Ryan Nembhard’s signing with the Denver Nuggets has been anticipated since before his release from the Charlotte Hornets, and it’s not often a two-way player becomes one of the most talked-about offseason acquisitions. But this move is different: it asks if Nembhard can finally solve a problem that has actively hindered the Nuggets for years. Finding a successful backup point guard behind Jamal Murray in the Nikola Jokic Era has been one of the toughest roster spots to fill.
Denver’s Backup PG Nightmare is Real
Since Murray stepped into the starting point guard role in the 2017-18 season, the Nuggets have cycled through a laundry list of guys trying to make that backup spot work. We’re talking Emmanuel Mudiay, Devin Harris, Monte Morris, Facundo Campazzo, Bones Hyland, Reggie Jackson, Bruce Brown, and even Russell Westbrook. That’s a lot of names for one position over just a few years. Why the revolving door? Because the bench has been “assorted versions of terrible” during that entire timeframe.
Think about it: when your entire starting offense is hubbed around the greatest offensive force in the game, Nikola Jokic, who touches the ball more than almost anyone and makes all the decisions, switching to the bench is a rough ride. Especially when Jokic is a center, which changes everything about where players need to be and where the offense starts. It demands a completely different offensive philosophy and a mental shift to adjust when he’s off the court. It’s a huge ask for any backup.
Two Approaches, One Major Problem
The Nuggets have generally tried two main routes to fix this backup PG headache. First, there’s the “game manager” approach: find a guy who doesn’t make mistakes and can get some shots up. Monte Morris was the best example of this. He’s a total caretaker of the basketball, boasting a 5:1 career assist-to-turnover ratio. He’s all about careful clock control, finding the right way to attack, and he’s not afraid to launch late-clock or end-of-quarter shots to keep things tight. Tyus Jones plays a similar game, also rocking a 5:1 A:TO rate as a smaller guard who picks his spots.
Then there’s the second strategy: the “high-paced offensive attack.” This is about giving the backup the ball and letting them go create. Bruce Brown really embodied this, alongside guys like Russell Westbrook and Bones Hyland. It was all about attacking, finding openings, creating transition opportunities, scoring before defenses could set, and jacking up the energy. Grab the rebound and run like hell, see what you can do. For Brown especially, it was less about orchestrating and more about creating imbalances the team could exploit.
But here’s the kicker: neither approach has been perfect. The article straight up says the bench has been “mostly terrible collectively in the Jokic years.” Yeah, Brown saw success in the playoffs, but that was because the bench wasn’t just “4 other non-starters but rather a good m”
This is where Nembhard steps in. The pressure on him to finally bring stability to that critical backup point guard spot is immense. Can he be the guy who finally breaks this long-standing curse for Denver? Every game will be a test to see if he can deliver what the Nuggets have desperately needed for so long.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Denver Stiffs.
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