My guy @Ronnie 2K hooked me up with a @NBA2K Players Club Locker Code 👀 Use my code for a chance at my Galaxy Opal, Diamond, or Ruby card🔥💯. Preesh fam pic.twitter.com/PSirvW5tIB

This week's mailbag was great. Highlights included ...
- The Porter question
- Jokic return timeline (to the country, then the court)
- Sleeper free agents

denverpost.com/2020/07/03/mic…

After shutting down last Saturday due to positive coronavirus tests, the Nuggets practice facility remains closed as of now, I’m told. There’s still a possibility it could reopen for a day or two before the teams leaves for the Disney World bubble on Tuesday.

"I thump a big bass drum so incessantly for Michael Porter the ears of Malone probably ache."

@markkiszla bangs his drum again. Enjoy.

denverpost.com/2020/07/02/mic… pic.twitter.com/pFQhLVHxyJ

Hahahahahahahahahaha

From Bol’s Instagram account

On repeat - you’re welcome. pic.twitter.com/QjlENejMpG

Non-double-bubble news division:

Bol Bol is doing things. pic.twitter.com/KBIH6LUH0J

Not familiar with the Equal Justice Initiative's 'A History of Racial Injustice' calendar? I'd take a look. It's what NBA coaches will look to when they devote a Zoom call while at Disney to educating the public on America's history of racial injustice: thednvr.com/how-the-nugget…

Nuggets President and Governor Josh Kroenke to @Caron Butler. Full interview on systemic racism and police brutality airs tonight at 5 p.m. on NBA TV. pic.twitter.com/ABbJ464WUQ

Final day of Sports Social on @AltitudeTV.

So proud of what we created, the way we were able to keep our community together, & the light we brought to some pretty dark times.

THANK YOU to everyone that watched and was a part of this crazy journey.

THE BEST IS YET TO COME! pic.twitter.com/ng5Mom8JfI

Too late to change the cover of NBA2K? pic.twitter.com/6Mb33OoqhS

The Nuggets fly to Disney World in five days. They’ll hold their first practice in around three months next week.

“We’re trying to fight for lasting and sustainable change and we can’t allow the games getting back to take the light off the message.” thednvr.com/how-the-nugget…

Catching up today at 12:30 PM ET with my @christschool classmate Ali Knowles, founder of world-class wood bat manufacturer Caribbean Sluggers. A native of Grand Bahama, Ali came to the US for better academic/athletic opportunities. Join us live here: bit.ly/2BolZxz pic.twitter.com/KNreiMHJma

I am just a body that my brothers are living through ⛓

Michael Malone said today that while at Disney World each head coach is going to use one media session to acknowledge and discuss the racial injustice that occurred on that specific date in US history. They'll use the Equal Justice Initiative calendar calendar.eji.org/racial-injusti…

Nuggets "working on getting" Nikola Jokic back in the country, are hopeful he'll be on flight with them to Orlando.

denverpost.com/2020/07/01/nik…

Malone says he found out on a call with the NBA yesterday that his family won't be able to visit him at Disney World at all: "Say we get to the NBA finals. We’re there for 90+ days. At no time during those 90+ days will my family be able to come.”

Michael Malone has said he’s talked with his players and said he’ll support them in whatever way they want to protest/ address social change.

Malone’s point, though, was that he wanted it to be lasting change, not fleeting.

Malone has talked to his players about how the want to address racial injustices in Orlando. Whatever they decide, he will support them. He says kneeling is a possibility, but focusing on actions they can carry out in the community should be a priority.

Malone: "Do we kneel? That's great, but what are we doing behind that? More important is what are we doing in our community...?"

Malone says he is confident in the bubble set up in Orlando, but the one concerning factor was the Disney employees who are allowed to come and go. He says the NBA has been receptive to that, and hopefully will figure something out to change this part.

Malone took the time to walk back his statement when he said something along the lines of “kicking COVID’s ass” when he tested positive for antibodies.

He felt he made light of a situation that should not be made light of and he apologized.

Coach Malone when asked about Michael Porter Jr said MPJ’s got all the talent in the world.

“There’s a good chance he gets to play in these playoffs.”

What is so clear about Malone’s press conference is that basketball is not the priority.

The fight against police brutality, racial inequality, systemic racism, and keeping this momentum going is clearly his main goal. He wants actionable change more than anything.

Malone said it is paramount the NBA maximize its platform during the restart: "This is the moment. This is unlike all the other years. We have to carry this through."

Michael Malone said “I think it’s the right thing (to return).”

He says it’s possible to both play basketball and maintain the focus on social justice.

Malone says that no Nuggets player have chosen to sit out in Orlando at this point.

Malone followed up by saying if someone changes their mind about going to Orlando, he would entirely respect their decision.

“We’re not putting a gun to anyone’s head.”

As of right now, Coach Malone said in every conversation he’s had with his players, there’s been no indication that any of the Denver Nuggets would opt-out of going to Orlando.

Michael Malone said he has no indication that any players on his roster will opt out of going to Orlando. He said he would fully support any player or coach who decided to stay home.

Michael Malone: “As of right now, every conversation I’ve had with players ... there’s been no indication that any of our players” won’t participate in Orlando.

Malone says that as of right now there's no indication that any of the Nuggets' players will opt out of Orlando. If any of Denver's players opted out, Malone says he'd support them.

Malone: "I think this will be the toughest championship ever won. There's no asterisk."

Malone on the idea of an asterisk being put on the eventual NBA champion.

“I don’t buy that at all.”

Michael Malone said the Nuggets are “working on getting Nikola back” in the country and the hope is that he’ll be with the team when they leave for Orlando on the 7th.

Coach Malone told the media today that Nikola Jokic feels great. The Nuggets are working on getting him back to Denver. Hope and expectation is he will be on the team plane with the Nuggets as they head to Orlando next week.

Michael Malone says that Nikola Jokic feels great, but he is not in the country yet when asked by @Michael Singer.

Malone does expect Jokic to travel with the team when the head to Orlando from Denver he said.

Michael Malone: "Nikola feels great. We're working on getting him back here." Says the expectation is that Jokic will be joining the Nuggets when they leave for Orlando next week.

Michael Malone says that his hope and expectation is that Jokic will be with the team when they get on the plane for Orlando next week. Says he "feels great."

Malone says Nikola Jokic feels great since testing positive for COVID-19 and the team is working on getting him back to Denver. The hope is that he will be on the team flight to Orlando next week.

Malone says Nikola Jokic "feels great" and the team is "working on getting him back" to Denver. The expectation is that Jokic will be with the Nuggets on July 7 when the team heads to Orlando.

Michael Malone opens his Zoom by reiterating a message many around the NBA have conveyed: "Just because we're resuming our season doesn't mean that we're going to get away from what is going on in our country right now....we're going to keep the conversation where it needs to be"

Just now on a conference call with the media, Michael Malone says that there is a chance the team will open their practice facilities before they head to Orlando on July 7, but it depends on what health experts advise.

“We have put the safety of our team above phase 3.”

Malone is making it clear that Denver is doing what they can to prioritize health over getting more on-court work.

Malone confirms that the Nuggets have closed their facility to “be as safe and cautious as we can heading to Orlando”.

Kosmider: What to make of the Nuggets’ (longish) Vegas odds theathletic.com/1897378/2020/0…

Normally NBA free agency would be going ballistic right now as it begins. This is so strange.

Michael Malone will speak to the media via zoom on July 1st at 1pm MDT.

Should be a very interesting media session.

Source: The Nuggets' familiarity with Tyler Cook was a significant factor in Denver bringing him back on a 2-way contract, which just became official. The Nuggets want to take players they trust into the Disney bubble, and they know Cook well. He spent training camp with Denver.

There are some moments where you feel proud of an interview or story youve written and there are other moments where somehow the audio of your exclusive interview is unusable.

Today I am the latter. Happy Tuesday!

“Like I told you during the season, we’re one of the best teams in the league. ... We can beat anybody.”

Will Barton is eager to get back to basketball. At the same time, there’s no ignoring the very real concerns of the Orlando bubble. denverpost.com/2020/06/30/wil…

How will NBA coaches approach the seeding games? Maybe somewhat like the preseason but with obviously much more added motivation to rack wins.

- Ramp up minutes over the first few games
- Get 2 or 3 games in with a refined rotation
- Then jockey for seeding but prioritize health