure by signing JaMychal Green to a two-year, $14.8 million deal and re-signing Paul Millsap on a one-year, $10 million contract. However, the latter is entering the twilight of his career, and the former isn’t nearly as versatile on either end of the court as Grant.

The Nuggets’ rough offseason got even rougher when they had to pull Torrey Craig‘s qualifying offer because they ran out of roster spots, per Wojnarowski. Losing Grant, Plumlee and Craig doesn’t bode well for their chances of returning to the Western Conference Finals this year, barring a star turn for third-year forward Michael Porter Jr.

Home/NBA