September 25, 2025
Providence College's Student-Run Newspaper Since 1935
by Flagg Taylor ‘27 and Chris Sama ’27 on September 25, 2025
For the past decade, the Western Conference has been stacked with all-star talent, and this year is no different. However, the team that had the best offseason didn’t go out and get stars; their front office added much-needed depth and versatility to both ends of the floor. The Denver Nuggets made smart moves to continue to build around their star, Nikola Jokić. Jokić has proven in 2023 that with the right players around him, he can dominate the league and bring championships to Denver. By no means were the Nuggets a bad team last season, but they were certainly not at the standard of their championship team in 2023. The Nuggets’ signings this summer completely refreshed their roster, making them stand out among last season’s successful teams. The Houston Rockets, who finished No. 2 in regular season standings last season, made a blockbuster trade for Kevin Durant. The Oklahoma City Thunder, the current defending champs, retained their squad. I believe we will see another historical season from Jokić with all the roles around him filled, and therefore great success from the Denver Nuggets.
The first key signing for the Nuggets was the acquisition of Bruce Brown, who was a member of the 2023 championship squad. Brown will bring back championship experience— he has guaranteed chemistry and acts as a great glue guy. He is a gritty defender, shoots the ball well, and is a smart player: the perfect guy to come off the bench to provide energy and experience.
The most important moves this offseason for the Nuggets were two key trades. The first was a one-player swap with the Sacramento Kings, trading away Dario Šarič and acquiring Jonas Valančiūnas. Valančiūnas is an underrated veteran big and will be the perfect backup for Jokič, a role that was completely unfulfilled last season. Valančiūnas will allow Jokič to rest and still provide a big presence down low. The second trade—the Nuggets’ best acquisition—was getting Cameron Johnson from the Nets. The Nuggets gave up Michael Porter, Jr. and an unprotected first-round pick in 2032. Johnson will be an immediate upgrade from Porter. He can shoot the ball just as well, but provides a much bigger presence on defense. Johnson is one of the best “three and D” players in the NBA.
The Nuggets’ offseason was extremely intentional, and they succeeded in building a highly versatile roster around Jokic while retaining key guys like Jamal Murray and Aaron Gordon. It will be a tight race for first in the West between the Nuggets and the Thunder.
The Knicks improved greatly this offseason and solved some key problems that could lead them to a championship. Their new head coach, Mike Brown, is a good replacement for the former head coach, Tom Thibodeau. Brown revived the Kings—after they faced 16 years with no playoff appearances—by developing their best players, like De’Aaron Fox, into stars and establishing a solid offense. Brown is best known for his defense with prior teams he coached, most notably leading the Cavaliers in 2007 to the finals against the Spurs. Although LeBron was the only star on this roster, Brown was able to get this team to the finals by emphasizing paint protection and prioritizing help defense. Brown fits perfectly with the Knicks, alongside stars like Karl Anthony Towns, who Brown could develop into a great rim protector. Although the Knicks have had relatively consistent depth, with key role players on the bench in the past seasons, such as Miles “Deuce” McBride and Josh Hart—who later became a starter—Thibodeau did not utilize his bench as much. Last season, the Knicks were last in both points off the bench, with 21.7 per game, and bench minutes, with 63.5 per game. Brown is known for developing players to have greater roles, which will give the starters more time to rest and be healthy for the remainder of the season, especially when it matters for the playoffs. Although Thibodeau was a great coach who brought the Knicks to the playoffs four of his five seasons coaching them, Brown has an established track record with playoff performance as a veteran coach, and he fits well into the Knicks’ culture. The Knicks also signed some key players this offseason, namely Jordan Clarkson, who has averaged roughly 17.1 points per game in the 2024-25 season. Veteran guard Malcom Brogdon provides depth for Jalen Brunson and Clarkson, and is a reliable playmaker, averaging 4.1 assists per game. In short, Brown becoming the new head coach of the Knicks, as well as picking up important role-players to give the Knicks even more depth, is why they have had the best offseason this year. The Knicks needed a more well-rounded team as they were overly relying on starters such as Brunson, who faced a series of minor injuries last season, and Mitchell Robinson, who injured his ankle. Less pressure on the starters, developing players into becoming better defenders, and a more consistent bench could definitely lead the Knicks to a championship.
