They may look good on paper but some NBA teams that have made head-turning moves – in the likes of LA Clippers, LA Lakers and the Brooklyn Nets– will go through the process before achieving success.
At least that’s the observation of Denver Nuggets playmaker Monté Morris.
“These teams really look good on paper,” said Morris during a press briefing Wednesday for the NBA 3×3 Philippines presented by AXA at the Conrad Hotel in Pasay City.
“You still got to figure it out, and that can take time (for the teams to adjust) all the way to the All-Star break,” mentioned Morris, who is in the country with NBA legend Muggsy Bogues.
The off-season of the NBA saw Kawhi Leonard and Paul George join forces after signing separate deals with the Los Angeles Clippers, despite the former’s success in Toronto last season when he powered the Raptors to their first ever championship in NBA history.
Prior to that, disgruntled center Anthony Davis was sent to the LA Lakers by the New Orleans Pelicans in exchange for multiple players to form a ‘super duo’ with superstar LeBron James.
Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant, who is expected to miss the season due to torn Achilles injury, will be playing for the Brooklyn Nets, while James Harden will now share the backcourt of the Houston Rockets with Russell Westbrook following a trade with the Oklahoma City Thunder for Chris Paul.
Denver retained its core group that made the second round of the playoffs last season – losing to the Portland Trailblazers in Game 7 – as management didn’t make moves during the wheeling-and-dealing of teams.
Morris, the 51st overall pick in the 2017 NBA Rookie Draft, is entering his third season with the Nuggets following a solid sophomore campaign where he averaged 10.4 points, 2.4 rebounds and 3.6 assists in the regular season, and 5.4 points, 1.4 rebounds and 2.6 assists in the playoffs.
Aside from Morris, the Nuggets have All-Star Nicola Jokic, Jamal Murray, Juan Hernangomez, veteran Paul Milsap, and will have 7-foot-2 rookie center Bol Bol – son of Manute Bol – this season.
Morris is confident that Denver will continue to be a force this coming season because of their intact unit. He hopes that they can improve from that second round stint in the previous playoffs.
“Chemistry goes a long way in this league,” he said.
While the Western Conference is expected to still be the ‘wild west’ of the NBA, teams from the Eastern Conference – Morris thinks – remain ‘cool’ with few several squads expected to contend for the title.
“Everybody’s talking about the West, but the East still has some good teams,” said Morris.
“Boston’s got Kemba, and Giannis is Giannis – the Greek Freak,” said Morris, referring to the off-season signing of former Charlotte Hornet guard Kemba Walker with the Celtics and NBA’s 2019 Season MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo of the Milwaukee Bucks.
Meanwhile, basketball fans can catch Morris and Bogues on Aug. 3-4 during the NBA 3×3 Philippines at the SM Mall of Asia (MOA) Music Hall and at the PICC Forum Tent in Pasay City. (WAYLON GALVEZ)
