Ever since lifting the Larry O’Brien trophy in 2023, the Denver Nuggets’ fairytale has taken a sharp turn. They couldn’t even make it past the Western Conference semifinals last season, losing to the Timberwolves in a hard-fought Game 7. But that wasn’t the only blow. The roster has slowly bled out—Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Bruce Brown, and Jeff Green are all gone. And now, the front office is shaking things up big time. Both GM Calvin Booth and head coach Michael Malone—yes, the winningest coach in Nuggets history—are out. But Charles Barkley isn’t clapping for this move.
“I’ve always liked Mike, and I thought Calvin has done a really good job,” he said on Altitude Sports Radio. His frustration wasn’t out of place, either. He pointed out that the Nuggets never really filled the gap left by KCP and Brown. “I do think they should have made some trades or kept some players the last couple years because when you got Joker… they really haven’t replaced those two guys, in my opinion.”
Moreover, the numbers back him up. Despite Nikola Jokic playing out of his mind—averaging 41 points, 13 rebounds, and 10 assists over a six-game stretch—they’ve still dropped four straight. That’s right, four losses in a row with those stats. Even Barkley had to call it out: “That just tells you they’re relying on him too much… that’s not a winning formula.”
So what’s going wrong? According to Chuck, the Nuggets have leaned so hard on Jokic, they’ve forgotten what actually made them champions. “They didn’t win a championship like that,” he said, noting contributions from Aaron Gordon, Jamal Murray, Michael Porter Jr., and even Christian Braun. “I think they have become too reliant on Joker… it’s a little bit different without Jamal.”
Apr 4, 2025; San Francisco, California, USA; Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic (15) takes a breather during the game against the Golden State Warriors in the third period at Chase Center. Mandatory Credit: David Gonzales-Imagn Images
Now, what’s the fix? Barkley believes they should take a page from the Bulls’ playbook. “Just talking a little watching The Last Dance… We need you to do less for the team to be successful,” he said, referring to how Chicago managed Michael Jordan’s minutes. “Your best player is really just your closer. He should not be wearing himself down for three quarters.”
The Chicago Bulls, during their 1990s dynasty, strategically managed Michael Jordan’s immense talent. Coach Phil Jackson’s Triangle Offense fostered balanced scoring, reducing the constant need for Jordan to carry the entire offense. This allowed him to conserve energy for critical moments. Similarly, if the Nuggets adopted a more fluid system involving Gordon, Porter Jr., and Braun as consistent scoring threats, it could ease the pressure on Jokic.
Beyond Jordan, the Bulls thrived because complementary players consistently stepped up in crucial situations. Pippen, Kukoc, and role players provided significant contributions, sharing the offensive burden. For the Nuggets, this means empowering Porter Jr. and Gordon as consistent offensive forces and developing a reliable bench. Even the Bulls occasionally managed Jordan’s minutes in the regular season for long-term health. The Nuggets could similarly prioritize Jokic’s peak condition for the playoffs by strategically reducing his regular-season workload.
Charles Barkley feels Nuggets is wasting Jokic’s prime
To start the season, the Denver Nuggets looked like a mystery box—sometimes shining with elite-level performances and sometimes just falling flat. Their 11-8 record back in December raised eyebrows, and it wasn’t long before Charles Barkley jumped in with his take. On Inside the NBA, he didn’t hold back. Chuck felt the Nuggets weren’t moving like a team that had the best player in the world. And with Nikola Jokic now 29, Barkley made it clear—they’re risking wasting his prime.
In fact, during halftime of the Nuggets-Warriors matchup, Chuck laid it out raw: “I will say this about Denver: I hope they make a trade. You cannot waste the Joker’s career… Their bench is weaker than water.” And he wasn’t wrong. The absence of key role players from their title run—especially the bench depth—has been a real problem.
But Chuck wasn’t done there. He pointed fingers at the front office’s lack of aggression. “Jamal [Murray] needs to step up, but you have to bring some guys,” he said. He urged the Nuggets to “get greedy,” noting, “He got another five years… You cannot waste this guy’s prime, he’s the best player in the world.” Yet, the team didn’t exactly respond with urgency.
Even so, Jokic hasn’t slowed down one bit. He’s averaging 30.0 points, 12.8 rebounds, and 10.2 assists per game—basically a triple-double machine. But the big question still stands: is Denver doing enough with all that greatness?
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