Surprise: Rationale behind a Nuggets Star departing without  bidding Farewell to the Club

This week, Nikola Jokic joked that Jeff Green would not be receiving his championship ring because he departed the Denver Nuggets. But that’s exactly what occurred when Green returned to Denver on Wednesday; the veteran forward returned to Houston without a championship ring.

Green chalked it up to a misunderstanding and shrugged it off, saying that he’d been waiting decades for one, so what’s another week? However, a person working for the team’s media said it was due to Green’s family being able to attend the following game between the two teams. Jordan’s ring ceremony will take place on December 8, according to both parties.

The funny thing about that upcoming game a little more than a week from now is that until Tuesday’s In-Season Tournament results were finalized, the Nuggets could’ve been playing just about anyone else on that day. And given the Rockets only scheduled trip and last scheduled game against the Nuggets was on Wednesday, this blunder could have cost Green the moment he’s been waiting 37 years for. And he seemed ready for that ceremony to happen last night, based on his breaking out of some sweet chrome Jordans.

“Just a miscommunication, but that happens, you know. I don’t want people to take it out of proportion,” Green said. “The jeweler has the ring. I don’t know what his travel schedule was, but it was something that maybe he forgot to ship. I waited 17 years to this point. To wait one more week to get it, I’m not stressing at all. I know it’s here … I’ll have my moment and celebrate with everybody. This gives me an opportunity to have my family here to enjoy the moment.”

In the end, all is well that finishes well…

Green had 12 points and stuffed the box score elsewhere in his return to the Mile High City, a 134-124 win by Denver. He signed a two-year deal with the Rockets this offseason, rejoining one of the 11 teams he’s played for over the past 15 years.

Green was a key role player in Denver for two years, appearing in 156 games as a Nugget. Playing for the pickaxes, he scored nine points, snagged 4.4 rebounds and threw two assists a night mostly from the power forward position. He also hosted the pivotal dinner in South Florida before Game 3 of the NBA Finals after the Nuggets had dropped their first home game of the postseason. After breaking bread together at Green’s house, Denver rattled off three straight wins for the title.

“It’s very hard (to leave), especially when you do what we did last year,” Green told the Denver Post last week. “You form a bond, and that bond lasts forever.” And it’s difficult to turn away from the bonds that we formed last year as a result of our voyage. However, at the end of the day, it is a company. In the end, you must make decisions for yourself and your family. That’s exactly what occurred. But there’s no malice intended for anyone over there.”

Jokic and Michael Malone also congratulated Green on his return, and the game ended with a Nuggets pile on top of Uncle Jeff.