After another stunning home loss Friday to the Phoenix Suns, Nuggets coach Michael Malone again blasted his team’s effort. Then, he stressed it’s time to turn talk into action.

“I have to make some changes,” Malone said. “ … I don’t like our team right now. I don’t like where we’re headed. I don’t like how we’re playing. I don’t like how we’re competing on a nightly basis.”

Malone did not specify what changes are on the horizon as he aims to guide Denver out of its current 2-6 funk. But here are four adjustments the coach could consider:

1. Take Wilson Chandler out of the starting lineup. This would be the most drastic move, as Chandler has started all 42 games in which he’s played this season at either small forward or power forward. But Friday, Chandler finished with two points on 1-of-3 shooting and three assists in his latest forgettable outing of a disappointing season in which he’s averaging 9.2 points, 5.5 rebounds and 2.1 assists per game. Though Chandler has been praised for his solid wing defense and improved playmaking, he has not been a reliable offensive option all season.

The most likely contender to take Chandler’s place? Two-way rookie Torrey Craig, who has provided a spark at times during his month-long stint with the Nuggets but whose role has fluctuated in recent weeks. He only played two minutes against the Suns, and did not see the floor in Wednesday’s loss at the Clippers. But Craig’s 45-day window to play with Denver is nearing its end, before the Nuggets must decide whether to sign him to a full NBA deal — which would require freeing up a roster spot — or send him back down to the G League. Perhaps this is the time to truly see what Craig’s got.

2. Move Will Barton back off the ball. “Thrill” has not brought the same instant-offense flair since he became Denver’s primary backup point guard. He’s shooting 40.3 percent so far in January, including a 3-of-10 mark in Friday’s loss to Phoenix. He’s also averaged 33 minutes over his past five games, which includes a start at point guard in place of an injured Jamal Murray in Wednesday’s loss to the Clippers and a start at small forward in Tuesday’s win against Dallas. Though Malone would not use Barton’s role change as an excuse for his offensive struggles after the Suns loss, the coach has mentioned multiple times that Barton being asked to run the Nuggets’ offense probably curtails his style of play. Returning Barton to a versatile sixth man role would mean Malone would either need to permanently re-insert Emmanuel Mudiay into the rotation or give minutes to two-way rookie Monte Morris, who was called up from the G League on Thursday but was inactive for Friday’s game against the Suns. Related Articles Kiszla: How should cute, little Nuggets fight back against big, haughty Lakers? One sharp elbow at a time.

How Nuggets rookie Michael Porter Jr. gained Michael Malone’s trust

Dwight Howard sets energetic tone in Lakers’ Game 1 win

Nuggets journal: Lakers’ vast postseason experience paid off in spades. Can Denver respond?

Whicker: Lakers, unlike the Clippers, don’t ask you to wait until next year

3. Put Kenneth Faried back in the rotation. Faried again never got off the bench Friday, prompting a group of fans in the Pepsi Center to holler “unleash the Manimal!” throughout the game. His best attributes, elite rebounding and athleticism, would appear to give a charge to a team currently lacking collective energy. But a second-quarter sequence in Wednesday’s loss at the Clippers illustrates why Faried is perhaps the most polarizing Nugget. Following an emphatic dunk, Faried was slow to get back on defense and gave up a slam to Montrezl Harrell on the other end. On the season, Faried is averaging 6.1 points and 4.8 rebounds in 30 games.

4. Increase Malik Beasley’s minutes. Though the second-year guard still has plenty of room to grow, Malone and teammates consistently praise Beasley’s tenacity and commitment to defense. At one point in early December, that elevated Beasley to the first Nugget off the bench. These days, his playing time is more sporadic. He got 13 minutes against the Suns, scoring three points on 1-of-2 shooting from long range.