What a pleasant surprise
Denver Nuggets v Houston Rockets | Tim Warner/GettyImages
All season long, the Nuggets have had a hard time finding consistent bench minutes, especially in the frontcourt. They tried to address the situation in the offseason by signing veteran big man Dario Saric with their taxpayer midlevel exception – their only meaningful outlet to adding to the roster via free agency.
They used their other chief asset, their first-round draft pick, on another big man, DaRon Holmes II out of Dayton. This was clearly a much-coveted piece as Denver was willing to deal three valuable second-round picks to move up six spots and select Holmes 22nd overall.
It seemed like, on paper, the Nuggets were as well positioned with frontcourt depth as they had been in years behind Nikola Jokic and Aaron Gordon, but that idea quickly devolved. Holmes tore his achilles in his first Summer League game and was ruled out for the season before training camp even began.
To make matters worse, it took only a few games for the Nuggets to realize that Saric is completely unplayable. That signing looked disastrous almost immediately, and the Nuggets have gotten, essentially nothing out of Saric this season.
DeAndre Jordan putting up big numbers in expanded role
But the forgotten man at the end of the bench has proven to be the team’s best option at backup center. DJ was re-signed to a vet minimum deal in the offseason, but the thought was that he was to be little more than a veteran leader and a borderline player/coach. The idea that he’d be playing rotation minutes was unfathomable.
And yet, the 36-year-old former All-NBA big man has proven to be the Nuggets’ best and most consistent option at backup center. He has appeared in 48 games this season, mostly as a backup to Jokic, and has filled the role admirably, still proving to be a reliable rebounder and presence around the basket.
He has obviously lost a step, wears down easily, and has many shortcomings. But he knows what he’s good at, and is able to fill a very specific role, one that’s vital for the Nuggets. He has also proven recently, that he can still get it done on a larger scale when needed.
DJ was thrust into duty the last two games with Jokic out and played 30 and 38 minutes on back-to-back nights on Sunday and Monday. He put up 11 points, 15 rebounds, and 4 assists in the win against Houston and bounced back with 10 points, 17 rebounds, and 7 assists against the Bulls.
DeAndre Jordan fighting for spot in Nuggets’ playoff rotation
By the end of the game, Jordan looked completely spent and was barely moving, but that’s to be expected with that ridiculous workload. The bigger takeaway is that Jordan is still capable in short bursts. He’s played well enough to the point it’s worth considering if he should actually be the backup center to Jokic in the playoffs.
That would have been hard to imagine not that long ago, but the team has exhausted most other options and none have gone well. Zeke Nnaji has given the team solid minutes lately, but more as a power forward than a center. Aaron Gordon can play center in spurts, but going small can be a risky proposition in certain matchups.
The best move may be to trot out the proven, veteran center for ~10 minutes a game and live with the known commodity. Sadly, they have very little to lose and it’s probably worth a try. Jordan is still a massive presence and someone who can impact the game in the paint. He offers little else, but for what the Nuggets need, it just may be enough.