Now that Michael Malone and Michael Porter Jr. are gone, there is no reason why the Golden Nuggets and Jokic can't win a championship, writes Denver Post reporter Troy Renck.

Excerpts from the article are below:

Without Michael Malone and Michael Porter Jr., the Golden Nuggets are no longer bitter and have a much stronger roster.

This is the strongest lineup Jokic has had since joining the Nuggets, and it's the best chance he's had to lead the team to another championship.

Sure, Jokic has four years left in his prime, but he won't have a golden opportunity like this season.

He's being replaced by ESPN's 87th ranked Valanciunas, who is a consistent double-double player, and Jokic's previous replacements were lucky to get double-digit minutes.

Michael Malone and Michael Porter Jr. were what the Nuggets needed two years ago, but now Cameron Johnson and Adelman are what they need.

You can't look at the Golden Nuggets today and not think of a championship. Whether Denver can beat the Thunder or the Gray Wolves is up in the air, but on paper they are no match for any other team. No team in the Eastern Conference can beat them, and no team in the Western Conference is guaranteed to knock them out in a series.