Jamal Murray’s ACL injury is a big blow to the Denver Nuggets. The Nuggs, who built their team around Murray and Nikola Jokic, just lost a big piece of the puzzle to compete for the championship. To make matters worse, the recovery time for ACL is not a joke – it is almost a year-long recovery.
Now the Nuggets have a lot to find out, including who they can get with Murray.
Of course, no free agent can currently replace Murray’s production. However, the Nuggets have roster spots to fill in and they need to find someone who can score and help Jokic play the job.
With that said, let’s look at two players the Nuggets might consider.
Austin Rivers
Austin Rivers’ name has been linked with the Nuggets since Murray’s injury, due to the team’s lack of waiting depth. They gave up Gary Harris and RJ Hampton for Aaron Gordon in the deadline, so it’s clear they need to fill the spot now more than ever.
Rivers, who played 21 games for the New York Knicks this season, was traded to the Oklahoma City Thunder before resigning. If you upload Rivers, you can fill in the waiting area and possibly help to score points.
Before retiring, Rivers averaged 7.3 points, 2.2 rebounds and 2.0 assists. Although he will not compile Murray figures, he can at least still be a threat to the offensive side. With him on the floor, there will be at least less attention to Michael Porter Jr. and Nikola Jokic – two players who are expected to perform even more after Murray’s injury.
Troy Daniels
Troy Daniels’ numbers aren’t pretty at all, but he’s still a slightly reliable shooter. He played for the Los Angeles Lakers for a while last season, but he was pardoned by the team. Daniels was then picked up by the Nuggets, where he scored only 4.3 points per game.
His low numbers are mostly due to lack of playing time, but that could change if the Nuggets offer him time on the floor.
An advantage of signing Daniels is that he knows Malone’s system or basically how the team works. With this tight schedule, there is limited time for a player, especially a guard, to learn everything at once. Daniels can give points (mostly from the 3-point line) and make the floor work for the offense.
