Every year, the Denver Nuggets hope to get better at the start of free agency. Sometimes, they make aggressive moves like the signing of Paul Millsap, the acquisitions of Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and Bruce Brown, or the Michael Porter Jr. for Cam Johnson swap.
Other times, they make smaller additions that still prove to make a difference like Tim Hardaway Jr., Russell Westbrook, or the simple retention of the team’s own free agents. The Nuggets have often been known as a team built on continuity these last few seasons, and it’s helped them stay consistently good.
But now, the pressure is on heading into free agency this year. Nikola Jokic’s contract status is potentially at stake, and the Nuggets are expected to make changes for the expressed reason of both upgrading around Jokic and making the roster less expensive.
It will take significant skill and luck to both get better and cheaper at the same time, but it’s up to the Nuggets to figure out how to do it. Today will be a significant step forward or back in that process, possibly the most pivotal day of the Nuggets offseason overall.
So, what are the Nuggets going to do?
Well, here are some ideas. 25 ideas to be exact, just like every year:
Star Trades
These are the ideas in which the Nuggets are forced to change who they are at a fundamental level.
Jaylen Brown: Obviously, this idea has gotten a lot of traction of late. The Boston Celtics seem interested in trading Brown, and I wonder if he made his exit desires clear after the Celtics tried to trade him for Giannis Antetokounmpo.
The only realistic way I think this works is with Jamal Murray. The Nuggets would also have to send out additional salary to match Brown’s high salary, but Murray and Zeke Nnaji fits just perfectly here. Denver has to decide if Brown is the right co-star for Jokic going forward or not. If he was acquired for Murray in a swap, the Nuggets would desperately need a starting caliber point guard.
Kawhi Leonard: I sincerely doubt Denver gets involved here, but Leonard is the star most consistently included in trade rumors at the moment. He would fit in Denver next to Jokic well, but the deal would either involve Murray or a combination of Aaron Gordon and one of Christian Braun or Cam Johnson. Moving some of Jokic’s favorite teammates for Kawhi Leonard seems off.
Jamal Murray based trades
These are the trades in which the Nuggets move Jamal Murray for smaller salaries but still maintain their identity.
Franz Wagner or Jalen Suggs: The Magic have stated publicly they hope to run the same core back with new head coach Sean Sweeney. If that’s actually a front, then Murray makes sense as a partner for Paolo Banchero. The Nuggets would add a better defender or two to their rotation, but both Wagner and Suggs present major injury concerns.
Jrue Holiday and Scoot Henderson: The Blazers just traded for Ja Morant and added him to Damian Lillard. They’ve also been rumored to be interested in Jaylen Brown. There’s a three-team trade here where Brown goes to Portland, Murray goes to Boston, and both Holiday and Scoot Henderson replace Murray in Denver. That one seems more appealing for Denver’s present and future than Wagner/Suggs.
Dejounte Murray and Herb Jones or Trey Murphy: The Pelicans likely aren’t interested in Jamal Murray, but they’ve been known to make rash choices. If they envision adding Murray to lead a group of Zion Williamson and the Pelicans young core, the Nuggets might benefit from the misplaced veterans currently on the Pelicans roster.
Immanuel Quickley + RJ Barrett or Brandon Ingram: The Raptors have been sniffing around star trades for a lot of players, and the upgrade from Quickley or Jamal Shead to Jamal Murray is a significant one. Could the Nuggets add a couple quality veterans and some draft pick capital?
Aaron Gordon based trades
Devin Vassell: Nuggets fans will understandably turn their nose up at this trade; however, there’s a world where the Spurs decide Gordon is the final piece to complete their championship and decide to make a Mikal Bridges style trade that the Knicks made. How does Vassell and three or four first round picks sound? Even if it makes the Spurs better?
Derrick White: The Celtics are clearly interested in making moves, and if they move a physical downhill forward in Brown, what’s stopping them from wanting a physical downhill forward like Gordon to replace him? Maybe the Nuggets can take advantage of that and add a hometown kid that plays defense and does all the little things.
Duncan Robinson and Ron Holland: The Pistons are likely letting go of Tobias Harris, and they already traded Isaiah Stewart. Their frontcourt suddenly got worse, and Jalen Duren is potentially on the outs too. The Pistons suddenly need to get aggressive to stay near the top of the East, and if the Nuggets are looking to get cheaper, a Duncan Robinson + Ron Holland package with a draft pick or two would be very reasonable.
Cam Johnson/Christian Braun salary shedding
Terance Mann: The Brooklyn Nets might be done taking on salary after giving new contracts to Day’Ron Sharpe and Josh Minott, but if they still have room, the Nuggets should consider Terance Mann back as a veteran guard/wing with a versatile two-way skill set. He would be an excellent sixth or seventh man.
Isaac Okoro, Jalen Smith, or Tre Jones: The Chicago Bulls are likely to be bad this year, but if they want to add some veterans to try and avoid being in the top three, adding Johnson or Braun makes some sense next to their young core of perimeter players. In return, one or more of the smaller contracts of Okoro, Smith, or Jones, could be acquired and play a role off Denver’s bench.
Grayson Allen, Royce O’Neale, or Grant Williams: The Charlotte Hornets just traded LaMelo Ball and Miles Bridges and have a few interesting contract matching options and the ability to take on additional salary. Allen is a spacer, O’Neale is a wing defender, and Williams is a switchable forward/big. All could play a role on Denver’s bench.
Minimum Free Agents
De’Anthony Melton: Melton shot poorly for the Warriors coming off a torn ACL last year, but he has a two-way skill set and can be a point-of-attack defender. Melton has been one of my top Nuggets targets for a long time.
Bogdan Bogdanovic: This is an opportunity to appease Nikola Jokic with a Serbian teammate who has struggled greatly for the last couple years. Perhaps a reunion with Jokic ignites old chemistry. If not, he’d still be nice to have around the team.
Matisse Thybulle: Thybulle ranked fourth in the NBA in Defensive EPM behind only Victor Wembanyama, Ausar Thompson, and Chet Holmgren last season. If Denver’s goal is to get better on defense, Thybulle’s inclusion on this list is self-explanatory.
Khris Middleton: The Nuggets had reported interest in Middleton on the buyout market last season if he became available, and he did not. Perhaps that interest could be rekindled, a smart, playmaking wing/forward who might be too old but has a chance.
Kenrich Williams: The Thunder declined Williams’ team option purely due to a roster and salary cap crunch. Williams is a good and helpful role player. If the Nuggets added him, he would make them better, but his market should be above the minimum.
Marvin Bagley III: Marvin Bagley has turned his reputation around from a massive NBA Draft bust to an under-the-radar free agent big man. He’s mobile, a capable scorer, and a surprisingly competent defender now. He should be at the top of Denver’s minimum free agent big man list.
Nikola Vucevic: Vucevic is a veteran big man who’s been a starter for almost his entire 15-year career. The Celtics acquired him at the deadline last year, but it didn’t work out in a bench role behind Neemias Queta. Perhaps playing behind his friend Nikola Jokic would be a little different. Vucevic is closer to DeMarcus Cousins than Jonas Valanciunas in my mind.
Malaki Branham: Talk about under-the-radar, Malaki Branham didn’t get on the floor for the Washington Wizards last year. He’s a former first round pick though, drafted one spot before Christian Braun in 2022. Branham just turned 23 in May, and I bet he has more to give if given an actual opportunity at the NBA level now.
Free Agents to Retain
Peyton Watson: Watson’s free agency has been well-documented. The Nuggets have consistently signaled they want him back, but other teams are likely to pursue him in free agency. Expect this contract to cost the Nuggets at minimum $22 million per year with potential to trend toward $30 million annually.
Spencer Jones: The Nuggets gave Spencer Jones a qualifying offer to make him a restricted free agent. Ideally, they could retain a player who started 37 games for them last year and played in 64. Expect him to get some offers from teams with cap exceptions though. The Nuggets may choose not to afford his services going forward.
Tim Hardaway Jr.: THJ had a great season in Denver this past year, and he’s expected to draw interest from playoff contenders as a bench shooter. The Nuggets don’t have his bird rights to sign a larger contract and are likely to lose Hardaway, but if his market dries up, they should make him a priority to re-sign.
Bruce Brown: Brown’s return to Denver last season was up-and-down, confirmed by Denver’s interest in adding a backup point guard this offseason. The Nuggets may retain Brown because he’s a great person to have in the locker room and made some plays throughout the year, but don’t be surprised if Denver runs out of roster spots to bring him back.
Tyus Jones: A traditional backup point guard option, the Nuggets added Tyus Jones on the buyout market, and he played over Jalen Pickett. The Nuggets declined Pickett’s team option, but they might still have interest in retaining Jones for point guard depth at the minimum.