Chicago Bulls: Ranking the 10 best young cores in the league post-draft

1. Denver Nuggets

Some might scoff at the idea of putting the Nuggets at no. 1 on this list, but it’s where they belong.

Denver won 54 games in the 2018-19 season behind Nikola Jokic, their once-in-a-generation center. Not only is Jokic a top-10 (arguably top-5) player in the NBA, but he doesn’t even turn 25 years old until February 19.

Alongside Jokic, is the continuously improving point guard, Jamal Murray. He’s still only 22 years old and was the second-best guy on a serious playoff contender in 2019.

Jokic and Murray have the talent and chemistry to be the best duo in the NBA for the next decade. But the Nuggets’ young talent doesn’t stop with those two.

Last year, the Nuggets drafted Michael Porter Jr., who has a ceiling as high as anyone. He sat out his entire rookie season (injury), but whenever he comes back, he’ll give the Nuggets an immediate scoring boost on the wing.

The Nuggets were one of the best teams in the league this past season, and their two best players are still incredibly young. Throw in the potential that Michael Porter Jr. has, and this is the best young core in the league.

Nuggets fans should be very, very happy.