Cost-cutting could become the focus of the Nuggets‘ offseason plans, with possibly more than one “starter-level player” being moved in an effort to trim salary, writes Bennett Durando of The Denver Post.
Denver already has $213.8MM committed to 10 players for next season, which exceeds both the projected luxury tax level and the first apron while being in sight of the $222MM second apron. Durando expects ownership to view the second apron as a hard cap while possibly having designs on escaping the tax.
Jonas Valanciunas, who has a $2MM guarantee on his $10MM salary for next season, is almost certain to be gone, according to Durando. He could be traded to a team willing to accept the $2MM in dead money, but a second-round pick would have to be attached and the Nuggets only have three available. Other options are to waive him and keep the $2MM on next season’s cap sheet or to use the stretch provision over the next three years.
Durando also expects Denver to exercise its $2.41MM option on Jalen Pickett – whose contract is roughly $40K cheaper than the projected cap hit for a veteran’s minimum salary – and to hang on to the 26th pick in the draft, which fills another roster spot for about $3.1MM.
The choices get tougher with restricted free agents Peyton Watson and Spencer Jones, Durando adds. Jones fell just short of starter criteria this season, so his qualifying offer will be $2.65MM rather than $5.9MM. Watson’s is $6.5MM, but his offers in free agency will be far above that number. Durando suggests the Nuggets might want to discourage prospective suitors by expressing their intentions to match any offers for both players, but they’ll need to clear out a significant amount of salary before that becomes realistic.
Trading Christian Braun may be impossible since his five-year extension is just beginning, but Durando suggests there might be takers for Zeke Nnaji, who’s down to two years left on his contract and will make $7.5MM next season. Durando also theorizes that Denver could get involved as a facilitator in a Giannis Antetokounmpo trade as a way to get rid of an unwanted contract.
To move significant money, the Nuggets would have to part with Jamal Murray ($50.1MM next season), Aaron Gordon ($32MM) or Cameron Johnson ($23.1MM). Durando points to Johnson as the easiest to move because he has an expiring contract, but even erasing his entire salary without taking anything back would still leave them several million above the tax line once they fill out the roster.
The only realistic path toward getting out of the tax is to unload Johnson and another valuable player, whether that means sacrificing Watson in free agency or considering a move to send out Murray or Gordon. Regardless of the path, Durando views it as a potential step back for an organization that wants to keep contending for titles while Nikola Jokic is still in his prime.
Sankara 2026 NBA mock draft, Det/Cle gm7 version…
1Wizards- Darryn Peterson guard KU
2Jazz- AJ Dybantsa wing BYU
3Grizzlies- Caleb Wilson forward UNC
4Bulls- Cameron Boozer forward Duke
5Clippers- Mikel Brown Jr pg Louisville
6Nets- Keaton Wagler guard Illinois
7Kings- Darius Acuff pg Arkansas
8Hawks- Kingston Flemings pg Houston
9Mavericks- Nate Ament forward Tennessee
10Bucks- Hannes Steinbach big UW
11Warriors- Labaron Philon guard Alabama
12Thunder- Isaiah Evans guard Duke
13Heat- Cameron Carr wing Baylor
14Hornets- Aday Mara big Michigan
15Bulls- Brayden Burries guard Arizona
16Grizzlies- Karim Lopez forward Mexico
17Thunder- Yaxel Lendeborg forward Michigan
18Hornets- Ebuka Okorie pg Stanford
19Raptors- Chris Cenac Jr big Houston
20Spurs- Luigi Suigo big Italy
21Pistons- Meleek Thomas guard Arkansas
22Sixers- Amari Allen wing Alabama
23Hawks- Jayden Quaintance big UK
24Knicks- Morez Johnson Jr big Michigan
25Lakers- Henri Veesaar big UNC
26Nuggets- Christian Anderson pg Texas Tech
27Celtics- Allen Graves forward Santa Clara
28Timberwolves- Koa Peat forward Arizona
29.Cavaliers- Tyler Tanner pg Vanderbilt
30Mavericks- Tounde Yessoufou wing Baylor
Christian Anderson has a lot of young Monte Morris in his game, both guys def Big XII legends. Anderson should be able to help Denver right from the jump too. His game is very mature & if he can hang with the physicality of the game (West conf is less physical so that should help), he could be a valuable rotation guy even as a rookie. Denver can also bring in inexpensive guys that can help their rotation in former Nuggets’ Gary Harris (1 of the best teammates Jokic has ever had) &/or Malik Beasley… link to youtube.com
What makes you think the Clippers are taking Mikel? Any reports on that?
Outside of Peterson, Mikel is just the best guard in the draft to me. He’s right up there with Dylan Harper & any of the top young pgs rn. I understand they just got Garland & gave up a lot to get him but drafting top5 you go for best player available & that’s what Mikel is. I’m extremely hopeful that he drops to my Hawks at #8 but I’m guessing he’s prob gone before then. Flemings/Acuff/Wagler all had better freshman seasons than Mikel but his length, shot making off the dribble, clutch gene, ability to finish at the rim, versatility, explosiveness, height, demeanor all point to a future perennial all-star.
Isnt that more of a big board than a mock draft then? Mock draft is trying to predict what will happen on draft night, not rank who you think are thw best players
He just copied and paste and on line draft from ESPN. i seen many other draft boards and that 1 is way off.
What draft from espn did I copy?
You definitely copied
Who said anything about ranking the best players?
Mikel is the best guy available at 5. I expect the Clippers to either draft him or trade the pick.
You just said Mikel is the best available at 5, that is literally ranking the best players lol
I feel like you might not understand the concept of the nba draft.
Even though I basically spelled it out for you…
“I understand they just got Garland & gave up a lot to get him but drafting top5 you go for best player available & that’s what Mikel is.”
The nba draft is not always about picking the best player available and actually best player available is super debatable.
You are not able to understand the difference between a MOCK DRAFT and a BIG BOARD, what you did is a BIG BOARD where you ranked who YOU think are the best players.
So do you disagree about Mikel going #5 or is this only about me calling this a mock draft instead of a “big board”?
I dont think Mikel will go at 5 but this was about how it was called lol
Reason is only 1 publication put a player on my favorite team (like you did) and that was ESPN all the others have them taking 1 or 2 other players. Wizards are a slam dunk for AJ only way Jazz gets him is if they trade up for him. Peterson had a uneventful work out so he is not going #1. AJ had a great work out he is the #1 choice.
They don’t get paid hundreds of millions of $ to workout. They get paid to play ball & as great as AJ is, Peterson is simply better. He beats AJ & outplays him every time they play. He’s stronger, he’s a better shooter, he’s more of a team player. When they were on the same team Peterson was best player on the team.
that is your opinion. You need to look at the whole picture because team needs and how soon they need that player to be NBA ready is where they will be drafted.
Appreciate you doing this. Good stuff per usual. I think Carr rises up sadly. I wanted him at 15 so badly but his combine was the best so he’ll rise up into top 10 status perhaps.
Carr is sorta perfect in a lot of ways draft-wise b/c he’s so athletic & long & he’s a great shooter, plus he’s a lil older so theoretically he’ll be a lil more ready to contribute early than a lot of the freshmen. He fits really well with a lot of the teams drafting in front of the Bulls, specifically 11-13. If he’s there at 15 I expect Graham to grab Carr just like you. If he’s not there I feel like they may want to entertain packaging that pick with a bad contract or two to maximize flexibility going into free agency.
I can see us moving that 15th pick. The only bad contract we have is Polio boy. I don’t see that happening. Ideally, I’d like us to move up from 15 to get Dallas’ 9th pick and possibly getting either Brown or Carr.
I’ll reply to your mock tomorrow when I am near a laptop lol. But good stuff as usual. We agree on a lot of things, especially on Pete and AJ comparison. I had Pete to Wizards bc he’s willing to move off the ball and be a 2 guard to start his career he stated last week. The only gripe I have is Brown. He’s a top 5 talent but his back issues like MPJ might cause him to slide down. I think he’s a helluva talent though. Flemings I’m coming in lately too. It’ll be interesting to see how the GMs view the Brown/Flemings ranking as well.
It’s hard to imagine Mikel slipping past the Hawks at 8. He’s the guy I been wanting all yr tbh. His back injury wasn’t anywhere near as serious as MPJ’s. He says he’s already 100% & ready for summer league w/ no limitations but even if he needed surgery & had to sit out a year I’d still take him at 8 if I’m the Hawks.
As far as packaging that 15 pick with Pat Williams, maybe Indy might give up Obi Toppin if the Bulls add another 2nd rd pick on top
I’d love to get Obi. Does Indy stay in the 2nd apron though? I would love to give up a 2nd rounder for Ryan Dunn. He fell out of Phoenix’s rotation last year and he can play defensive and has good size. Phoenix doesn’t have any 2nd as well. It’s a low risk high reward trade for us.
@Sankara
Nice!
Why Peterson #1? Any concerns with Dybantsa, or is it just because DP projects better?
Yeah it really just boils down to Peterson being better. They’re both great prospects obv but Peterson is better in a few ways. Like I’ve said a few times Peterson has beaten/outplayed AJ literally everytime they’ve played. He fits the Wizards roster better. And 1 main thing is that Peterson is gonna fit into a nba team system easier than AJ will. AJ naturally dominates the ball more than Peterson. DP can play off the ball or on the ball equally well. AJ is much more comfortable on the ball & obv this won’t be the case early on in his career if he goes to DC. I still do love AJ as a prospect tho. He’s definitely the pick for Utah if they stick at 2 & he’s still there. To me this is sorta similar to the old Kobe/LeBron thing tho. Kobe is clearly great but I take Bron every time.
Thanks for the detailed response!
I agree that when they were on the floor at the same time, as opponents or teammates, Peterson looked a better player. And Peterson, if he went #1, would very likely have a better rookie season in DC than Dybantsa. And he’s the favourite to win ROTY wherever he goes, really. He looks like he has already grown into his body and learned to control it. The cramp thing is whatever. I’ve never seen a guy’s career being derailed by cramps, lol. So it shouldn’t be a reason to overlook him, not at all.
Dybantsa still looks like a somewhat uncoordinated young guy. His movements and basketball moves are sometimes not the most elegant and refined. His muscles are not the most refined either.
But I think the teams won’t hate that. If anything, they’ll probably think “Imaging how good he’ll become when his coordination improves and when our trainers sharpen him up”. They always think that, they always try to see the upside in these situations. And they’re right.
And he’s taller, and tall forwards are just rarer and more valuable than sleek backcourt operators. Plus, he draws fouls like crazy, and it is so valuable in basketball and in the NBA. It is how you control games. Even though Peterson is pretty good at that, too.
Not being used to playing off the ball is a concern, though. I find it really hard to like players who only do well when they’re given the ball, get to their spots to do their thing. I’m European, and to me, off-ball movement and ability to make a play, to manipulate defences, to create an advantage with your movement and interpretation of the floor is the most useful skill and the biggest art in basketball. And it is especially important for positions 2-4. I never truly loved players like Kobe and never will.
So it is a concern. But Dybantsa can pass and make a play for his teammates when he has the ball. That’s important.
Roster fit is not important, though. Nobody in DC has proven anything yet to warrant the team choosing a player to fit with them. And you don’t pick a fit at #1 anyway.
Trae should be nothing but an afterthought. I was and remain one of his biggest critics. I was saying all along that Atlanta would get better if they got rid of him and had a player of a lesser status like Davion Mitchell, Cason Wallace or somebody like that. The Wiz FO will likely try to sign Trae to a good deal on lower AAV and trade him before the deadline. And that’s what they should do. Treat him as an asset.
Just like Atlanta looked a better team when Johnson was handling the ball and Trae wasn’t on the court, the Wiz will be a better team if Kyshawn handles it. But he’s not going to have the ball and playmake all the time, of course, not at this stage of his career anyway. And maybe in that context, it won’t be the worst thing to have a high-usage player like Dybantsa on the court.
Sank is a good read always. He definitely sees the game differently and that’s why I like his posts. Sometimes I won’t agree but the passion and love for the game is there when he posts, unlike some others lol. Definitely a good guy to grab a beer and talk hoops all night type guy.
Dybansta probably goes 1st overall
Grizzlies probably take Boozer over Wilson
Bills take Wilson if that’s the case
Clippers take Acuff over Brown
Curious to why you mocked Evans to OKC and why you have Yaxel falling a little below his normal projections?
Lakers primary targets include: Peyton Watson (SF/PF): Jalen Duren (C): Mitchell Robinson (C), Quentin Grimes
Lakers are targeting the teams that want to save luxury tax?
Predictions
Watson – 4 years $95 million
Start at $27 mil
Eason – 4 years $75 million
Start at $22 mil
Grimes – 4 years $65 million
MLE
Duren – max
Easy
Trade Cameron Johnson, Nnaji, Jonas Val, a 1st and 2nd to a team that can absorb salary for a 2nd rd pick.
Resign Watson, Holmes, Bruce Brown, Pickett, Strawther, Spencer Jones and Tim Hardaway Jr
Sign a couple veterans
Championship (not a Nuggets fan anymore, miss Antonio McDyess)
You don’t even need to do that
1. Trade Gordon to lakers for Vanderbilt Ayton and Knecht
Lakers replace Rui with Gordon
Nuggets pick up Ayton to replace Val, Vanderbilt and Knecht as depth to replace guys leaving
2. Johnson to Detroit for Lavert, Holland, Klintman, Sasser.
Johnson gives Detroit another 3pt shooter around Cade
Nuggets pick up depth to replace guys leaving
Pg – Murray Sasser
Sg – Lavert Knecht
Sf – Holland Knecht
Pf – Vanderbilt Klintman
C – Jokic Ayton
And fill out the rest with whoever in left over after trades and guys leaving
Dalton and Sasser are on player options who will probably not be picked up next season
Klintman has already been waived
Detroit is not trading Holland with anything for Johnson. Johnson isn’t that good.
Why would you trade Gordon for injured Vanderbilt? Totally a Lakers trade. Denver wouldn’t do it
Ayton isn’t backing up Jokic to play 10 minutes a game
I appreciate your effort but probably not
Player options picked up for salary trade Sasser and Knecht
Fanspro had Klintman listed needed salary filler so pick someone else
Gordon isn’t the epitome of healthy himself lmao 51 games 36 games. You’re essentially shedding Gordon’s salary next 4 years for 3 of Vanderbilt and 1 of Ayton without sacrificing draft picks to unload salary like you listed above.
Nuggets need to shed both Gordon and Johnson. Shedding Johnson isn’t enough to salary nor us Val’s. They need a lot of help
Fun thing about Ayton you can play him a c to rest Jokic or PF in big lineups. He’d see more than 10 mins a game easy so the it’s incorrect.
Pg – Murray Sasser
Sg – Lavert Knecht
Sf – Holland Knecht
Pf – Vanderbilt Klintman
C – Jokic Ayton
I think that makes them worse
Dalton will be declined by the Lakers
Gordon and Jokic are good friends.
Jokic and Ayton cannot play PF.
Ayton is not playing scrub minutes. Come on now. 15 minutes isn’t enough
Holland being the only young guy starting is weird
PG-Murray, Pickett,
SG-Braun, Hardaway, Brown
SF-Watson, Strawther, S Jones
PF-Gordan, Holmes,
C -Jokic,
Trading out Cam Johnson, Nnaji, Jonas Val to clear up 40M.
Sign a cheap good veteran backup PG and C. My way is much easier and keeps them as a winner
Anyone else have a opinion on this?
Denver already has $213.8MM committed to 10 players for next season, which exceeds both the projected luxury tax level and the first apron while being in sight of the $222MM second apron. Durando expects ownership to view the second apron as a hard cap while possibly having designs on escaping the tax.
When you’re clearing salary (Gordon Johnson) you can’t expect much in return
Detroit says no to that trade all day.
Cam Johnson is horrible. Holland is worth more than Johnson. Johnson is a nice expiring contract for a tanking team
Holland Sasser and the others are bench pieces. Holland can’t shoot the 3 loll. Hes cheap and young. Which is what the nuggets need. Cheap young controllable
Cam Johnson is horrible.
Lmao one bad season in Denver doesn’t negate his career 13 points, 85% ft shooter, 40% from 3 averages common now
Cam has always been horrible. You must be one of those who thinks he is a legend lol
Tweener PF’s are trash
Cam has never played a full season or even close. You need to get over him
Well being there are only two keepers on the Nuggets and everyone else was extremely mid or injured last season, this should be easy. Rebuild the roster around the 2 good players they have.
I’m not so sure Murray is as “keeper” as you think. Unless you mean Gordon, in which case I agree. Murray is frustratingly inconsistent though lit when he’s on (maybe the best scoring guard in the league when he’s really flowing). He cannot handle long aggressive defenders and isn’t quick enough to stay in front of anyone on D. Murray-Jokic used to be the best partnership in the game, but the game has moved on and now they don’t fit together at all anymore. Time to make a big gutsy trade, or they’ll just settle in behind the Thunder and Spurs until Jokic retires.
Nuggets will probably lose Watson, and they should probably find a way to trade Braun and maybe even Murray in a big trade
If things go south in Houston, KD and Jokic would be cool
I don’t see how they don’t trade this pick with nnaji to clear salary
Nnaji’s pretty cheap and his contract is only two years now. They can probably move that on its own, or maybe with a future second.