1996–97 Denver Nuggets season

The 1996–97 Denver Nuggets season was the 21st season for the Denver Nuggets in the National Basketball Association, and their 30th season as a franchise. During the off-season, the Nuggets acquired Mark Jackson and Ricky Pierce from the Indiana Pacers, acquired Šarūnas Marčiulionis from the Sacramento Kings, and signed free agents Ervin Johnson, Eric Murdock, and undrafted rookie power forward Darvin Ham; Murdock was later on released to free agency in November after just 12 games. Early into the regular season, the Nuggets signed Brooks Thompson, who was previously released by the Utah Jazz.

With the addition of Jackson, Johnson and Pierce, the Nuggets lost 9 of their first 13 games of the regular season. After 13 games, Bernie Bickerstaff resigned as head coach and was replaced with Dick Motta. The Nuggets then posted a 10-game losing streak, and later on held a 16–32 record at the All-Star break. At mid-season, the team traded Jackson and Ham to the Indiana Pacers, whom Jackson had previously played for, while Pierce was traded to the Charlotte Hornets in exchange for second-year guard Anthony Goldwire, and second-year center George Zidek. The team also signed free agent and three-point specialist Kenny Smith, who won two NBA championships with the Houston Rockets. The Nuggets struggled losing 26 of their final 30 games of the season, and finished in fifth place in the Midwest Division with a 21–61 record.

LaPhonso Ellis had a stellar season, averaging 21.9 points and 7.0 rebounds per game, but only played 55 games due to knee injuries and a ruptured Achilles tendon, while second-year star Antonio McDyess averaged 18.3 points, 7.3 rebounds and 1.7 blocks per game, and Dale Ellis provided the team with 16.6 points per game, and led them with 192 three-point field goals. In addition, Bryant Stith contributed 14.9 points per game, but only played 52 games due to a foot injury, while Smith provided with 7.9 points and 3.1 assists per game in 33 games, and Goldwire contributed 7.3 points and 4.6 assists per game in 27 games after the trade. Meanwhile, Johnson averaged 7.1 points, 11.1 rebounds and 2.8 blocks per game, while off the bench, Thompson contributed 6.8 points and 2.8 assists per game, and Tom Hammonds provided with 6.2 points and 5.0 rebounds per game.

During the NBA All-Star weekend at the Gund Arena in Cleveland, Ohio, Dale Ellis participated in the NBA Three-Point Shootout, while before the mid-season trade, Ham participated in the NBA Slam Dunk Contest. LaPhonso Ellis finished tied in ninth place in Most Improved Player voting. The Nuggets finished 28th in the NBA in home-game attendance, with an attendance of 340,486 at the McNichols Sports Arena during the regular season, which was the second-lowest in the league.

Following the season, McDyess was traded to the Phoenix Suns in a three-team trade, while Dale Ellis was traded back to his former team, the Seattle SuperSonics, Johnson was dealt to the Milwaukee Bucks, Hammonds signed as a free agent with the Minnesota Timberwolves during the next season, Smith and Marčiulionis both retired, Thompson was released to free agency, and Motta was fired as head coach.

On April 16, 1997, the Nuggets suffered a 44-point margin road loss to the Portland Trail Blazers, 107–63 at the Rose Garden Arena. The Trail Blazers held the Nuggets to only just eight points in the first quarter, and later on held a 53–22 lead at halftime; the Nuggets only shot .284 in field-goal percentage.