by Jordan Long
The Denver Nuggets failed to land Dwayne Wade. Wade ended up signing with the Chicago Bulls. According to the Denver Post, Nuggets President Josh Kroenke said, “We made it as difficult as decision as we could, and he struggled with it. My understanding is (Wade) felt the pull of where he grew up.” The Nuggets have always had a tough time landing high profile free agents. Why is this?
Denver is a decent sports town. Fans will show up when a team has a respectable product on the field or the court. The Nuggets as a team haven’t been to the playoffs in three seasons. Their last was under George Karl in 2013 where they lost to the Golden State Warriors in the first-round. Since then, they hired two head coaches. Brian Shaw was in Denver from 2013 to 2015. Shaw lasted 59 games in 2015 before the Nuggets fired him. Mike Malone just ended his first season this year. The uncertainty of the head coach might drive free agents away.
The biggest setback is they don’t have a basketball person in the front office. The Nuggets General Manager is Tim Connelly. He worked in the front office for the Wizards and the New Orleans Hornets before taking the Nuggets job. He didn’t play in the NBA. That is what the Nuggets are missing in the front office. They need a person who has played in the NBA to relate to these players.
After this failed attempt with Wade, I think it is time to hire Chauncey Billups in the front office. Denver tends to be a fly over city for NBA players. They stay for a few years and leave to go to bigger markets. Billups is from Denver. He played both his high school and college basketball in the state. Billups also played for the Nuggets. He was in a Nuggets uniform from 1998 to 2000 and also from 2008 to 2011. By example, Billups could go into detail with free agents about how great the city is and why that player should sign. Free agents might listen and relate to Billups better than they can with Tim Connelly.
The Nuggets must pursue Billups and give him a front office role. He is ready for the challenge. It is up to Josh Kroenke to make it happen. This may be a way for the franchise to end up with free agents to turn this basketball team into a champion.
What difference do you think Chauncey Billups would bring to the Denver Nuggets franchise if he were in the front office?
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