The Nuggets said farewell to general manager Calvin Booth on Tuesday, ushering in a new era for the front office.
But how new? Booth ascended to the general manager position after joining Denver as an assistant GM in 2017. The Nuggets may want to issue another promotion. Or they may want to pursue a fresh start with an experienced outside hire.
Whatever the case, team president Josh Kroenke said in a team-released interview that he plans to conduct a full search. Here are five executives the Nuggets could consider hiring when the offseason arrives.
Tommy Balcetis
This would seem like Denver’s most plausible internal hire. Balcetis has been in the organization since 2013, most recently as Booth’s assistant general manager.
The Nuggets didn’t fire anyone else in the front office Tuesday when they got rid of Booth, leaving Balcetis as the closest thing they have to a GM for now. Born in Lithuania, he was working in the league’s London office when he met former Nuggets general manager Tim Connelly at a Basketball Without Borders event in Moscow. He’s been along for the entire ride as Denver has ascended toward perennial title contention.
Bob Myers
“If I was building a team to win a championship,” Myers said on ESPN this January, “(Nikola Jokic) would be my first pick.”
The former Warriors executive has been a talking head for the network since 2023, but speculation has always swirled that he could someday return to a front-office job if the right opportunity presents itself.
Does the opportunity to build around Jokic qualify? Myers, 50, walked away from Golden State after 12 years as the architect of four championship teams. If he wants the job in Denver, he would likely be the most qualified candidate — assuming rings are the unit of measurement. Maybe the Kroenkes would even let him get away with not including a cover letter in his application.
Tim Connelly
If you’re a fan of reunions, how’s this for convenient timing? Connelly reportedly has an opt-out clause in his contract after this season in Minnesota, where a years-long ownership dispute is finally wrapping up after causing a high degree of roster-spending uncertainty.
Maybe Connelly, 48, wouldn’t mind a fresh start in his old home, where once upon a time he drafted Nikola Jokic, Jamal Murray and Michael Porter Jr.
The Timberwolves are currently dealing with the challenges of life in the second apron. Not that Denver’s payroll situation is that much easier.
Matt Lloyd
If not Minnesota’s president of basketball of operations, then perhaps its general manager under Connelly. After all, the Nuggets and Timberwolves already seem to trade coaches and other employees more than any two teams in the league.
Lloyd has spent three seasons with the Wolves and was promoted to the GM role last offseason. He previously spent 10 years in the Orlando Magic’s front office.
Will Dawkins
The Wizards’ general manager since 2023, Dawkins was featured on The Athletic’s NBA 40 Under 40 list last August. Before Washington, he spent 15 years in Oklahoma City, rising to the title of vice president of basketball operations under acclaimed executive Sam Presti.
The Wizards have looked rejuvenated late in this season, all while maintaining their larger goal of a rebuild. They have a chance to win the Cooper Flagg sweepstakes this offseason. But what if the lottery doesn’t treat them so kindly? The general manager job in Denver represents a possible step up for young execs in search of solid footing.
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