Anyone watch the game on Wednesday? Lol. It was definitely a scrimmage and not a game, and despite hearing rumors it would be, I’m not even sure if it was on TV. But I’ll tell you what I did see, *big time* Bol Bol highlights. Excuse me Bol Bol…?! Just yesterday you seemed like the out of place, lanky kid at the rookie summit, and yesterday you did this:
Okay then, that scares me. The dude had 6 legit “YOU SHALL NOT PASS!” blocks… Brought the ball up the court a bit, hit Noah Vonleh for a nice dime (Noah Vonleh… that’s a name washed away by COVID). Dude looks good! Dude is 7’2’’. Can you say New Zinger? Can you say “gulp?”
What’s crazy is that when it comes to the Nuggets, there’s more in Santa’s peach basket, they also have this dude MPJ. Maybe you’ve heard of him? All I can say is that I picked him up off the wire this year in fantasy hoops (I am the commissioner for a league called The Foundation, but that’s a different topic for a different day) and when he got playing time, he balled! (Speaking of, Mike Malone, play this dude, what’s your damage?) Real game. In January against the Pacers he had 25 points in 22-minutes… just saying.
This man rebounds, he can pass the ball, score from anywhere, huge, strong body…. alright, alright, I do have a MPJ crush and I am trying to sell high on him in the league… but! Nonetheless! Both these young bucks are studs and they’re going to be very good NBA players.
You know who doesn’t do a ton for me? Yeah, I know you were thinking it too: Jamal Murray. (Gary Harris isn’t even worthy of a discussion of value. That said, Gary Harris you are/were very good at basketball and should be considered for an All-Defensive Team this year contends Zach Lowe. So get good again! You’re a good player.) Anyway, yeah Jamal Murray. Is he good? Yes, he’s really good. Is he great? I don’t know?
Yes, I have seen him rain. I’ve turned on Nugs games in the 4th and he’ll catch a whiff of swag and start raining and playing with his lip cocked. But ask yourself, when you think “Jamal Murray is my guy in the playoffs,” is confidence one of the first words that comes to your mind? Trade him! Trade him I say! (I feel like the guys at the beginning of The Patriot, just rewatched, really holds up… but they’re all in like the South Carolina House meeting deciding to go to war or not, “Trade him! Trade him!” Someone shoots at 18th century rifle in the air for emphasis.) Yes I am aware, he has a $170 MILLION dollar contract. But he’s also 23 YEARS OLD, he’s a modern NBA player, and come on, we’re having fun here! Someone will trade for that.
Here’s my dream vision, trade Murray for Jaylen Brown (Celtics, don’t even pick up the phone) or Aaron Gordon or peak Otto Porter Jr., or 2015 Giannis, and roll out the “Philly you thought you were weird? Taste this! Super-Saiyan-meets-Kraken line up of Bol Bol, MPJ, Aaron Gordon, Grant, Jokic. Now that’s some Monstars talk right there. (Sorry Paul Millsap, you were great on the Hawks, but I’ve moved on. Much love. Great career!)
Will it happen? No. Should it happen? Probably not. But I do think MPJ (definitely) and Bol Bol (why not!) are real. And next year the Nuggets are paying ~$80 million to Joker, Murray, and Harris… Can’t say that thrills me. They already jettisoned Malik Beasley who is GOOD, went to the Wolves and immediately starting raining 3s and averaging 20. How many other talented young players will be contract casualties? Money will get tight soon and the Nuggets, to their credit, because of exceptional drafting, have difficult choices in front of them. My advice: think about the Kracken line up.
