J.J. Hickson Suspension a Blessing in Disguise for the Denver Nuggets
Not all suspensions are created equally.
Whereas Ray Rice is staring down an indefinite one from the NFL (on account of well-documented domestic abuse), The Denver Post's Christopher Dempsey reports that, "[Denver] Nuggets forward J.J. Hickson's season will be delayed five games after he was suspended Wednesday for a violation of the NBA's drug policy."
Dempsey adds that, "The suspension is for use of recreational drugs. If it was a suspension for use of performance-enhancing drugs, it would have been made public, under terms of the NBA's drug policy."
And as USA Today Sports notes, "The five-game suspension likely comes from a third failed marijuana test, based on the league's anti-drug guidelines."
So a slap on the wrist was probably in order here, and that's exactly what Hickson got.
Paradoxically, Hickson and the Nuggets alike may come out ahead from the minor setback.
After playing 69 games for the Nuggets last season—52 of which he started—the 26-year-old tore his ACL in late-March. While CBSSports.com's Matt Moore notes that he "was expected to be ready for the start of next year," taking things a bit more slowly after training camp (and the preseason) can't hurt.
It would have taken the six-year veteran some time to work himself back into form anyway. A mandatory break in the action may alleviate any pressure to make a significant impact right out of the gate.
Hickson—who's also played for the Cleveland Cavaliers, Portland Trail Blazers and Sacramento Kings—put up solid numbers last season, averaging 11.8 points and 9.2 rebounds in just 26.9 minutes per contest. The North Carolina State product has never been a dominant presence, but he's a fine fit amongst Denver's ensemble cast.
And his services in the paint became especially pivotal after center JaVale McGee went down for the season after just five games.
It's only appropriate that McGee should be one of the chief benefactors from Hickson's early absence.
In his first full season with the Nuggets (2012-13), McGee only saw action for 18.1 minutes per game. But with the 26-year-old scheduled to earn $11,250,000 this season, you'd expect Denver to get its money's worth this time.
One less big man to start the season certainly won't hurt that effort. Whether Nuggets head coach Brian Shaw opts to start McGee from the outset—or at all—there will be a little extra playing time in which the 7-footer can regain rhythm lost over the course of an entire season away from the floor.
It's worth recalling that McGee averaged 10.1 points, eight rebounds and 2.4 blocks per contest during his 2010-11 campaign with the Washington Wizards. Through 41 games of the following season, those numbers escalated to 11.9 points, 8.8 rebounds and 2.5 blocks per game.
Then came the trade to Denver.
The production hasn't been the same since, largely because the opportunities haven't either. Denver's depth has become something of a two-way sword—giving Shaw plenty of options while limiting some players' individual development.
Hickson's five-game suspension won't have any long-term impact on that depth, but it could allow guys like McGee to establish an early tone—setting themselves apart as cornerstones of Denver's interior rotation.
Starting power forward Kenneth Faried will be one of those cornerstones, and by now he deserves every minute he can get.
The 24-year-old is coming off another highly efficient season (54.5 percent from the field), averaging a career-best 13.7 points to go along with 8.6 rebounds per game.
More impressively, Faried established himself a certifiable leader this summer with Team USA at the FIBA Basketball World Cup in Spain. He used his starting role and 21.4 minutes per game to average 12.2 points and 7.7 rebounds—all while converting on a ridiculous 63.3 percent of his field-goal attempts.
He also took advantage of the confidence head coach Mike Krzyzewski invested in him.
"His message was they need me," Faried told ESPN.com's Marc Stein. "They need me to step up and be a leader and vocal and be one of the loudest people on the court. He wants me to be the loudest and make sure everybody [does] what they're supposed to do."
Will that newfound leadership translate with the Nuggets?
"In Denver, I would be considered one of the top players on our team, but we have older vets on our team, guys who've been through it," Faried added. "So I more take the back seat and watch them guys and try to learn off of them. But for Coach [K] to say that to me on the USA team, I'm gonna take that back to Denver and now try to be more of the vocal leader."
Faried played just 27.2 minutes per game in Denver last season, a mark that reasons to rise regardless of Hickson's status.
That said, Hickson's suspension may erase any notion Shaw might have had about treating the 4 spot as a platoon situation. This is a position that has Faried's name written all over it, and there should be no mistaking that from day one.
Scheduled to make just $2,373,537 this season, Faried is also in line for a contract extension should one be successfully negotiated by the Oct. 31 deadline. If the two sides don't arrive at an initial agreement, Faried would become a restricted free agent next summer—potentially making this season's output all the more pivotal.
The final piece to the Hickson-less puzzle is Timofey Mozgov, a 28-year-old center who's spent all but 34 games of his four seasons with the Nuggets. Mozgov saw his minutes and production skyrocket last season after Hickson went down in March.
After averaging around 21 minutes for most of the season, Mozgov played 29.9 minutes per game in April. He averaged an impressive 15.9 points and 9.1 rebounds through those eight games, well above the 9.4 points and 6.4 rebounds he posted for the season.
McGee's presence may preclude similar production to start the 2014-15 campaign, but the point remains: The Nuggets have several well-deserved options who all stand to benefit from Hickson's unpaid vacation.
Hickson's minutes won't be distributed equally among the other three big men. Some may even get mopped up by reserve power forward Darrell Arthur who—like Mozgov—saw a slight spike in activity during late last season after Hickson was injured.
But the opportunity for Denver's bigs to start the season on strong footing is unmistakable. A little extra playing time could go a long way toward establishing their rhythm and confidence as the Nuggets embark upon their bid to re-enter the playoff picture.
What becomes of Hickson when he returns remains somewhat unclear. While he may certainly slide into an already-deep supporting cast, the Nuggets could ultimately determine a trade is in order.
How Hickson performs upon returning may very well determine which course the club pursues.
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