Nuggets free agency preview: Can Denver’s new front office build depth?
The Denver Nuggets go into free agency with one thing on their mind: get back to the mountaintop.
After an NBA Draft where they had no picks, ), the Nuggets will have to rely on free agency to build the depth they have been searching for since their Game 7 loss against the eventual NBA Champions, the Oklahoma City Thunder.
The Nuggets tackled their biggest task of the offseason by revamping their front office just days before the draft. However, the decision did not include hiring a general manager, but opting for two shot callers. Denver named Ben Tenzer and Jon Wallace the executive vice president of basketball operations and executive vice president of player personnel, respectively.
While two decision makers might help, Denver is still in a financial predicament. Denver’s “Core Four” (Jokic, Jamal Murray, Aaron Gordon and Michael Porter Jr.) are all signed to long term contracts and take up over 80% of the team’s salary. This makes it hard for Denver to afford top free agents that may be needed to build depth. So, with free agency starting at 4 p.m. MT on June 30, how does Denver solve their roster issues?
Contract situation and Outgoing Free Agents
As mentioned, Denver’s main four guys are all inked to long term deals, but it is worth mentioning that their fifth starter, Christian Braun, is entering the final year of his rookie deal. With his extension looming, it adds another kink in Denver being able to afford free agents.
Braun’s fellow 2022 draft pick, Peyton Watson, is also extension eligible in his final year of his rookie deal. All of Denver’s 2023 and 2024 picks, Julian Strawther, Jalen Pickett, Hunter Tyson and DaRon Holmes II are all signed to long term deals as well.
Last year’s offseason acquisition, Dario Saric, also picked up his player option, putting him under contract for next season. Forward Zeke Nnaji is also entering the second year of his multi-year extension.
With that, all together, the Nuggets have 12 players under contract, leaving only three potential roster spots.
The most notable players leaving the Nuggets are is their sixth-man, Russell Westbrook, along with DeAndre Jordan, long time Nuggett Vlakto Cancar.
Nickels n’ Dimes
The Nuggets enter the offseason under the third season of the NBA’s Collective Bargaining Agreement that established the luxury tax.
As a first apron team, the Nuggets cannot acquire a player via sign-and-trade if that player keeps them above the apron. They do have access to playing the mid-level exception worth 5.7 million annually, but can face a ‘repeater tax’ for being in the luxury tax for three of the last four seasons.
In layman’s terms, the Nuggets are already spending a lot on their roster which limits the moves they can make. Essentially they can sign someone because of the $5.7 million exception, but if they overspend they can face even more penalties in the daunting second apron.
Nuggets Needs
With many potential fits, Denver first has to isolate what the team needs to improve on before they can start trying to sign players. Wallace provided insight into what those areas are before heading into free agency.
“Shooting…with some size preferably off the bench…” Wallace said on an Altitude Sports Radio appearance. “And another defender. I think you got to have another defender, a point of attack… {and someone] that can help aid with some of the penetration and obviously help rebound…”
Can Denver Strike Gold?
Based on Denver’s wishlist of shooting, size and defense there are plenty of free agents that can fulfill their needs. The problem is who can they bring in that is in their price range? Here are three players that fill each of the Nuggets needs.
Bruce Brown, Guard (Perimeter defense)
This name should be familiar for Nuggets fans as he was an integral part of their championship winning team. However, since then, he has been passed around the league as a way to get blockbuster trades done. He would be a perfect fit with his high motor and perimeter defense, but to sound like a broken record, he will have to come back to Denver for the right price.
Taurean Prince, Forward (Shooting)
Prince is coming off a career shooting year (43.9% from 3-PT range), and would be able to come to Denver for cheap. However, he struggled to stay in the Milwaukee Bucks rotation in the playoffs because of his limited contribution. But if anyone can bring contribution out of Prince, it's the Nuggets and Jokic.
Chris Boucher, Forward (Size)
It will be hard for the Nuggets to convince Boucher to come to Denver on a discount (and away from Toronto), but he would be a perfect fit for the Nuggets. He has an interesting skill set for a 6-foot-9 forward. He can space the floor, block shots, defend and get boards.
Bottom Line
Whether the Nuggets are willing to spend the money to build around Jokic remains to be seen. It will depend on Denver’s dual decision-makers, Tenzer and Wallace, to determine how much time they spend on young players’ development, or spend the money to win now.
The Nuggets and the rest of the NBA officially starts NBA Free Agency at 4 p.m. MT on Monday, June 30.