While the NBA world is finally hoping to catch some Z’s following a turbulent NBA Draft and Free Agency period, Ryan Blackburn is back from his vacation and ready to resume coverage of the championship winning Denver Nuggets.

On the latest episode of Pickaxe and Roll, Ryan discusses the decision by Nikola Jokić to not play in the FIBA World Cup for Serbia this summer. Though Serbia fans will certainly be disappointed, it’s not surprising that the Nuggets superstar center is resting given the workload he has carried for the last few seasons.

Then, Ryan opens up the mailbag to answer various questions from Nuggets fans. How hungry are the Nuggets to repeat as championship winners? Did the Los Angeles Lakers, Phoenix Suns, or Boston Celtics catch the Nuggets in the title arms race? Could Jamal Murray (or another Nugget) lead the team in scoring after Jokić has led for so long? Which bench players are most likely to play? Is Peyton Watson ready for the challenge?

Ryan answers a variety of questions and will answer more mailbag questions in future episodes once a month.

The NBA offseason is here. Make sure to stay up with the latest in the world of Denver Nuggets basketball with the Pickaxe and Roll podcast. Catch Blackburn every week on the Mile High Sports podcast network or watch on the MHS YouTube channel for the best local coverage of Colorado sports.

Take your podcasts on the go when you download the all-new free Mile High Sports Radio mobile app for Apple or Android. Make sure to like, rate and subscribe to each episode, and be sure to follow Ryan across social media @NBABlackburn.