Dan Issel believes Nikola Jokic deserves more championship help, and Denver still needs a deeper playoff rotation around its best player.
Dan Issel knows what one great player can mean to the Denver Nuggets, because the Hall of Famer played his final 10 professional seasons with the franchise and had his No. 44 retired.
His concern about Nikola Jokic is not a demand for Denver to chase a famous name at any cost, but it is a fair warning after a 54-win season ended in the first round, with the rotation looking stretched.
Issel told DNVR, "I just hope he gets the help in the next year or two because he deserves to be more than just a 1-time champion."
Issel Has a Point
Jokic averaged 27.7 points, 12.9 rebounds and 10.7 assists last season and earned first-team All-NBA honors, while Jamal Murray joined him on the league's All-NBA teams, which shows that the Nuggets have enough top-end talent to contend when the rotation around them holds up.
The season-ending loss to Minnesota showed the other side, as Jokic finished Game 6 with 28 points, nine rebounds, and 10 assists while Murray scored 12 points on 4-of-17 shooting.
Murray averaged 25.4 points and 7.1 assists while shooting 43.5 percent from three during the regular season, but one poor night left Denver without enough creation to save its year.
That game did not define Denver, yet it showed that the offense has much less room for error when Murray struggles.
Another Star
Denver does not need to break up its core simply to prove that it is trying, because Jokic and Murray remain an elite starting point, while Aaron Gordon and Cam Johnson give them capable forwards.
The need is a dependable eight-man playoff group, with another ballhandler, enough shooting to keep the floor open, and a reserve big who can survive the minutes when Jokic sits.
Across a long season, a useful bench player does not need to score 20 points, but he has to keep Denver organized and protect a lead without Jokic.
In free agency, the Nuggets addressed part of that list by bringing back Tyus Jones and signing Marvin Bagley III to one-year deals, while they kept Spencer Jones by matching a two-year offer from Oklahoma City, and also agreed to a one-year deal with Lonnie Walker IV.
Those moves give Denver more regular-season depth, but they do not remove the pressure on the front office to find players who coach David Adelman can trust in a tight playoff series.
Denver Still Has Work to Do
As training camp approaches, Peyton Watson remains the biggest open question, because he would be difficult to replace if his restricted free agency ends elsewhere.
Watson returned from a hamstring injury in March, finished at 14.6 points per game, and remains a restricted free agent while Denver considers its next move.
Issel's point should push Denver toward useful depth instead of a rushed star trade, because Jokic needs teammates who can keep the offense steady and defend when the playoffs slow down.
Retaining Watson or finding a real replacement, adding one more reliable shooter, and protecting the non-Jokic minutes would give this team more help where it actually needs it.
