Nuggets Notes: Murray, Johnson, M. Brown, Holmes
Historically a slow starter who has posted his worst scoring and shooting numbers in October, November, and December, Jamal Murray was optimistic during the preseason about reversing that trend. So far, so good for the Nuggets guard, who has averaged 30.3 points, 6.0 assists, and 5.0 rebounds in his first three games, with a scorching-hot .530/.429/.923 shooting line.
As Bennett Durando of The Denver Post (subscription required) writes, the sample size is still far too small to jump to any conclusions, but if Murray’s hot start continues, he could have a shot to earn the first All-Star nod of his career. Predictably, head coach David Adelman is thinking more about how the point guard’s strong performances so far have impacted winning than whether or not Murray will finally get All-Star recognition.
“How many All-Stars haven’t won championships?” Adelman said. “How many All-Stars don’t have a triple-double in the Finals? … Yeah, he doesn’t go to the glorified pickup game, but the guy is a champion and one of the best players of this generation.”
We have more on the Nuggets:
- Starting forward Cameron Johnson was unable to finish Monday’s win over Minnesota due to an injury the Nuggets are referring to as right shoulder inflammation, Durando writes in another story for The Denver Post (subscription required). “He was in pain. His shoulder was hurting him,” Adelman said. “I don’t think it’s extremely serious, but it was bothersome. To his credit, he came back out and tried to play. But that’s why it’s nice to have a guy like Tim (Hardaway Jr.) off your bench.” Johnson is listed as questionable to play on Wednesday vs. New Orleans.
- The Nuggets carried veteran center Moses Brown on an Exhibit 10 contract for the preseason and made a trade to acquire his G League returning rights, but he wasn’t on the training camp roster announced on Monday by the Grand Rapids Gold, Denver’s affiliate (Twitter link). It’s unclear what the next stop will be for Brown, who has appeared in 163 NBA regular season games since debuting in 2019.
- The Nuggets officially assigned DaRon Holmes to Grand Rapids on Tuesday, and that figures to be a common occurrence over the course of the season. As Durando writes for The Denver Post (subscription required), on paper, Holmes looks like a strong candidate to be the backup power forward in Denver’s NBA rotation, but the team will proceed extremely cautiously with the 2024 first-round pick after he missed his entire rookie year with an Achilles tear. Holmes is on board with that plan, according to Adelman. “DaRon has been nothing but positive. Great attitude. Good learner. Good in the locker room, not just on the court. Just a great kid overall,” the Nuggets’ coach said. “Can really shoot the ball. And you’ve gotta remember, he’s coming off an Achilles. It’s not like he had a sprained ankle last year. He’s playing basketball again for the first time (since college) in the last four months.”
Trail Blazers’ G League Team Acquires Dillon Jones
The Rip City Remix, the Trail Blazers’ G League affiliate, acquired 2024 NBA first-round pick Dillon Jones from the South Bay Lakers for two future first-round picks and the rights to Will Richardson, Jonathan Givony of DraftExpress reports (Twitter link).
Jones was the No. 1 pick in the G League draft, which was held on Saturday.
The 23-year-old small forward was drafted out of Weber State by Oklahoma City with the 26th pick last summer. He appeared in 54 games as a rookie, but only played 10.2 minutes per night and averaged 2.5 points, 2.2 rebounds and 1.1 assists.
The Thunder traded Jones to Washington in June to clear a spot on their roster. The Wizards waived him prior to their season opener and still owe him $2,753,280 for the remainder of the season, as he went unclaimed.
The decision by the Remix to acquire Jones could potentially mean that the Trail Blazers are interested in adding him to their roster in some capacity. However, they would have to make a corresponding move, since they have a full 15-man roster and all three of their two-way spots are filled.
Southeast Notes: Kalkbrenner, Knueppel, Suggs, McClung, Houstan
The Hornets made a statement about moving into a new era by starting rookies Ryan Kalkbrenner and Kon Knueppel on opening night, writes Rod Boone of The Charlotte Observer (subscription required). Kalkbrenner, a second-round pick, became the second player in franchise history to record a double-double in his NBA debut, scoring 10 points and collecting 11 rebounds in a victory over Brooklyn.
“It’s awesome,” he said. “I think both of us have a good attitude about it. We’re just going to make the most of the opportunity that we get. Whether it’s starting, coming off the bench, whatever. We were lucky enough to get the experience to start tonight. I think I can say it for Kon, but definitely for myself, that we’re just happy to help the team win.”
Knueppel also had a productive debut with 11 points and five rebounds as Charlotte became the first team since 2019 to post an opening-night win with two first-year players in its starting lineup. Nine Hornets reached double figures in scoring, and Knueppel was happy about the balanced offense.
“Everybody ate,” he said. “Everybody is playing unselfishly. How many guys did we have? Nine? That’s winning basketball. That’s how it’s supposed to be played. So, hopefully we can keep that going.”
There’s more from the Southeast Division:
- Jalen Suggs was able to play in the Magic‘s first two games, but the team is being cautious as he bounces back from a left knee cartilage injury that brought an early end to last season, per Jason Beede of The Orlando Sentinel (subscription required). Suggs logged 19 minutes Friday night, with coach Jamahl Mosley using him three to four minutes at a time. “Those short bursts will help him in a lot of ways, just being able to settle himself down as well as when he goes to the bench, he can analyze the game even more,” Mosley said. “It’ll be that for quite some time, but just being able to have him out there is a great thing.” Suggs won’t play Saturday against Chicago on the second night of a back-to-back.
- The Osceola Magic offered a message of thanks to three-time Slam Dunk Contest winner Mac McClung after trading his G League rights to the Windy City Bulls. McClung spent the past two years in Osceola and appeared in two games with the Orlando Magic last season on a two-way contract.
- Mosley gave a positive review to former Orlando forward Caleb Houstan, who recently received a two-way deal from the Hawks, Beede tweets. “I’ve said it time and time again, he’s one of the hardest workers I’ve ever seen and been around,” Mosley stated. “You tell him to stay out of the gym, he comes back to the gym. He’s probably driving those guys crazy over there because it’s all hours of the night that he wants to come back (to the gym).”
2025 NBA G League Draft Results
The NBA G League held its draft for the 2025/26 season on Saturday afternoon. Players who signed NBAGL contracts and whose rights weren’t already controlled by a team were part of the draft pool.
Affiliates from all 30 NBA teams took part in the draft, along with the unaffiliated Mexico City Capitanes.
Dillon Jones, who was a first-round pick in the 2024 NBA draft, was selected No. 1 overall by South Bay, which is the Lakers’ G League affiliate.
The 23-year-old small forward was drafted out of Weber State by Oklahoma City with the 26th pick last summer. He appeared in 54 games as a rookie, but only played 10.2 minutes per night and averaged 2.5 points, 2.2 rebounds and 1.1 assists.
The Thunder traded Jones to Washington in June to clear a spot on their roster. The Wizards waived him last weekend and still owe him $2,753,280 for the remainder of the season.
Drafting Jones to South Bay won’t prevent another NBA team from signing him, since holding a player’s G League rights doesn’t mean teams control his NBA rights. However, it will give the Lakers a chance to take a first-hand look at him before potentially offering a standard or two-way contract.
With the second pick, the Osceola Magic selected Tyler Smith, who lost a battle for the Bucks’ final roster spot and was waived last Sunday. The 20-year-old power forward was expected to draw interest as a two-way target, but it doesn’t appear any offers have materialized yet. Smith, who started his career with the now-defunct G League Ignite, was taken with the 33rd pick in last year’s NBA draft.
The Wizards’ affiliate, the Capital City Go-Go, had three of the next four picks, selecting Ace Baldwin at No. 3, Nolan Hickman at No. 5 and Cam Carter at No. 6.
Two notable second-generation players were selected in today’s draft. Jamal Mashburn Jr. was taken at No. 8 by the Westchester Knicks, and Jabri Abdur-Rahim, whose father Shareef serves as G League president, went to the Stockton Kings at No. 29.
Here are the full 2025 G League draft results:
Round One:
South Bay Lakers (Lakers): Dillon Jones- Osceola Magic (Magic): Tyler Smith
- Capital City Go-Go (Wizards): Ace Baldwin
- Grand Rapids Gold (Nuggets): Adama Bal
- Capital City Go-Go (Wizards): Nolan Hickman
- Capital City Go-Go (Wizards): Cam Carter
- Motor City Cruise (Pistons): Stefan Todorovic
- Westchester Knicks (Knicks): Jamal Mashburn Jr.
- Greensboro Swarm (Hornets): Ethan Taylor
- Raptors 905 (Raptors): A.J. Hoggard
- Texas Legends (Mavericks): Kario Oquendo
- Grand Rapids Gold (Nuggets): Kenan Blackshear
- Oklahoma City Blue (Thunder): Vinicius da Silva (Brazil)
- Sioux Falls Skyforce (Heat): Josh Cohen
- Texas Legends (Mavericks): Cearius Warren (St. Thomas University)
- Osceola Magic (Magic): Ebenezer Dowuona
- Oklahoma City Blue (Thunder): John Harge (Adams State University)
- Birmingham Squadron (Pelicans): Tray Jackson
- Westchester Knicks (Knicks): Jaden Seymour
- Birmingham Squadron (Pelicans): Chris Mantis
- College Park Skyhawks (Hawks): Tyrin Lawrence
- Raptors 905 (Raptors): JP Pegues
- Greensboro Swarm (Hornets): Olisa Akonobi
- Oklahoma City Blue (Thunder): No pick
- South Bay Lakers (Lakers): Selton Miguel
- Motor City Cruise (Pistons): O’Mar Stanley
- Noblesville Boom (Pacers): Ben Coupet Jr.
- Salt Lake City Stars (Jazz): Des Watson
- Stockton Kings (Kings): Jabri Abdur-Rahim
- Salt Lake City Stars (Jazz): Carter Whitt
- Capital City Go-Go (Wizards): J.Z. Zaher
Round Two:
- Texas Legends (Mavericks): Sean Durugordon
- Stockton Kings (Kings): No pick
- Salt Lake City Stars (Jazz): Jermaine Couisnard
- Sioux Falls Skyforce (Heat): Dischon Thomas
- Valley Suns (Suns): Bryce Thompson
- Sioux Falls Skyforce (Heat): Darius Maddox
- Santa Cruz Warriors (Warriors): Derrin Boyd
- Austin Spurs (Spurs): Pierre Crockrell II
- Grand Rapids Gold (Nuggets): Markeese Hastings
- Maine Celtics (Celtics): Vance Jackson
- Texas Legends (Mavericks): Chandler Baker
- Osceola Magic (Magic): No pick
- Wisconsin Herd (Bucks): Onno Steger
- Iowa Wolves (Timberwolves): Donte Ingram
- Memphis Hustle (Grizzlies): Kobe Webster
- Sioux Falls Skyforce (Heat): Tyler Hawkins (Barry University)
- Motor City Cruise (Pistons): Jason Hubbard (Taylor University)
- Wisconsin Herd (Bucks): T.J. Weeks
- Grand Rapids Gold (Nuggets): No pick
- Austin Spurs (Spurs): No pick
- Capital City Go-Go (Wizards): No pick
- Noblesville Boom (Pacers): Ahmaad Rorie
- Maine Celtics (Celtics): Nicolas Timberlake
- Oklahoma City Blue (Thunder): No pick
- Rip City Remix (Trail Blazers): No pick
- Texas Legends (Mavericks): No pick
- Santa Cruz Warriors (Warriors): Franco Miller Jr.
- Motor City Cruise (Pistons): Ray Harrison
- Wisconsin Herd (Bucks): No pick
- Westchester Knicks (Knicks): Fousseyni Drame
- Osceola Magic (Magic): No pick
Teams will fill out their rosters with affiliate players, returning rights players, tryout players, and players who are assigned to the G League from the NBA roster (including those on two-way contracts).
G League training camps open on Monday, with this year’s NBAGL Tip-Off Tournament getting underway on November 7. The Tip-Off Tournament will be played over about a month-and-a-half and will be followed by the G League regular season, which begins on December 19.
Kings Notes: Westbrook, Murray, Future, Maxiell
After signing with the Kings last week, veteran point guard Russell Westbrook spoke on Sunday about why and how he chose Sacramento and what his future with the team looks like.
“I don’t know how it all came together so quickly,” Westbrook said (Twitter video link via Matt George of ABC10). “Obviously, I have a lot of friends and guys that I’ve played with on this team, familiarity with our games and different things like that.”
He also discussed what he believes his role to be as a leader in a locker room.
“Leadership is not just something that, unfortunately, you guys see on the floor, but my job and one of my traits as a leader is to be able to learn about guys’ journeys off the floor, how they got to this point, what inspires them, what pushes them,” he said. “To me, that’s what I look forward to most in any part of my journey: being able to impact and inspire someone daily… to run into somebody and maybe I can inspire them to do something that they didn’t think they could do. So I look forward to doing that.”
The Kings are widely projected to be a lottery team in 2025/26, but Westbrook suggested he views those low expectations from outside observers as a source of motivation entering the season. He also squashed any idea of this being his last season, responding, simply, “Yeah, right.”
We have more Kings notes:
- Despite some mixed reactions from around the league to the five-year, $140MM deal, the Kings probably couldn’t afford not to extend Keegan Murray, who is the team’s most successful homegrown talent in recent years who wasn’t traded away (or at least, hasn’t been traded yet), writes Yossi Gozlan for The Third Apron (Substack link). Gozlan refers to Murray’s new salary, which will account for around 14-15% of the salary cap moving forward, “probably the most sensible on the roster” relative to similar players around the league.
- In the same article, Gozlan notes that the Kings are now looking at a projected 2026/27 payroll surpassing $200MM, making them a luxury tax team if they don’t make any major changes. On a team without a clear pathway towards competing in the Western Conference, Gozlan considers Murray the only veteran on the roster with clear long-term security.
- Former Piston Jason Maxiell has joined the organization as an assistant coach for the Stockton Kings, reports Michael Scotto of HoopsHype (via Twitter). Maxiell played 10 years in the NBA, eight of which were spent with Detroit, with whom he averaged 6.1 points and 4.4 rebounds in 523 games.
Stein’s Latest: Connaughton, Knicks, Mazzulla, Curry, Mavs
Charlotte’s decision to release Spencer Dinwiddie — after signing the veteran guard to a guaranteed minimum-salary contract over the summer — surprised some people around the NBA, according to Marc Stein of The Stein Line (Substack link).
There was some speculation that the Hornets might waive Pat Connaughton instead, but Stein hears the team decided to keep the veteran wing because he’s popular in the locker room and has championship experience. Another key factor: the Hornets remain cautiously optimistic they might be able to use Connaughton’s $9.4MM expiring contract in a trade before February’s deadline, Stein writes.
Here’s more from Stein:
- The Knicks attempted to speak to several employed head coaches when they were looking for a replacement for Tom Thibodeau, but all of their formal requests were denied. According to Stein, there have been rumblings that New York also informally explored the possibility of trying to pursue Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla, which obviously went nowhere — a month after the Knicks hired Mike Brown, Mazzulla signed an extension with Boston. While the Celtics vaguely referred to Mazzulla’s agreement as a multiyear extension, Stein hears the 37-year-old likely received a six-year contract.
- There’s zero doubt that the Warriors will eventually re-sign Seth Curry — the only question is when, says Stein. While Golden State could technically bring Curry back on November 11, waiting a bit beyond that date would give the Warriors more breathing room below their second apron hard cap, and they are believed to be considering that path, per Stein.
- The Mavericks waived NBA veterans Jeremiah Robinson-Earl, Dalano Banton and Dennis Smith Jr. on Friday. Their G League affiliate — the Texas Legends — controls the returning rights of Robinson-Earl and Banton, and Dallas expects both players to open the season with the Legends, according to Stein. The Mavs are also optimistic that Smith with play for the Legends, but Stein points out that the former lottery pick’s rights are currently held by the Wisconsin Herd — an NBGL trade between Wisconsin and Texas would need to occur for that to happen. Banton was on an Exhibit 10 deal with the Mavs (Robinson-Earl and Smith were on Exhibit 9s), so he’s the only player of the group who will receive a bonus if he spends at least 60 days with the Legends.
NBA G League, NGBPU Announce Collective Bargaining Agreement
The NBA G League and the Next Gen Basketball Players Union (NGBPU) have officially announced their Collective Bargaining Agreement. ESPN’s Tim Bontemps reported earlier this month that the two sides had agreed to terms on the NBAGL’s first CBA since the NGBPU was formed in 2020.
The new CBA will cover a four-year term, beginning immediately and running through the 2028/29 season. The G League and the union will each have the ability to end the agreement a year early (ie. after the ’27/28 season) by exercising an opt-out clause on or before October 1, 2027.
Here are several of the rules that were collectively bargained by the league and the players’ union:
- The standard G League player salary will increase to $45K for 2025/26 (up 4.7% from the previous base salary) and will rise by 3% annually in subsequent seasons.
- A player who spends the entire season on a G League roster and doesn’t receive compensation from an NBA team (via an Exhibit 10 bonus or a partial/full salary) will receive an additional $5K in 2025/26. That amount, known as the “enhanced minimum salary payment,” will increase by 3% per year.
- NBA teams will now be permitted to designate a maximum of five affiliate players per season instead of four.
- Beginning in 2026/27, if a player has at least three years of NBA or G League experience, a team will only be able to control his returning rights for one year following his latest stint in the league. Previously, that term was two years.
- Beginning in 2026/27, the buyout amount for a player who has at least five years of NBA or G League experience will be reduced from $50K to $30K. That’s the amount that must be paid to the league if a player wants to terminate his G League contract early.
All of the key points of the new CBA for G League players can be found right here.
Northwest Notes: SGA, Bailey, Dillingham, Miller, Cooke
Thunder star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander doesn’t see himself playing until he’s 40 like current stars LeBron James and Chris Paul, he said within a GQ Sports cover story, per Yang-Yi Goh (subscription required).
“I definitely think I can,” Gilgeous-Alexander said. “I won’t, though. A hundred percent.”
The reigning MVP just turned 27 in July, so he certainly has time to change his mind between now and the final years of his NBA career. However, he went on to explain that family considerations would be the main reason why he doesn’t think he’d want to extend his playing days that long.
“I won’t want to miss that much of my kid’s life,” he told Goh. “I won’t want to be away and miss his first basketball game every year, his first soccer game, football game, piano lesson, chess lesson, whatever it is. And there’s a certain point in your career where you reach your peak.
“I don’t fault guys for still playing. They love the game. But I just feel like I play this game, ultimately, to see what the best version of me can be. Once I figure that out and I start going down, then it’s like, Okay, well, what am I playing for now? As soon as that happens, I’ll be on the first ship out.”
Here’s more from around the Northwest Division:
- Jazz rookie Ace Bailey is dealing with “some tendonitis” in both of his knees, Will Hardy said after the No. 5 overall pick was removed from Monday’s game vs. Portland. However, Utah’s head coach didn’t sound overly concerned about the issue. “He’s not going to be getting imaged or anything like that,” Hardy told reporters, including Andy Larsen of The Salt Lake Tribune (Twitter link). “It’s just trying to take care of him. He was a little sore during his second stint (on the court).”
- After playing a limited role as a rookie, second-year Timberwolves guard Rob Dillingham is working on making the adjustments necessary to earn more regular minutes in 2025/26, as Chris Hine of The Star Tribune details. “I want to play,” Dillingham said. “So whatever I got to do to play, whatever (head coach Chris Finch) wants me to do — pass the ball, pick up (on defense), I’m just gonna have to do.” Finch offered more details on what he and the staff have told Dillingham to focus on: “Be ready to make shots off the ball, particularly when you’re playing out there alongside guys like Julius and Ant who are going to have the ball in their hands a lot. Keep it simple and use your speed, which is what we need you to do and what you have naturally comes to you.”
- Timberwolves forward Leonard Miller, who suffered a finger injury early in training camp, was cleared for full-contact, five-on-five basketball activities on Monday, the team announced in a press release. Miller started on Monday against the Guangzhou Loong Lions and played well in a Minnesota blowout, racking up 15 points and 11 rebounds in 23 minutes of action.
- The Oklahoma City Blue and Rip City Remix have completed a trade, tweets Rylan Stiles of SI.com. The Thunder‘s G League affiliate acquired the returning rights for Isaac Nogues and Henri Drell, along with a 2026 second-round pick, from the Trail Blazers‘ affiliate, in exchange for Javonte Cooke‘s returning rights. Cooke signed an Exhibit 10 contract with Portland two weeks ago, while Nogues and Drell are currently playing overseas.
Eastern Notes: Nets, Giannis, Barlow, Sixers, Plumlee
Nets owner Joe Tsai raised some eyebrows by stating during a recent panel appearance that his team is prioritizing a good draft pick in 2026 and that, as a result, “You can predict what kind of strategy we will use for this season.” Asked on Sunday about that remark, head coach Jordi Fernandez deftly put a positive spin on it, tweets Brian Lewis of The New York Post.
“He says he wants a good draft pick because no matter where we pick, our front office is so good we’re going to pick a very good player,” Fernandez said. “… So whatever we pick, that’s why he’s excited, because we’re going to pick right.”
Despite Fernandez’s spin, the general consensus is that it will be a challenging season for the Nets, who are incorporating five rookies and traded away second-leading scorer Cameron Johnson over the summer. Still, it’s worth noting that Fernandez’s team outperformed expectations last season by winning 26 games after being widely viewed as the NBA’s worst team entering the year.
We have more from around the Eastern Conference:
- Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo took part in five-on-five work at Saturday’s practice and the plan is for him to make his preseason debut on Sunday against Chicago, according to head coach Doc Rivers (Twitter link via Eric Nehm of The Athletic). Antetokounmpo got off to a late start this fall due to a case of COVID-19 that forced him to miss the first several days of training camp.
- Sixers forward Dominick Barlow is making a strong case for a promotion from his two-way contract to a standard deal with his play this preseason, contends Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer. I’d be surprised if Philadelphia is in any rush to fill its 15th roster spot due to the luxury tax implications, but Barlow is well positioned for rotation minutes to open the season. He even has a chance to be the team’s starting power forward until Paul George is ready to suit up, suggests Tony Jones of The Athletic (Twitter link).
- The Sixers are naming JP Clark the head coach of their G League affiliate, the Delaware Blue Coats, reports Michael Scotto of HoopsHype (Twitter link). Clark, who has previously worked for the Clippers and Celtics, is being promoted from his role as Blue Coats assistant.
- Mason Plumlee is the experienced veteran among a group of Hornets centers that features 23-year-olds Moussa Diabate and Ryan Kalkbrenner, but he said this week that he didn’t sign with Charlotte as a free agent just to be a mentor and leader, as Roderick Boone of The Charlotte Observer writes. “I think I have a lot to offer, especially the young guys in my position,” Plumlee said. “But my understanding is we’re playing to win this year. So, that was my interest in coming here and I want to contribute to that.”
Timberwolves Notes: Ingles, Hyland, Shannon, Gershon, Barton
Timberwolves forward Joe Ingles suffered a left groin strain and will be reevaluated in one week, the franchise announced in a release.
The Wolves don’t open the regular season until October 22, so it’s entirely possible Ingles won’t miss any regular season time due to the injury. Even if he does, it shouldn’t impact Minnesota’s rotation — the veteran appeared in just 19 games last season for the Wolves, making one start and logging 114 total minutes.
Ingles, 38, re-signed with the Timberwolves this offseason and is gearing up for his second year in Minneapolis. He has appeared in 723 career games, averaging 7.9 points per contest.
We have more from the Timberwolves:
- Timberwolves president of basketball operations Tim Connelly was with the Nuggets when they selected Bones Hyland with the 26th overall pick in the 2021 draft. Now leading the Wolves’ front office, Connelly oversaw Minnesota adding Hyland on a two-way deal late last season and then re-signing him to a standard contract last month. Chris Hine of The Star Tribune takes a deeper dive into the relationship between the two, exploring the kind of role Hyland could be in store for this year. “We just had a different connection, a real close connection,” Hyland said. “Just that belief he has in me. He’s always had my back. That’s a guy I’m really appreciative of. Every time I see Tim, it’s always a big hug. I’m very thankful for him just believing in me.”
- With Nickeil Alexander-Walker having left Minnesota for the Hawks this offseason, 2024 first-rounder Terrence Shannon Jr. is in line for a larger role on the contending Timberwolves. Jon Krawczynski of The Athletic takes a deep dive into what’s in store this season for Shannon, who will join Rob Dillingham and Jaylen Clark as young players aiming for bigger roles.
- Minnesota’s G League affiliate, the Iowa Wolves, has named Josh Gershon its general manager, per a press release. Gershon has previously served as the Timberwolves’ college scouting coordinator, as well as the Iowa Wolves’ assistant GM.
- Iowa also announced several other front office and coaching additions, including that of 11-year NBA veteran Will Barton as an assistant coach. Barton spent several years playing for the Nuggets during Connelly’s time in Denver.