Ryan Blackburn

Denver

Lead Nuggets Analyst at Mile High Sports

Host at Pickaxe and Roll

Host at Locked On Nuggets - Daily Podcast On The Denver Nuggets

Denver Nuggets for @MileHighSports | Pickaxe and Roll | Co-Host of @lockedonnuggets

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Articles

Denver Nuggets to sign Missouri guard Tamar Bates to two-way contract

2 days ago | milehighsports.com | Ryan Blackburn

While the Denver Nuggets didn’t make any selections in the 2025 NBA Draft, they did find a way to add some talent immediately afterwards. According to Tony Jones of The Athletic, the Denver Nuggets are adding Missouri guard Tamar Bates to the roster in the form of a two-way contract.
Draft Night Diary: Denver Nuggets quiet in first round of 2025 NBA Draft

3 days ago | milehighsports.com | Ryan Blackburn

Walking into the Denver Nuggets media room on draft night with Vinny Benedetto of the Denver Gazette, my expectations for tonight’s festivities were incredibly low. The Nuggets didn’t have a draft pick tonight, stemming from the Aaron Gordon trade back in 2021. They’re one of the only teams (along with the Houston Rockets after the Kevin Durant trade) that don’t have a pick tomorrow night either stemming from the DaRon Holmes II acquisition last year..
Josh Kroenke introduces "Unorthodox" front office structure with Jon Wallace, Ben Tenzer

4 days ago | milehighsports.com | Ryan Blackburn

Today was the introductory press conference for Executive Vice President of Player Personnel Jon Wallace and Executive Vice President of Basketball Operations Ben Tenzer into the Denver Nuggets organization. Vice Chairman Josh Kroenke presided over the presser, fielding a litany of questions about the process of hiring Wallace and Tenzer as well as other significant questions.
Top 2025 Denver Nuggets NBA Free Agency Targets

4 days ago | milehighsports.com | Ryan Blackburn

Now that the Denver Nuggets have hired Executive Vice President Jon Wallace to handle Player Personnel, it’s officially time to think about the free agents the Nuggets can target this offseason. With three open roster spots currently available and roughly $10.6 million in space below the second tax apron, the Nuggets have very few ways to improve their team in free agency this offseason.
Denver Nuggets to hire both Jon Wallace, Ben Tenzer as Executive VP's within Front Office

5 days ago | milehighsports.com | Ryan Blackburn

After a long-awaited period of time following the firings of Michael Malone and Calvin Booth, the Denver Nuggets have completed their organizational restructure. It was announced earlier today that both Nuggets Interim General Manager Ben Tenzer and Jon Wallace of the Minnesota Timberwolves would share responsibilities within the front office. We have named Ben Tenzer as Executive Vice President of Basketball Operations and Jon Wallace as Executive Vice President of Player Personnel.
Will Denver Nuggets get involved in 2025 NBA Draft?

5 days ago | milehighsports.com | Ryan Blackburn

After the maneuvering of Tim Connelly, Calvin Booth, and the Denver Nuggets over the better part of the last half decade, the Denver Nuggets are currently without a draft pick for the 2025 NBA Draft on Wednesday and Thursday. The first round of the 2025 Draft will take place Wednesday night, and after Cooper Flagg is selected by the Dallas Mavericks first overall, it’s expected to be a busy evening.
Backup center Dario Saric to opt into $5.4 million player option for 2025-26 season

6 days ago | milehighsports.com | Ryan Blackburn

It was a foregone conclusion, but Marc Stein of the Stein line Substack saved Denver Nuggets fans the trouble of wondering for too long. Dario Šarić will be opting into his $5.4 million player option for the 2025-26 season, according to Stein. Denver’s Dario Šarić has activated his $5.4 million player option for next season, league sources tell @TheSteinLine. Šarić had until June 29 to exercise or bypass the option.
Offseason Scenarios: What if the Denver Nuggets HAVE to make a big trade?

1 week ago | milehighsports.com | Ryan Blackburn

Two weeks ago, I wrote about the likely scenario of the Denver Nuggets “Running it Back” for the 2025-26 season. That remains, of course, the scenario that the Nuggets are most likely to undergo. With the Nuggets still operating slowly in the process of adding their new full-time General Manager, a new voice coming in and immediately rocking the boat with a major roster shift seems improbable.
The State of the NBA's Western Conference before Free Agency

1 week ago | milehighsports.com | Ryan Blackburn

On Sunday, the Memphis Grizzlies and Orlando Magic completed a trade that, in theory, should make the Grizzlies worse and the Magic better. Desmond Bane went to the Magic, and the Grizzlies acquired Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Cole Anthony, FOUR first round picks, and a pick swap. Bane is a really good player and will help the Magic a lot, but the Grizzlies did well in that deal and should be well positioned to make future moves to stay in the playoff race if they so choose.
Why Russell Westbrook declined his player option for 2025-26 season

2 weeks ago | milehighsports.com | Ryan Blackburn

According to Marc Stein of The Stein Line Substack, Russell Westbrook reportedly declined his $3.5 million player option for the 2025-26 season this morning. Denver’s Russell Westbrook is declining his player option for next season to become an unrestricted free agent on June 30, league sources tell @TheSteinLine. More NBA coverage: https://t.co/RG4evmIKfi pic.twitter.com/n53xTbK9EO— Marc Stein (@TheSteinLine) June 13, 2025This shouldn’t come as a surprise to anyone.