Nuggets Offseason Breakdown: Can Denver climb back to the NBA’s summit?
The Denver Nuggets have one of the most interesting situations in the NBA heading into this year’s offseason.
In 2024 the Nuggets had a roller coaster of a season which landed them one game short of reaching the Western Conference Finals. Their second-round loss against the Oklahoma City Thunder was an unprecedented feat, especially after firing head coach Michael Malone and general manager Calvin Booth with just three games left remaining in the regular season.
Now Denver has a huge dilemma. Since their championship run in 2023, the Western Conference had grown substantially stronger. Teams like the Thunder and Minnesota Timberwolves, who have blooming stars, now stand in the way of the franchise’s second championship.
Since the Nuggets have the best player in the NBA with Nikola Jokić, and still have the main core of their championship squad, what’s stopping them from getting back to glory? Money and resources to improve the roster are limited, but can the team still win with its championship-rooted core?
Hire a General Manager
Denver took care of their head coach position quickly, removing the interim tag and promoting David Adelman to the full-time position. Adelman finished 11-7 in his temporary assignment and coached the Nuggets to a near-upset of the No. 1-seeded Thunder.
However, that leaves one more position to be filled. With Team President Josh Kronke firing the two head honchos of the organization right before the playoffs means one thing: the team needs a culture reset. With Adelman being the next guy up, Denver sure doesn’t want a repeat of the Booth and Malone situation.
Since hiring Adelman, Kronke has been vocal about wanting to be more thorough with the GM search.
“I would be naive if I didn’t think about soliciting opinions outside these walls, whether that’s from some of my own basketball contacts or hiring a firm that perhaps might be able to give me a list of some of the brightest upcoming minds in the league,” Kronke said in his end of season press conference. “The way that our players responded over the last six, seven weeks really told the world that you know the Nuggets job … is a really special one and especially with where we are right now.”
If the Nuggets were to look internally for the job, interim general manager Ben Tenzer would be the leading candidate. Denver already owes Malone for the remainder of his contract and along with being in the first apron of the luxury tax, it would be highly unlikely for the team to afford an outside top candidate.
Financial Situation
The Nuggets are going to be a first apron Luxury Tax team for the fourth season in a row according to sportrac. Being in the first apron triggers a series of restrictions, including certain signings and trades.
Most notably Denver gave Jamal Murray and Aaron Gordon hefty extensions. Murray received a four-year max contract extension worth $208 million, while Gordon inked a three-year deal worth $103 million. The Nuggets are also shoveling money into Micheal Porter Jr.’s rookie extension and are paying him $35 million a year through 2026.
It will be hard for Denver to garner any trade talks for either Murray or Porter due to their guaranteed money. This comes from the fact that in the NBA, money has to match in trades. If the Nuggets are not able to try and get rid of their larger contracts, it will be harder to afford top free agents.
Along with a roster that has four players taking up 82% of the payroll, Christian Braun will be expecting a nice payday when he is eligible for an extension at the start of next July.
So, the Nuggets will have to find cheaper options in free agency who can manage the team’s depth issues.
Address Depth
Roster depth has run the NBA this season, as the two deepest teams, the Indiana Pacers and Oklahoma City Thunder, are facing off in the NBA Finals. For the Nuggets to compete in the league, they will need to add more depth.
“It definitely seems like the teams that have longer rotations – longer benches – are the teams that are winning: Indiana, OKC, Minnesota.” Jokic said after the Game 7 loss.
The Nuggets can’t rely on the draft this season to help, as they owe their first-round pick to the Orlando Magic from the Aaron Gordon trade. Their second-round pick is owned by the Phoenix Suns from a three-team trade last Summer.
Kronke hasn’t ruled out any trades, but is more focused on internal development as a source to alleviate the depth issue. Players such as Peyton Watson and Julian Strawther could emerge into stars with the right coaching and development. However, that doesn’t mean the team wouldn’t look to move either of them to sweeten the deal in a trade.
“I’ll say there’s an urgency to improve the team and the organization everywhere, whether that’s via trade, via draft. Right now, I think that having a cohesive organization from coaching staff to front office is our main goal,” Kronke said.
If the Nuggets want to make trades or sign key players this Summer, it would be hard for them to do so, but Kronke is aware of the team’s need for depth and knows it needs to be addressed.
With their title core still intact and the league's best player at the helm, the Nuggets stand at a crossroads between fading glory and a second title. With financial constraints, but a need to bolster their roster, Denver now must get creative or risk watching their championship window close.
"We didn’t, so obviously we can’t. If we could, we would win it. I don’t believe in that ‘if’ stuff. We had opportunities. We didn’t win it, so I think we can’t." Jokic said after being asked if the team could win a championship with the current roster.
