Darvin Ham warns the NBA about a potential Denver Nuggets dynasty - "They’re set up to make a run for plenty more years"
Darvin Ham and the LA Lakers have seen first-hand what the Denver Nuggets are capable of doing. As such, LA’s coach believes the Mile High City squad could rule the NBA over the next few years.
In an interview with '#thisleague UNCUT' with Chris Haynes and Marc Stein, Ham said the defending champs have put themselves in a position to dominate for several years:
“I just think we gotta fight fire with fire. The big thing about Denver is you can’t turn the ball over, you have to finish at the rim, you gotta get to the free throw line and make free throws. But you cannot have any, what we call self-inflicted wounds, you can’t beat yourself, they’re tough.
“We’ll see because their core is young. They’re set up to make a run for plenty more years.”
#ThisLeague Uncut live from @CaesarsPalace at noon PT with Lakers coach Darvin Ham dropping by. Come hang out with @TheSteinLine and I. https://t.co/4rp5BsekUL
Nikola Jokic, Jamal Murray, Michael Porter Jr. and Aaron Gordon have at least two more years to play for the Denver Nuggets. Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, a former Laker, has a player option for the 2024-25 season.
Jokic, Murray, Porter Jr. and Gordon are perhaps the NBA’s best foursome. They have superb chemistry and their feel for playing around each other is unmatched in the league.
Darvin Ham carefully noted this aspect of the Nuggets and pointed out that it's an area the LA Lakers will have to catch up on considering the new players they added to the roster:
“What we hope to do is again, all those guys I mentioned, get them in the gym as quickly as possible and start getting on the same page. Getting able to get a full training camp.
"Offseason, open gym, training camp and to start the season off with a unified group that’s highly talented, highly skilled and we’ve gotten younger.
"Again, being able to fight fire with fire. There’s no one person you can go find that’s gonna stop these guys, you just gotta have a fully committed arsenal to throw back at the world champs.”
Darvin Ham had some spicy words for Denver Nuggets coach Mike Malone
Denver Nuggets superstar Nikola Jokic may have been the NBA Finals MVP but it was the team’s coach Mike Malone who dominated the championship parade.
Malone was dubbed the “Lakers’ Daddy” by those who celebrated with the Nuggets in downtown Denver.
"He came into this world as the son of a coach, but in these playoffs, he became the Lakers daddy!"
Vic Lombardi on Mike Malone 😅 https://t.co/5MWfVRziFw
The usually quiet and reserved Malone threw shots at the LA Lakers several times. Darvin Ham saw it and hit back:
“Oh wow, bring up ‘Money Mike,’ the Lakers’ daddy, right? That’s what they call him now, the Lakers’ Daddy… God bless his soul. This sh*t ain’t over. God bless his soul.”
Darvin Ham after Mike Malone was mentioned in the ThisLeague UnCut Pod:
“Oh wow, you’re gonna bring up Money Mike, man? The Lakers’ Daddy? That’s what they call him now? The Lakers’ Daddy?…
… God bless his soul. This shit ain’t over. God bless his soul.”
(via @ChrisBHaynes,… twitter.com/i/web/status/1… https://t.co/i2SGey5Okn
LeBron James confirmed at the ESPYs that he will be back to lead the Lakers again next season. GM Rob Pelinka should be the early favorite to win the NBA’s Executive of the Year Award for his off-season work with the team.
LA is stacked with talent across all positions and it will be raring to go toe-to-toe once again with Mike Malone’s Denver Nuggets.
Also read: Nikola Jokic and Denver Nuggets win 2023 NBA championship, their first in franchise history