The Denver Nuggets have had one of the strongest offseasons in the NBA. Following two straight second-round playoff eliminations, it was evident the team needed to retool in order to contend again. They’ve made impressive strides so far, but re-signing Monte Morris could be the finishing touch.
The Nuggets kicked things off with a major trade, sending Michael Porter Jr. to the Brooklyn Nets in exchange for Cam Johnson. Johnson offers the same perimeter shooting as Porter but brings more on the defensive end, better playmaking skills, and a higher basketball IQ. In another move, Denver swapped Dario Saric for Jonas Valanciunas, who had briefly considered heading to Europe before embracing his new role as Nikola Jokic’s most capable backup in years.
The front office also made key additions in free agency. They landed Tim Hardaway Jr., who started 77 games for a playoff-bound Detroit Pistons team last season. Additionally, the Nuggets brought back Bruce Brown, who had spent the past two seasons elsewhere after helping Denver win a title. Now, with just one roster spot remaining, the logical next move would be to bring Monte Morris back into the fold.
The Nuggets should bring back Monte Morris
The Nuggets’ most glaring need heading into the new season is a reliable backup point guard. Russell Westbrook filled that role effectively last year and enjoyed a career resurgence, but a return to Denver appears unlikely. He’s now widely expected to sign with the Sacramento Kings — and stylistically, he may not mesh well with Denver’s newest roster pieces.
While Bruce Brown did log some minutes at point guard during his previous stint in Denver, he’s much better suited to playing on the wing. His value comes from his off-ball contributions, which made him such a perfect fit during the Nuggets’ championship run. That leaves Jalen Pickett as the lone true backup point guard currently on the roster behind Jamal Murray.
Pickett showed flashes of potential last season, but Denver would be taking a risk by depending on him for significant minutes. The backup point guard role is particularly critical for the Nuggets due to Murray’s history of missing games. He played just 48 games in 2020-21 due to an ACL tear and missed the entire following season. Over the past three years, he’s played in 65, 59, and 67 games, respectively.
Murray is known for elevating his play in the postseason, so Denver would be wise to manage his regular-season workload carefully. During Monte Morris’ time with the Nuggets, he proved to be one of the league’s most dependable backup point guards — and he did it backing up Murray himself.
Morris spent the first five seasons of his career in Denver, averaging double-digit points in three of those years. His ability to knock down threes made him a capable fit with the starters when needed, and his calm leadership anchored the second unit. He consistently ranked among the league leaders in assist-to-turnover ratio during that stretch.
Though Morris has had a few quiet seasons since leaving Denver, returning to a familiar environment could help him regain form. He remains a fan favorite and a respected figure in the locker room. Bringing him back could not only address a key roster need — it might even help the Nuggets capture another championship.
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