The Nuggets are counting on the old adage about quarterbacks not applying to general managers.
That if you have two of them, you really have none.
Ben Tenzer and Jon Wallace were introduced Tuesday as Denver’s new leadership tandem in the front office, with both operating under “executive vice president” titles rather than either of them assuming the typical GM position. The new structure raised as many questions as it answered at first.
Chief among them is the delegation of a general manager’s responsibilities. Building and maintaining an NBA roster is a job predicated on the art of communication—making phone calls in pursuit of trades or free agents, negotiating contracts, and making decisions on which players to extend for how much—all the fun stuff.
Will it be Tenzer or Wallace on Denver’s end of the phone?
“They both will,” KSE vice chairman Kroenke said. “I think that from the outside looking in, sometimes people have a false sense of how things actually go down in the professional sports world. Sometimes that’s owner talking to owner. Sometimes that’s president talking to president. That’s basketball operations staff talking to basketball operations staff. There’s a lot of different ways that deals get done in the NBA, and a lot of that is through relationships. I think that our organization has great relationships at all levels throughout the league.”
In essence, it’s very much a co-GMs design that Denver is trying as star center Nikola Jokic enters his 30s — even in the immediate aftermath of a power struggle between former coach Michael Malone and general manager Calvin Booth.
If there’s anything reassuring about this partnership being different, it’s that Tenzer and Wallace already considered themselves friends. They worked together from 2019-22, during Wallace’s first stint in the Nuggets’ front office. Tenzer has been with the team for 17 years.
“I think they’re two unbelievable human beings that have no ego,” Kroenke said.
“I honestly think it’s really healthy to disagree,” Tenzer said. “And we have a great group. Some of the front office is over there (watching the news conference), and we disagree constantly. But what’s important is we make a decision together, and we’re united. … We have great people around to help navigate these things.”
The other elephant in the room related to that topic was Kroenke’s involvement in basketball operations. As is the NBA norm, Nuggets ownership signs off on significant roster moves before they happen. But the lack of a singular GM under Denver’s new structure suggested that Kroenke could be taking on an increased role in roster decisions.
When asked exactly what that role will be, he reiterated a recent comment that he wants to be more hands-on in periods of transition, then eventually to “let people do their jobs.”
“My role with the Nuggets is not a daily one,” Kroenke said definitively. “So these guys, I’ll be checking in with them probably every few days, weekly. And then as the season starts, the cadence of those conversations changes based on kind of what’s going on. So I’m excited to get to work with these two guys. … I think they complement each other really well.”
Those complementary skill sets were Kroenke’s biggest selling point on Tuesday. Wallace is a highly respected young basketball mind in league circles, bringing a new voice and team-building philosophy to the fold. Tenzer brings expertise in the complexities of the salary cap and collective bargaining agreement.
Both are highly respected around the NBA for their relationship skills, according to league sources. Tenzer made calls to a variety of teams during his two-month window as interim general manager, getting acclimated to the demands of the job. Wallace has good rapport with Denver’s core players, especially Jamal Murray.
“Knowing Ben prior, knowing individuals that make up our front office, coaching staff, it just seemed like sort of a no-brainer,” Wallace said. “Obviously, having the ability to work with Jamal, Nikola, AG (Aaron Gordon), Mike (Porter Jr.), that’s always an added bonus as well.”
Ultimately, no matter how glowing the reviews of Tenzer and Wallace are, Denver is taking a chance on not one but two executives without any past experience as NBA general managers. When one reporter used the word “abnormal” to describe the arrangement to Kroenke, he took exception to the connotation and suggested “unorthodox” instead.
“Most everything that has gotten us to this point has been unorthodox,” he said. “We’ve hired first-time guys before, and our best player is the 41st pick. … Everything about us is unorthodox. I think from a process standpoint, I think it was important for us as an organization and myself and my father to really slow down, take stock of what the organization really needed at this point in time. … And that’s the margins on the outside of our roster. I think that both Jon and Ben’s complementary skill sets are going to help us address those things in a creative way.”
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