Josh Kroenke, vice chairman of the Denver Nuggets, didn’t mince words when discussing his team’s recent failures. He put to rest the speculation around forward Michael Porter Jr.’s future. His office has enthusiastically denied a report that he plans to not approve a trade for Porter. He added that his decision was unrelated to the player’s connections to Missouri. Kroenke labeled the claim as “absolutely untrue” and reiterated development of his organization’s efforts to strengthen the roster.
In his remarks, Kroenke expressed pride in Porter, stating, “First of all I’ll say, I’m incredibly proud of Michael.” He added, like he has many times before, that no player should feel safe if it helps the Pistons make a bigger leap forward. “I think that any kind of report saying that we’re not open to trading everybody possible to improve the team is completely false,” he said. Kroenke went on to say that he wouldn’t help orchestrate any trades until realizing complete organizational unity.
Now, as the Nuggets move towards the playoffs, they find themselves in a precarious position. They’re in the midst of a four-game losing streak. Kroenke shared an ominous feeling from inside the locker room, calling it “flat.” He acknowledged his role in this dynamic, admitting, “certain things had slipped to a point where they shouldn’t have been.”
During a recent interaction, Kroenke extended an opportunity for star center Nikola Jokic to discuss a decision that had already been made, to which Jokic simply nodded “no.” This moment was a clear demonstration of the divide that has grown within the national organization.
Kroenke offered an apology to General Manager Calvin Booth and Head Coach Michael Malone, saying, “To be frank, neither of them deserved it. For that I apologize. As the leader of the organization, I need to be better.” He clearly understood that the product the team was putting on the floor was not up to the expectations that came with Denver Nuggets basketball.
Kroenke has already moved quickly to position his team. He has installed Ben Tenzer as interim general manager. He expressed a need for a cultural shift within the organization, stating, “I need people who are policing the culture and pushing forward.” Looking back on how things went wrong, he said that a short stretch of good play prior to the All-Star break had covered up some deeper problems. “Those eight games masked a trend that was going on behind closed doors,” he explained.
Even with the difficult loss, Kroenke is hopeful for the rest of the season. The season isn’t over yet,” he said, expressing confidence that things can get better. It’s a dangerous time for the Nuggets on a few fronts. Kroenke’s clear leadership and sense of accountability will be needed if the team ever hopes to return to prominence.
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