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Scotto: Tim Connelly maximized the draft and helped Denver build a sustainable playoff team for years to come, but unfortunately, injuries to Jamal Murray and Michael Porter Jr. have hurt them over the years. Porter Jr.’s extension looks questionable, now given his continued injury troubles.
Singer: People around the Nuggets were dumbfounded and stunned when Tim Connelly left. It was a weird and awkward transition. I reported he was not looking to leave. All he wanted was an extension here and to see this through as a team he helped build into a quasi-contender. Money talks. The offer came from Minnesota. He jumped at it, and the Nuggets decided not to match.
Booth said he never expected to be stewarding or guiding a team of this caliber for his first job. He expected it to be a rebuilding job. He’s had to make some ruthless and calculating decisions already. The first thing he did was move JaMychal Green. Then, he finally got off of Will Barton. Everybody knew Connelly was close to Barton and viewed him as a productive two-way player.
Tim was known for his relationships and fostering a really promising and encouraging culture that builds everybody up. From what I know about Booth, he’s an excellent talent evaluator that multiple people from inside and outside the Nuggets have told me. As a team builder, he’s a guy that I know for a fact has looked at the history of champions, and he’s asked what’s the recipe for success those teams used to win. Almost exclusively, those teams are elite defensive teams built around offensive fire hoses.
Scotto: I think Tim Connelly and Bradley Beal got two of the best deals this offseason. I was joking at Summer League, did Mark Bartelstein get Beal an ownership stake in the Washington Capitals as well?
Singer: Minnesota offered Connelly life-changing money at five years, $40 million, and an ownership stake. Had the Nuggets come up in some capacity or shown him love earlier because he was heading into a contract year this summer, I think Tim would’ve stayed. What that number would’ve been was maybe $5-6 million. Had the Nuggets gotten there, I think he would’ve been eager to stay, but that didn’t happen.
