The Denver Nuggets have retooled their bench this offseason, but they could use some more help at the guard position.

Jamal Murray and Christian Braun are back, and they will occupy the two starting guard spots. The team re-signed Tyus Jones, who played in 11 games for the Nuggets last season, averaging 2.2 points, 1.2 assists, and 1.3 rebounds on 34% shooting and 37% from three.

He played three of the five games in the playoffs, averaging 3 points and 1.7 assists. He’s expected to play a bigger role as the backup point guard this season.

The Memphis Grizzlies just waived D’Angelo Russell, and with the Nuggets potentially not being sold on Jones, could they look at Russel as a backup point guard option?

Russell played in just 26 games with the Dallas Mavericks last season, averaging 10.2 points, 2.3 rebounds, and four assists on 40% shooting and 29% from three.

He was traded to the Washington Wizards in February, but did not play with the team in hopes of securing a buyout. The buyout never came, and he was then traded to the Memphis Grizzlies in the offseason, where he was eventually waived.

At his best, Russell is an offensive creator who can get buckets in a hurry, but lacks consistency and gives little effort on the defensive end.

If the Nuggets aren’t sold on Jones, maybe Russell becomes an option, but there have been character concerns throughout his career. He would raise the ceiling of the team with how he plays, but the floor lowers, especially in the playoffs.

He only played 20 meaningful minutes in the playoffs, but Jones was +14.9 when he was on the floor for the Nuggets. That was enough to earn him another year, and if he can stay healthy, Denver is expecting more from him.

Denver lost Tim Hardaway Jr. and Peyton Watson in the offseason, and while neither is a traditional point guard, they are both scoring guards who helped create for themselves and others.

DeMar DeRozan was signed to help replace their scoring production, and he is an underrated passer who can run the offense off the bench.

It’s unfair to hold how bad the Mavericks were against Russell, but they were a -6.7 with him on the floor. In the 2023-24 playoffs with the Lakers, he was a +1.2, but was a -2.5 when LeBron James wasn’t on the floor.

While there is upside to Russell, especially if the team wants to lean further in offense, they are better off giving Jones a real shot.