Kroenke: Nuggets in championship-or-bust mode

DENVER — Kroenke Sports activities & Leisure vice chairman Josh Kroenke mentioned Friday the Denver Nuggets are coming into a “championship or bust” chapter that can be guided by basic supervisor Calvin Sales space following the current departure of government Tim Connelly to the Minnesota Timberwolves.

“We’re coming into a brand new section of the group, and with this squad particularly, which is: It is championship or bust. And that is the primary time these phrases have been uttered round these halls, I feel,” Kroenke mentioned.

Fulfilling that promise will depend on the returns of Jamal Murray (knee) and Michael Porter Jr. (again) to the court docket alongside star Nikola Jokic, who led the Nuggets to a 48-win season with out his fellow star gamers final season.

“We’ve got a two-time MVP, now we have two extra All-Star-caliber gamers coming off accidents,” Kroenke mentioned. “And I feel that we’re poised in a approach that maybe this group hasn’t been prior to now.

“And that excites me. However that brings loads of strain. We’re not the underdog that is type of the lovable guys which can be bouncing alongside from Denver, Colorado. I feel that after we get wholesome and present what we’re able to, we could have a goal on our again.”

In a wide-ranging 33-minute information convention — his first since 2015 — Kroenke mentioned each the Nuggets and Colorado Avalanche will get new coaching amenities as a part of a large redevelopment plan close to Ball Area.

Kroenke additionally mentioned he frets over the impression on younger followers from an almost three-year native tv blackout of Nuggets and Avalanche video games stemming from a dispute with the state’s largest cable firm.

Altitude TV — a Stan Kroenke-owned impartial regional sports activities community — has been in a long-running dispute with Comcast, the state’s largest cable supplier, which has not carried Altitude since their earlier deal expired in 2019.

Kroenke additionally congratulated Connelly, who just lately left to function the Timberwolves’ president of basketball operations after 9 years in the identical position in Denver.

Connelly’s deal is price $40 million over 5 years, sources advised ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, and Timberwolves proprietor Glen Taylor confirmed it contains bonuses for staff efficiency.

Kroenke mentioned he made a aggressive provide to maintain Connelly.

“The time period ‘fairness’ was getting thrown round. I did not essentially know what that meant. That may imply loads of various things on this planet of enterprise,” Kroekne mentioned. “However from the very begin, he mentioned, ‘Hey, if there’s some kind of fairness upside, I actually need to try this for my household.’ And I mentioned, ‘OK.’

“Tim was underneath contract, the provide type of got here in by the aspect door, as they at all times appear to do within the NBA. And so as soon as these sort of numbers begin getting thrown round and get into somebody’s head, it turns into very troublesome to include. I felt that we made a really aggressive provide that will have allowed him to be ok with staying in Denver, and finally he felt that among the upside there on the again finish by among the bonus schemes had been in all probability too good to go up for his household.”

The information convention was initially scheduled for greater than per week in the past following Connelly’s departure, however Kroenke mentioned he contracted meals poisoning after which COVID-19. He mentioned he lastly examined adverse for the virus Thursday, permitting him to attend the Avalanche’s 4-0 win over Edmonton in Sport 2 of the Stanley Cup convention finals.

Sales space will take over Connelly’s duties in Denver, though Kroenke mentioned he’ll step in and assist with the transition.

“I’ve at all times thought very extremely of Calvin; I feel he’ll do an exquisite job for us,” Kroenke mentioned. “I’ve had some nice conversations with Coach [Michael] Malone within the wake of Tim’s departure of exchanged messages with Nikola and Jamal. I feel all people’s very excited. They’re clearly unhappy to see him go however very excited for the long run.”

Kroenke was amongst a number of members of the group who flew to Sombor, Serbia, final month to award Jokic his second MVP trophy, and Kroenke mentioned he is planning a return journey this summer time to current Jokic with a supermax contract.

That extension is projected to be $241 million, the most important contract in NBA historical past.

Kroenke additionally mentioned he had no regrets over extending Porter with a five-year, $172 million deal previous to final season, when Porter performed simply 9 video games earlier than requiring one other again operation.

“I would say we’re involved about his accidents, not involved concerning the contract,” Kroenke mentioned.