The Denver Nuggets haven’t had it easy so far in 2024-25.
They now have a 5-3 record but getting to that number has been a struggle, as they have repeatedly suffered surprising losses and haven’t looked like championship contenders.
It’s hard to narrow it down but Antonio Daniels knows one of the Nuggets’ biggest mistakes.
Speaking with SiriusXM NBA Radio, Daniels said letting Kentavious Caldwell-Pope leave the team was a “disservice” to Nikola Jokic and one of the worst moves they could have made.
"Allowing Kentavious Caldwell-Pope to leave, I felt like it was a disservice to their superstar, Nikola Jokić."@adaniels33 on where the Nuggets went wrong this past offseason. pic.twitter.com/Ofp6fgwPZ0
— SiriusXM NBA Radio (@SiriusXMNBA) November 7, 2024
Fans felt very uneasy this summer when the Nuggets didn’t make a new deal with Caldwell-Pope.
Instead, he walked away and joined the Orlando Magic – and took his talents with him.
Caldwell-Pope has been a great addition to a number of teams throughout his 11 years in the league.
He was crucial to the Nuggets when they won a championship a few seasons ago and was always helpful with his shooting abilities and the way he spaced the floor and moved the ball.
Losing him took away a lot of the team’s shooting and depth and the Nuggets are feeling that now.
It seems like the Nuggets didn’t give him a new deal because of money issues but letting him walk might have closed their championship window.
Now is the time to surround Jokic with as much talent as possible and parting ways with Caldwell-Pope has opened them up to a lot of challenging issues.
They seem to be figuring things out and rebounding from a troubling start to the season but the Nuggets don’t feel like the team they were just last season.
NEXT: Russell Westbrook Sends A Clear Message After Win Over Thunder
