Nuggets Should Fire Brian Shaw, Keep Core in Place

Timofey Mozgov is heading to Cleveland, and more Nuggets players may be shipped off soon as the franchise struggles to find its way. But completely starting over would not be wise. (Chris Humphreys/USATSI)

Two seasons ago, the Denver Nuggets finished with a 57-25 record and placed third in the Western Conference. Under head coach George Karl, the Nuggets made their mark by ravishing opposing teams with their fast-paced offensive system. The team averaged 106.1 points per game, the highest scoring average in the NBA.

Karl was ultimately named Coach of the Year for the 2012-13 season, but the Nuggets fired him after the team lost to Golden State in the first round of the playoffs that year. General Manager Masai Ujiri, who was the league’s Executive of the Year, left Denver to become the Toronto Raptors’ executive vice president of basketball operations.

To replace Karl, the Nuggets brought in Brian Shaw, a former NBA player who worked as an assistant coach for both the Lakers and Pacers. Denver also hired Tim Connelly to be the new general manager. Connelly had previously worked for both Washington and New Orleans.

Under Shaw, Denver transitioned from a high-speed offense to a more traditional style of inside-out play. However, his coaching philosophies have so far failed to reach the players. Andre Miller, a 16-year veteran who is highly regarded for his professionalism and leadership, lashed out at Shaw last year for not playing him against Philadelphia on New Year’s Day despite being 100 percent healthy and ready to go. The team ultimately dealt Miller to the Wizards, but not after an awkward standoff between player and organization.

By the numbers, the Nuggets fell from first to ninth in total offense in Shaw’s first season as head coach. Defensively, the team dropped to 28th in the league and gave up an average of 106.5 points per game. Overall, the team finished with a 36-46 record.

This season, Denver stands at 14-20 and still has not found its stride under Shaw. The Nuggets’ poor play combined with their salary logjam have placed management in a tough position once again. But are the team’s struggles enough to consider blowing up the whole operation and starting over?

I don’t think so, but some changes definitely need to be made. Ty Lawson is proving to be quite the franchise player despite his short stature, and Kenneth Faried is continuing to improve his game after a strong summer with Team USA. Jusuf Nurkic and Gary Harris, the team’s 2014 first-round draft picks, should also play a part in the team’s future.

But what about everybody else?

The Nuggets are in a very strange situation, because, despite almost hitting the luxury cap, they have not played well at all. Moreover, the contracts of JaVale McGee, Danilo Gallinari and J.J. Hickson are almost untradeable, because they are all owed money through 2016. Combined, the three of them will be paid more than $56 million this season and next season.

For a trio that doesn’t play a lot, that’s a tough pill to swallow.

Fortunately, the Nuggets have many players who could serve as trade bait. Darrell Arthur, Nate Robinson and Alonzo Gee will become unrestricted free agents after this season, and Wilson Chandler, Timofey Mozgov and Randy Foye each have team options for the 2015-16 season.

Denver traded Mozgov to Cleveland Wednesday for two future first-round picks, and more Nuggets players could also be packing their bags soon. Parting ways with as many expiring or option contracts as possible is the best move for the team right now. The strategy not only provides the team with some much-needed salary cap relief, but it will likely pump in draft picks as well. If the team can get two first-round picks for Mozgov, anything is possible.

The Nuggets are in desperate need of a retooling, not a rebuild. But Denver must do one more thing in addition to shoveling out players: fire Brian Shaw.

Last year, I wrote about which NBA coaches I believed would get fired, be on the hot seat or be safe from harm. Not only did each coach listed under my “get fired” category actually GET fired, but one of the hot seat coaches, former Kings coach Mike Malone, is out.

Shaw was listed as being on the hot seat, and his seat is hotter than ever right now. Barring a miraculous finish to the season, he should be canned. He has clearly failed to successfully institute his style of play in Denver. The team needs a new voice to lead its young core and bring back the high-octane system with which the Nuggets once thrived.

With swift and smart action, I think the Nuggets can be competitive again as soon as next season. However, if they continue to clog their payroll with dead weight, they will continue to tread water.