Kroenke Sports & Entertainment vice chairman Josh Kroenke addressed the present and future of the Denver Nuggets in a 33-minute press conference, including detailing that the team made a competitive offer to keep Tim Connelly.
“Tim was under contract, the offer kind of came in through the side door, as they always seem to do in the NBA … I felt that we made a very competitive offer that would have allowed him to feel good about staying in Denver, and ultimately he felt that some of the upside there on the back end through some of the bonus schemes were probably too good to pass up for his family,” said Kroenke, addressing the idea that Connelly’s deal included some sort of equity in the Wolves.
Kroenke added that current general manager Calvin Booth will eventually take over Connelly’s duties in the team.
Kroenke also addressed the team’s sky-high expectations for the upcoming seasons, saying that the roster is entering a new phase of “championship or bust.”
“We’re entering a new phase of the organization, and with this squad in particular, which is: It’s championship or bust. And this is the first time those words have been uttered around these halls … But that brings a lot of pressure. We’re no longer the underdog that’s kind of the lovable guys that are bouncing along from Denver, Colorado. I think that when we get healthy and show what we’re capable of, we will have a target on our back.”