Friday Faceoff: What should be the first move of the Nuggets’ next general manager?

Mark Kiszla, sports columnist

Answer: End Josh Kroenke’s bromance with Michael Porter Jr.

The Nuggets are at a fork in the road. Sure, they could continue rolling down the same Rocky Mountain way, with their core four in the back of a van driven by Josh Kroenke. But isn’t it about time we put an end to Kroenke treating the quest for another ring like a buddy movie?

If new coach David Adelman truly means what he says, and this journey is about winning a championship, not about being the best friends in the whole wide world, then the Nuggets need to change directions and kick somebody off the bandwagon.

For a salary that will pay him $38 million next season, shouldn’t Michael Porter Jr. be able to put the ball on the floor and drive to the hoop? MPJ is an iffy defender, a solid rebounder and not nearly the clutch shooter that a beautiful jumper suggests he should be.

This blunt observation is going to tick off Kroenke, but I think the Nuggets overpaid Porter and tend to make excuses for his deficiencies in no small part because MPJ and his boss are both University of Missouri alums.

If the Nuggets really are going to promote Ben Tenzer from within and make him general manager, here’s hoping Tenzer has the gumption to tell Kroenke his bromance with MPJ must end.

How much is Porter worth on the trade market? Probably not as much as Kroenke might think. But he needs to be replaced in the lineup with a 3-and-D wing that can make this team better rounded and more efficient at both ends of the floor.

Vinny Benedetto, Nuggets writer

Answer: Extend Nikola Jokic

Sometimes the best answer is the simple one.

The new general manager or president of basketball operations – whether that’s interim GM Ben Tenzer or someone else (Timberwolves general manager Matt Lloyd has been a popular name and has more free time these days – getting the best player in franchise history to sign a three-year extension worth more than $212 million sends a strong message of stability. There’s a lot of questions about the Nuggets’ direction moving forward but getting Jokic locked in through 2029-30 ensures the Nuggets have at least five more years to chase a second championship.

Getting fair value in a trade for Michael Porter Jr. and Jamal Murray is no guarantee. Big salaries and iffy medical histories aren’t too attractive, especially with the new collective bargaining agreement.

The Nuggets’ best chance at improving the roster outside of internal development is convincing established veterans that Denver is the place for them to chase their championship dreams on team friendly deals – think Bruce Brown. Making sure Jokic isn’t going anywhere is the only way those type of players will feel comfortable committing to Denver in the near future.

A new executive taking a big swing and trying to move Porter or Murray comes with an unnecessary amount of risk. If such a trade doesn’t work, Denver’s window for this core to win another championship could close quite quickly. That makes signing Jokic to extension next summer more of a challenge.

The new GM needs to make a trip to Sombor, pet the horses and clean the stables if that’s what it takes to get Jokic to sign the extension.