SAN DIEGO — If the Nuggets’ starters stay healthy, the same quintet that won Denver its first NBA championship this summer will be difficult to bet against in 2023-24.
But two days into training camp, the first small reminder arrived of how fragile this all can be. Michael Porter Jr. suffered a sprained ankle Wednesday and is unlikely to play Friday when the Nuggets hope to hold a full 48-minute scrimmage at their final San Diego practice. Porter didn’t participate in live action during Thursday’s practice. He generally plays with a brace on his left leg, a byproduct of three back surgeries dating back to 2017.
The injury isn’t particularly serious, but between Porter’s injury history and the short offseason Denver is returning from, coach Michael Malone chose to give all his starters a break from live basketball Thursday. He also canceled the Nuggets’ evening shooting session.
“Third practice in a row; want to kind of be mindful of their bodies and the minutes that were placed on them last year, as well as what’s going to be placed on them this year,” Malone said. “And then tomorrow obviously I want to try to blow it out and play four 12-minute quarters, if we’re able to do that.”
The early reviews of the starters from within training camp have been raving, anyway. Returning players say the team — especially its core — is already in more cohesive form than it was at this time last year.
“I was surprised,” Kentavious Caldwell-Pope said Thursday. “I thought everybody was going to be a little rusty, or didn’t have a great summer as far as working out, because it was so short. But I was surprised everybody came back ready, in shape, and just had the same mindset that we’re gonna get after it again.”
The relatively relaxed day for the starters meant increased attention on young players battling for second-unit spots. Peyton Watson has been testing himself out after a summer during which he says he added a significant amount of muscle. It could be a fruitful change, given the Nuggets’ lack of depth in the frontcourt behind Nikola Jokic, now that Vlatko Cancar is out with a torn left ACL. Watson has been practicing at the three and the four this week, while Zeke Nnaji said before camp that he expects to be involved at the four and five positions.
“Having to guard guys like (Aaron Gordon), I don’t need any help,” Watson said. ‘I don’t need a double. I’m holding my own. And I think that added weight really just did a lot for me in terms of durability as well. I think it’s helping with injury prevention. Availability is the best ability.”
Training camp permission
As The Athletic reported this week, the Philadelphia 76ers were required to ask permission from the Nuggets before holding training camp in Fort Collins this week, the Nuggets confirmed.
However, Denver is not required to get approval from the Lakers or Clippers before practicing at UC San Diego, the organization’s training camp destination in recent years due to its lack of an adequate multi-court practice facility. NBA rules dictate that if a team wishes to hold training camp within 75 miles of another team’s arena, then permission is required.
Jokic has officiating questions
According to Watson, the Nuggets had a seminar with former NBA referee Joey Crawford about officiating on Wednesday. Jokic, who Watson says has been “way more vocal this year,” was the most curious member of the audience.
“He probably had 10 questions (for Crawford),” Watson said. “Last year he wouldn’t have said anything. He would have just sat there and nodded his head. But I think he feels more comfortable. And that’s a great thing to see, because we want to hear as much as we can from him. He’s one of the best players ever.”
Watson also said Jokic has been giving him more pointers individually this week, “about what I can do to be better to play alongside him.”
