The Denver Nuggets were the fourth seed in the Western Conference this year after going 50-32. Michael Malone was fired as head coach with just three games remaining in the regular season. David Adelman went 3-0 as interim head coach.
The Nuggets faced the Los Angeles Clippers in the first round of the playoffs. Nikola Jokic and Co. needed seven games to get past Kawhi Leonard and James Harden, setting up a clash with Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and the Oklahoma City Thunder in the conference semifinals.
The Denver-Oklahoma City series went seven games, with the Thunder winning Game 7 at home in blowout fashion (125-93).
The Nuggets have now lost Game 7 of the conference semifinals two years in a row after winning the 2023 championship against the Miami Heat.
Denver Nuggets forward Michael Porter Jr.
Denver Nuggets forward Michael Porter Jr.
Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images
Many believe Denver has to make a trade this summer to win another title in the Jokic-Jamal Murray era.
Hall of Famer Paul Pierce is one of those people, as the Boston Celtics legend urged the Nuggets to trade Michael Porter Jr. to the Sacramento Kings for six-time All-Star DeMar DeRozan.
"I feel like if they had a DeMar DeRozan with that team right now with Joker, he don’t need to be the best player or the second-best player every night," Pierce told Kevin Garnett on a recent episode of KG Certified. "He is going to give you more than what Michael Porter Jr. gave you."
DeRozan appeared in 77 games this season for the Kings, who missed the playoffs. He averaged 22.2 points, 3.9 rebounds and 4.4 assists while shooting 47.7% from the field, 32.8% from beyond the arc and 85.7% from the free-throw line.
A USC product, DeRozan will make $24.8 million next season and $25.7 million in 2026-27, the final year of his contract.
According to Jake Fischer of The Stein Line, the Kings could trade DeRozan this offseason. It will be fascinating to see if the Nuggets take Pierce's advice and pursue a trade for the veteran.