Hours before the Nuggets throttled the Trail Blazers on Feb. 4, just two days before the NBA trade deadline, coach Michael Malone called Juancho Hernangomez into his office.
Malone was aware that a trade was imminent and told Hernangomez that he didn’t want him to play because an injury could submarine his chance at a new opportunity in Minnesota.
“And I told him, ‘The best way for me to (leave) Denver is to fight for a win,’” Hernangomez recalled Saturday, a day before making his return to the Pepsi Center. “It was for me like the great goodbye.”
Hernangomez said he lobbied Malone and Nuggets president Tim Connelly, eventually persuading them to allow him to play. He finished with seven points, 11 rebounds and two blocks in 28 minutes in his last game with the Nuggets.
At one point, knowing he was likely playing his final game with the franchise that drafted him, Hernangomez draped his arm around Malik Beasley near center court. The two came into the league together as part of Denver’s 2016 draft class. Soon after the game reports trickled out that they were headed to Minnesota, along with Jarred Vanderbilt, as part of a four-team trade that netted the Nuggets a first-round pick and several role players.
On Saturday, Hernangomez was effusive in his praise of the Nuggets’ organization, from the Kroenkes, to the front office, to Malone and their fans.
“Denver fans, they always cheer for me, even in the hard times they cheer for me when I sub in or I started,” Hernangomez said. “That was unconditional love for me. … I love them.”
Beasley, who’s led Minnesota in scoring at 23.3 points per game since joining them, kept it all business on Saturday afternoon in a local high school gym.
Asked if there would be any nostalgia seeing his former team, Beasley demurred.
“No, just naturally, just ready to play, ready to get better, no matter what team it is,” Beasley said. “It’s a business, put it like that. It’s not about personal life or anything like that. It’s just a strict business. That’s how you gotta take it.”
Despite not getting much playing time this season, Hernangomez had a decidedly more rosy reflection.
“Just the opportunity, the confidence,” he said. “Denver’s got a lot of good players now. My third year I played a lot and this year I didn’t have the chance. I don’t blame anyone. I don’t blame the coach. … I love coach Malone. He told me before I got traded, he told me he wanted me to get traded to get the chance because he cares about me.”
In four games with the Timberwolves, Hernangomez has averaged 15.5 points in 29 minutes on over 52 percent from 3-point range. In his third game, he had a 16-point, 12-rebound double-double. Hernangomez couldn’t have been more genuine when reflecting on his tenure in Denver.
“I’m the man who I am because Denver, because (of the) organization, all the teammates, all the coaches,” Hernangomez said. “I just want to (say) thanks to everybody for making my dream come true, make the chance to a kid who was dreaming about the NBA, make believe it and make it true.”