Press Pass | Mike Singer of the Denver Post Talks Nikola Jokic, Michael Porter Jr., and the Nuggets' Recent Rise

Mike Singer is the Denver Nuggets beat writer for the Denver Post. He took the time to chat with The Big Lead about his journey from covering Marquette to Denver, the impact of the team’s recent success, Nikola Jokic, and more. 

Liam McKeone: Hi Mike, thanks for taking the time to chat with us today. In your words, how did you work your way up to a beat writer position for a company like the Denver Post?

Mike Singer: I started off at UW-Madison, and I was figuring out what I wanted to do and what I wanted to pursue. I had worked a little bit with the school newspaper there, covering… I think I was the women’s softball beat writer. I’m from Cleveland. I grew up watching the Cavs and LeBron James, and my senior year I did an honors senior thesis, examining ESPN and looking at the history at ESPN and some of the interesting journalistic questions ESPN faced. One of the things that really, really peaked my interest was how they handled The Decision. I paid close attention to that from a lot of different angles, as an interested party and from a journalist’s perspective. That was a tipping point. I started from there and wrote a lot about ESPN, and realized it was what I knew about and what I cared about from a media perspective. I applied to various jobs as a senior and I ended up getting a beat writer job covering Marquette basketball for CBS Sports. It was a part-time gig, but it was a foot in the door, and it was fantastic. It was the 2012 season, Jae Crowder was still there, they were the No. 2 seed in the Big East Tournament.

That was sort of the start. I did all that, worked at CBS Sports for a few years, then I transitioned to USA Today. Originally, I wasn’t even working on the digital side. I was working on the app, a sports app that they had. I transitioned over to producer, then editor. I was our NBA editor for a few years. Then I transitioned to this job at the Denver Post and it became an unbelievable opportunity. I was living in Chicago and decided to take a relatively big risk and move across the country and try to transition from an editor job to a beat writer job and that’s where I’m at now.

McKeone: How was that transition from editor to beat writer?

Singer: It was cool because I previously had all these ideas about how I would approach certain things if I was writing it and I was covering it. I was mostly a hands-on coordinator. I knew how to sell stuff, I knew how to do the headlines and how to edit it, make sure my language was correct, fact-check and all that stuff. I just felt like I had something to say, too.

I also felt like it would be more of a challenge to go out and establish relationships and build from there and tell their stores, if I could, about the Nuggets. It was fun, it was rewarding, it was taxing. It was something I hadn’t done, and I wanted to see if I could, and I feel like I did this season.

McKeone: You must be an editor’s dream then.

Singer: Yeah, I mean, [I know] programming, how to sell it, what to write, what will do well online, what will hold in the paper. I like to say I can sort of predict what [the editors] are looking for. I like to think I’m relatively low-maintenance. I think of it from a reporter’s perspective and an editor’s perspective. How I can tell a story. I try to think about it from all angles.

McKeone: What was it like moving from a primarily digital medium to a newspaper like the Denver Post?

Singer: I understand newspapers are in a relatively tough place, and we’re fighting an uphill battle right now. The difficulty of newspapers is you try to stay in both lanes, maintain a quality print product while delivering on the digital end. It’s a task. I’m sure every newspaper in the country is dealing with that in some capacity. I dealt with it at USA Today. The necessity to fill something in the paper when that doesn’t necessarily yield a lot of traffic. That’s a difficult formula, a difficult algorithm to try and figure out.

That’s sort of the task. If you can find things that hold water for both, while also meeting the immediacy of the online age while also trying to figure out how best to deliver something that holds water in the newspaper. It’s a daily challenge. There’s no other way to say it. I end up writing three things a day on gamedays: something on shootaround, the game story, and a post-game follow. One to two of them is in the paper. It’s a difficult task, but that’s the reality of where we’re at.

McKeone: Let’s talk Nuggets. Nikola Jokic was recently voted First-Team All-NBA at only 24 years old. What do you see his ceiling as?

Singer: I’ll steal what Nuggets coach Michael Malone has said. He’s a potential Hall of Famer. I’m obviously not reiterating that unless I think there’s some merit to it. To do the stuff he’s done, at 24, and he’s still getting better? I mean, obviously he can improve, sort of, at his body, he can improve on the defensive end. But offensively, what he does… If you were to start a franchise with any player right now, there’s not many players you’d pick over him. Giannis, certainly, but outside of that, if you’re looking at the next decade, I don’t know how many players you’re picking over Jokic.

The way I describe him, at least on a national level, is that he’s an acquired taste. It takes a little while before people recognize his impact. He’s not on the highlight reels, he’s not finishing off an alley-oop dunk. You have to see him on a nightly basis to see the impact, the passing, to see how he cuts through defenses. I think his ceiling is exceedingly high, and there’s X amount of franchise players in the NBA. There’s no question he’s one of him.

McKeone: [Nuggets President of Basketball Operations] Tim Connelly recently announced he plans to stay with Denver after an interview with the Washington Wizards. What does it mean to the franchise to be able to keep Connelly in the fold?

Singer: He brings stability. He brings someone who has grown with this staff and the coach. He’s been there, he’s overseen Malone’s growth, he’s overseen the team’s growth. I think the Nuggets are the only team in the NBA to improve their win total in each of the last five seasons. He brings a lighthearted approach to the day-to-day stuff.

At the heart of it, I think he’s a scout and feels blessed to have this job, and doesn’t take it too seriously. That’s not to say he doesn’t put in the work, but I think he doesn’t take himself too seriously. The Nuggets have an established pecking order, and Tim solidifies that. He has a good relationship with the owner, Josh Kroenke, and that continues. Basically, it doesn’t upset any of the harmony they’ve built.

McKeone: As the franchise’s success continues and likely mounts, will the Kroenkes be willing to spend the money necessary to build a contender?

Singer: The Nuggets are not going to be averse to spending money. If, in the next 5-6 years, it becomes a thing they may need to go into the luxury tax, I don’t think they’ll be scared to do so. They’ve been prudent with their finances thus far. Some would even say they haven’t been reticent to spend a lot of money. I think as long as the window presents itself, if there’s an opportunity to go get an elite guy, I think they’ll do that. Regardless of the financial implications, because of the potential reward. They had a really good playoff run in terms of both the Nuggets and the Avalanche. Every single night something was at the Pepsi Center. The Nuggets are in a better position than they’ve been in a long time, if ever, to capitalize on a title within the next five or six years.

McKeone: Do you think Denver will develop into more of a highly-regarded free agent destination as a result of their recent success?

Singer: Yeah, I do. People saw a glimpse of what Jokic can do, and Jamal Murray is on the ascent. I don’t think there’s a more unselfish superstar in the NBA than Nikola Jokic. He really does not care: If he has seven points, 12 rebounds, and 13 assists, he will be delighted as long as they win. That in of itself is attractive. The Nuggets are young, Denver is a cool place to live. Does it have the same marketing opportunities as LA or New York? No, but that comes with winning. Cleveland was the epicenter of the NBA while LeBron was there. That came along with winning.

If the Nuggets keep on this trajectory and get to the Conference Finals next year or in the next two years, it would be foolish to ignore them as a potential landing spot. Tim Connelly just said if they get on the phone with free agents, and they say their number one priority is winning, then they don’t consider Denver, then that answer is disingenuous. I liked how he put that. It would be silly, if you do care about winning, to overlook the Nuggets as a potential spot.

McKeone: How do you see the team dealing with Paul Millsap’s contract this offseason?

Singer: Both sides have said they want a reunion. Thirty million is a lot for a team option, and I don’t think the Nuggets are going to pick that up. I envision them restructuring that deal on a lower average annual salary, and Millsap told me in March he could see himself ending his career in Denver. I think Paul Millsap recognizes this is maybe his best chance at a title, and where they’re going, he sees it.

It’s not a one way street. They value what he brings to the locker room, too. Yes, he’s getting older. He’s 34 this year and he’s not putting up the numbers he put up in Atlanta. But there’s intrinsic value in having a guy of his experience and his mentality, his leadership qualities, and still being able to play at a reasonably high level. There’s value on both sides there.

McKeone: If and when the Nuggets do restructure, do you see them trying to build up some money to take a big swing in free agency?

Semnger: They’re not goemng to have a ton of money unless they relemnquemsh some contracts. They’re not goemng to have enough money to semgn a max guy. They’ll try to get some guys on the margemns, perhaps they’ll get to the trade market. We’ll see how that plays out, but Memchael Malone talked about emt. They’re bankemng on emnternal development. Malemk Beasley ems really young. Jamal Murray ems really young. Monte Morrems played 82 games thems year after playemng 23 memnutes emn the NBA last season… Then guys were emnjured thems year. Gary Harrems was emnjured. Wemll Barton was emnjured. Juancho Hernangómez was emnjured. Those guys are all contrembutors, but they stemll won 54 games, got the No. 2 seed. They have a lot of room for growth wemth who they have remght now on the roster, and emt’s one of the most envemable semtuatemons emn the league.

McKeone: Is there anybody you feel like is flying under the radar who could make an impact for the Nuggets next year?

Singer: Michael Porter Jr. If he materializes, I’m not sure the Nuggets need to go get another big piece. If he hits, and they have that three [with Jokic and Murray] as their core, they’re a dangerous, enviable squad. And they’re really, really young. If he hits, they’re a team to be messed with… [Porter Jr.] is supposed to play in summer league, so that’s encouraging. There’s going to be a lot of eyes on him, so it’ll be interesting to watch.

Harris is a player. Beasley could turn into a more consistent, valuable player. Morris was a hell of a backup point guard the majority of the year. They’re in a promising spot. If MPJ hits, he’s a guy that can raise their ceiling.

McKeone: Do you have a go-to spot to eat in Denver?

Singer: Let me think about this… I really like this place called Little Carmine’s. It’s a sandwich place, like an Italian sandwich place, that’s absolutely delicious.

McKeone: Has any one player interview stood out above the rest during your career?

Singer: When I was at USA Today I had a phone interview with Giannis, about three years ago. I went on up to Milwaukee and got him one-on-one, that was pretty cool. Paul George was awesome. People within the Nuggets are awesome. Jokic is hilarious. There’s not very many superstars who take themselves less seriously than he does. He treats it like it’s a circus. It’s his own little entertainment show. He’s fun too.

McKeone: When you’re traveling with the team, what arena do you look forward to visiting the most?

Singer: We were in Portland a lot, and it is awesome there. The food is good, the setup is good. They have candy on press row. You can get a giant thing of Sour Patch, so that’s pretty sweet. The fans are great there. They’re loud. Utah is another one that’s very, very loud. The fans are pretty unfriendly, as we know, but it’s a loud environment. Those ones stand out. Boston was really cool, [especially] this past season, when Isaiah Thomas made his return. They were all pretty cool moments, but those three stand out.

McKeone: What’s one thing most other people don’t know about being in the beat writer industry?

Singer: It is very fun. You’re traveling a lot and going to games and doing what, essentially, a lot of people would think of as their dream jobs. I do feel guilty at times, though. It takes you away from your normal routine, it takes you away from your friends and family. That part is a little bit difficult, and everybody needs to come to grips with that if you’re going to get into it. The travel is taxing. The sleepless nights are sometimes difficult. It’s not all perfect, but the majority of people who are invested in it wouldn’t trade it, it’s just the reality of it. It’s not this fun night after fun night [situation]. That’s not to say I’m complaining about it… [But] there are difficult aspects to it.

McKeone: What do you wish you knew when you were just getting started in the industry?

Singer: I kinda knew it was going to be a long slog. People who are just getting started, you aren’t paid very much. It takes a long time before you get traction. But the whole game is working hard and networking. That’s the game. Keep tending to relationships on both professional sides and the media side. You have to have the same attitude every day. It is tiring. If you don’t have a good attitude, you are cooked. You won’t last.

I had so much help. I feel like I haven’t done anything, to be honest with you. Brian Windhorst is from Cleveland, and he was nicer than he ever needed to be to me. Helped out in a ton of ways. The two guys I worked with at USA Today, Jeff Zillgitt and Sam Amick, are invaluable to me. They helped me so much. If there’s one piece of advice I’d tell people, it would be to watch how the people you respect conduct themselves, and try to emulate that. That’s sort of what I try to do. Keep an eye on people who, you like the work they do, you notice the relationships they have and the clout they hold. Comport yourself the same way. Dress the same way. Think about the line of questions they ask and see if you can spin it your way.