Nuggets Rumors: Watson, Valanciunas, Nnaji, Johnson, LeBron
Nuggets forward Peyton Watson is hoping to top $25MM in average annual value in his next contract, sources tell Marc Stein and Jake Fischer of The Stein Line (subscription required). The restricted free agent is asking for a higher salary than Denver gave to Christian Braun in his rookie scale extension last fall.
Watson’s chances of reaching that figure will be affected by a free agency market that has already been somewhat depleted. The teams with enough cap space to make that kind of offer have largely used it on other players, and the Nuggets don’t appear willing to consider a sign-and-trade for a 23-year-old rotation player who is viewed as part of the future.
Watson’s cap hold is manageable at $13.1MM, so the Nuggets can let him explore free agency without affecting their ability to make other moves. He ranks seventh overall on our list of 2026’s top 50 free agents and is fourth among those remaining on the market.
There’s more on the Nuggets:
- Denver has been operating lately like a team that’s willing to enter the season in second apron territory if that’s what it takes to keep Watson and fellow RFA Spencer Jones, Stein and Fischer observe. They hear that backup center Jonas Valanciunas and reserve power forward Zeke Nnaji are the team’s only players who’ve been involved in recent trade rumors. Valanciunas, who has just a $2MM guarantee on his $10MM salary for next season if he’s waived by July 8, is considered to be a possible target for the Lakers in the wake of their agreement to trade Deandre Ayton to Washington. The Nuggets are reportedly welcoming L.A.’s interest in Valanciunas after searching for a taker since their season ended. Stein and Fischer report that they tried to package him with the 26th pick in this year’s draft before ultimately sending it to San Antonio in exchange for No. 35 and two future second-rounders. Nnaji, who has been on the trade market for some time, will make $7.5MM next season and has the same amount as a player option for 2027/28.
- Sources tell Stein and Fischer that Denver has turned down multiple trade offers involving Cameron Johnson, whose expiring $23MM contract was projected to be expendable in an effort to clear out salary before re-signing Watson and Jones. The authors also note that rival teams were expecting the Nuggets to try to trade Braun, but his value was lowered by his injury-filled season and the fact that his five-year extension is just about to take effect.
- In separate articles, Troy Renck of The Denver Post and Woody Paige of the Denver Gazette (subscriptions required) advocate an aggressive recruiting strategy to bring LeBron James to the Nuggets, leaning on his long friendship with the Kroenke family to make it happen.
Siegel’s Latest: Durant, Sengun, Pistons, Brown, Duren
While there’s no indication to this point that the Rockets have shown interest in trading either player, they’ve received inquiries this offseason on forward Kevin Durant and center Alperen Sengun, according to Brett Siegel of ClutchPoints.
As Siegel outlines, the Pistons and Celtics had interest in engaging with the Rockets on a three-team scenario that would’ve sent Durant to Detroit, Sengun to Boston, and Brown to Houston, but the Rockets weren’t interested in the concept and it didn’t go anywhere. Houston never actively pursued Brown, Siegel writes, echoing other reports, and he says Detroit didn’t make any headway in direct talks with the Rockets about Durant.
The Pistons also had interest in pursuing both Austin Reaves and Coby White in free agency, per Siegel, but didn’t get the chance to make a pitch to either player, as they both agreed to re-sign with their current teams (the Lakers and Hornets, respectively) well before June 30.
Detroit maintains interest in Durant, and Siegel suggests that interest might be mutual, noting that the veteran forward would be intrigued by playing alongside Cade Cunningham. However, even though Durant isn’t considered “untouchable” in Houston, it’s unclear whether the Rockets will seriously explore a trade before the 2026/27 season tips off.
Here’s more from Siegel:
- When the Hornets inquired on Brown, they were prepared to discuss a package that would’ve included Naz Reid, Miles Bridges, and some form of draft compensation, sources tell Siegel, but the Celtics sought Brandon Miller and/or more draft capital than Charlotte was willing to offer. Michael Scotto of HoopsHype previously reported that Charlotte put Reid and Bridges on the table in talks for Brown before agreeing to send Bridges to Phoenix. Brown, who was being kept apprised of which teams Boston was talking to, expressed that he wouldn’t want to be dealt to Charlotte, Siegel reports.
- The Nuggets also looked into a potential Brown deal, but they had very few draft assets to offer and their preliminary conversations involved Cameron Johnson and Aaron Gordon rather than Jamal Murray, so the Celtics looked elsewhere, Siegel writes.
- Restricted free agent center Jalen Duren and his representatives view him as a maximum-salary player, whereas the Pistons prefer not to exceed an average annual value of about $35MM on a long-term contract for the big man, says Siegel. Because Duren made an All-NBA team, Detroit could technically pay him up to five years and $287MM ($57.4MM annually), whereas a max offer from a rival team would come in at $177.3MM over four seasons ($44.3MM per year). No team has the cap room necessary to put that sort of offer on the table at this point though, hurting Duren’s leverage.
Trade Rumors: Kawhi, Brown, Hield, AD, Murphy, More
Rumors about the possibility of the Clippers and Raptors completing a Kawhi Leonard trade continued to percolate throughout the day on Monday, with ESPN’s Shams Charania stating on SportsCenter (Twitter video link) that the two teams seem motivated to make a deal. Charania suggested during that TV appearance that Leonard’s time with the Clippers may be nearing its end, while NBA insider Chris Haynes stated in a spot on NBA TV (Twitter video link) that he thinks it will be hard for L.A. to “put the toothpaste back in the tube” and bring Kawhi back for next season.
While it sounds like Leonard is interested in returning to a Raptors team willing to give him the sort of lucrative new extension that the Clippers haven’t put on the table, Haynes and Tomer Azarly of ClutchPoints both say L.A. hasn’t been enamored by Toronto’s offer so far. According to Azarly, the Raptors are willing to put Brandon Ingram, Gradey Dick, and a first-round pick on the table, but the Clippers view that proposal as “one-sided,” sources tell ClutchPoints.
Still, the Raptors want to keep their most promising young talent, which means All-Rookie forward Collin Murray-Boyles is off limits, according to Michael Grange of Sportsnet. Grange notes (via Twitter) that Toronto also wants to hang onto young wing Ja’Kobe Walter.
According to Azarly, if the Clippers do move Leonard, team owner Steve Ballmer would want to remain competitive and ideally would like to replace the two-time Finals MVP with another star. Celtics wing Jaylen Brown is at the top of that list, league sources tell ClutchPoints, but it’s unclear whether there’s a path for L.A. to acquire Brown while sending out Leonard.
For his part, Brown – whose name continues to come up frequently in trade rumors – has “grown frustrated” with the organization’s approach this offseason after he led the Celtics to a 56-win season without Jayson Tatum available for much of the year, reports Adam Himmelsbach of The Boston Globe (subscription required). Still, one league source who spoke to Himmelsbach said Brown could end up remaining in Boston, even if it requires some “uncomfortable conversations.”
Those conversations may be necessary if the Celtics can’t find an offer they like for Brown. And that’s a very real possibility, ESPN’s Charania, Brian Windhorst, and Bobby Marks said on Monday’s episode of NBA Today (YouTube link).
As RealGM relays, Marks described Brown’s market as “lukewarm” and speculated that he’ll remain a Celtic, while Windhorst agreed that Brad Stevens and his front office “might not be able to get what they want for Jaylen.” Charania, who has reported that the Celtics have sought four first-round picks for Brown from some potential trade partners, added that he hasn’t been able to find a team willing to pay that sort of price.
We have more trade rumors from around the NBA:
- Although the Hawks guaranteed Buddy Hield‘s salary for 2026/27 on Sunday, that doesn’t mean the veteran sharpshooter will still be on the roster by opening night. Jake Fischer of The Stein Line (Twitter link) hears Atlanta is discussing a number of trade scenarios that could involve Hield.
- Within his report on Kristaps Porzingis‘ new deal with Golden State, Anthony Slater of ESPN says there has been “no tangible movement” toward an Anthony Davis trade between the Warriors and Wizards.
- Multiple teams have been willing to offer two first-round picks for Pelicans wing Trey Murphy III, but New Orleans’ front office is seeking at least three and no suitors have been willing to meet that price, reports Kevin O’Connor of Yahoo Sports. Within the same story, O’Connor says one reason the Heat are shopping Nikola Jovic is to create the cap flexibility necessary to try to re-sign Norman Powell.
- In a general look at the Nuggets‘ offseason, Sam Amick of The Athletic adds the Mavericks to the list of teams with interest in Denver forward Cameron Johnson. Johnson seems to be the Nuggets’ most likely trade candidate, according to Brett Siegel of ClutchPoints, who says Denver’s front office has been engaging in trade talks with multiple teams about the 30-year-old.
Siegel’s Latest: Beal, Jovic, Murray, Holiday, Randle, Wade
The Heat and veteran guard Bradley Beal have mutual interest after the two-time All-Star opted out of his $5.62MM player option to become an unrestricted free agent, according to Brett Siegel of ClutchPoints.
However, Siegel suggests Miami’s interest in Beal may be contingent on the 33-year-old’s willingness to accept a minimum-salary contract. As Siegel explains, the Heat are pursuing several other targets in free agency and have a limited amount of financial flexibility to fill out their roster.
On a related note, Siegel’s sources say the Heat have been exploring trades involving Nikola Jovic to free up more money in free agency. The 23-year-old is entering the first season of a four-year, $62.4MM contract that likely has negative trade value after the Serbian forward struggled for much of 2025/26.
Here’s more from Siegel’s most recent story:
- While the Nuggets have been linked to Jaylen Brown, the Celtics haven’t pursued a trade involving Jamal Murray and Cameron Johnson, per Siegel. Multiple sources who spoke to ClutchPoints have downplayed the possibility of Murray being dealt this offseason.
- Jrue Holiday is expected to draw trade interest after the Trail Blazers acquired Ja Morant from Memphis, according to Siegel, who’s heard talk of the veteran guard being available even before the surprising move. The six-time All-Defensive member, who turned 36 earlier this month, is owed $72MM over the next two years, including a $37.2MM player option for ’27/28.
- The Nets don’t have any “immediate plans” to flip Julius Randle to another team after agreeing to acquire him from Minnesota, sources tell Siegel. No. 6 overall pick Mikel Brown Jr. said he’s talked to Randle about improving the team’s standing around the league, tweets Erik Slater of ClutchPoints. “I was talking to Julius Randle about it the other day and he told me, ‘We’re gonna shock the world.’ That’s what we plan on doing,” Brown said of the Nets.
- There appears to be a robust market for Cavaliers forward Dean Wade, who may receive the full mid-level exception (projected to be worth $64.7MM over four years) in free agency, Siegel reports. According to Siegel, the Pistons, Spurs, Lakers, Nets and Sixers are among the teams with interest in the former undrafted free agent. Siegel points to Philadelphia as perhaps the most prominent suitor for Wade.
What Nikola Jokic Delaying Extension Talks Could Mean For Nuggets
Nikola Jokic made headlines this week, with reporting indicating that he may not pursue an extension, which could be worth over $200MM, with the Nuggets until next summer, despite entering a potential contract year.
Jokic has publicly stated that he wants to be a “Nugget forever,” and the belief is that he is delaying talks because there’s no particular urgency for him to get a deal done now. In fact, waiting a year would make him eligible to add an extra year onto the extension, Michael Scotto notes for HoopsHype.
However, the lack of an agreement this offseason would create a level of pressure on Nuggets leadership that is somewhat unprecedented during the Jokic era, Marc Stein and Jake Fischer of The Stein Line write in their latest Substack article. At his end-of-season press conference, president Josh Kroenke conveyed that moving anyone besides Jokic would be “on the table” this summer, reflecting the team’s awareness that roster changes are necessary after a disappointing first-round exit.
The report also implies that Jokic may be exercising some level of pressure on the Nuggets to ensure that they deliver a roster he can compete with, according to Bennett Durando of the Denver Post speculates (Twitter link), who wonders if that would impact the Nuggets’ financial decision-making this offseason.
The Nuggets do not have a mandate to cut costs this summer, Sam Amick reports for The Athletic (subscriber link), despite a widespread expectation that they’ll look to avoid going deep into tax/apron territory. Denver has also seen the fallout from the Celtics offering Jaylen Brown in their pursuit of Giannis Antetokounmpo, and is cautious of alienating its own important players should a rumored deal fall through. That’s one reason the Nuggets are not actively shopping Gordon and Murray, though they are at least picking up the phone on offers.
There are a number of directions the Nuggets could take this offseason if they trade a starter. As we relayed earlier today, Cameron Johnson has drawn interest from the Lakers, Celtics, Heat, Clippers, and Magic, according to Scotto, while Aaron Gordon has reportedly viewed as a backup target for both the Heat and Trail Blazers if they weren’t able to complete trades for Antetokounmpo and Jaylen Brown, respectively.
Valuable bench scorer Tim Hardaway Jr. will likely only return to the Nuggets if he’s willing to sign at a discount, given that he’s expected to have suitors who could outbid Denver.
While Gordon and Jamal Murray remain two players the Nuggets would prefer to retain, the team has at least explored what might be on the market for the two veterans, Stein and Fischer report.
The Stein Line crew also notes that the Nuggets are looking for a former head coach to add as the top assistant under David Adelman for next season.
Trade Rumors: Brown, Johnson, Gordon, Barnes, Herro, More
Following up on recent reports connecting the Nuggets to Celtics star Jaylen Brown, Brian Robb of MassLive hears from a source that a deal is “highly unlikely” due to Denver’s limited draft assets — the Nuggets currently only have one tradable future first-round pick.
According to Michael Scotto of HoopsHype, the Celtics are one of several teams — including the Lakers, Heat, Clippers and Magic — to express trade interest in Nuggets forward Cameron Johnson. Bennett Durando of The Denver Post (Twitter link) believes Johnson will be dealt in the coming days.
Boston has also “kept tabs” on Aaron Gordon, per Scotto, and Robb confirms the Celtics have shown in Gordon in the past.
Still, as Robb observes, a trade sending Gordon and Johnson to Boston and Brown to Denver wouldn’t help the Nuggets reduce their payroll or land the Celtics the big man they’re known to be looking for. Robb also hears the Celtics aren’t expected to have interest in Jamal Murray due to his maximum-salary contract.
Scotto’s sources said the Raptors are among the teams with interest in Brown, and Robb reports that Scottie Barnes is “not on the table in any trade talks.” That’s not surprising, since the idea of trading for Brown would presumably be to find a complementary star alongside Barnes, not remove him from the equation.
Here are some more trade rumors from around the NBA:
- Robb confirms from sources that the Hawks, Clippers and Nets have “at least” expressed exploratory trade interest in Brown, who made the All-NBA second team in 2025/26, and says a Trail Blazers offer “would likely” include Jerami Grant, Scoot Henderson or Shaedon Sharpe, and first-round picks.
- If the Trail Blazers are unable to acquire their “preferred target” in Brown, they would be interested in trading for Gordon, according to Scotto of HoopsHype. The Heat also viewed Gordon as a fallback option if they had struck out on Giannis Antetokounmpo, league sources tell Scotto. That’s probably a moot point now that the Greek superstar is headed to Miami.
- Before Tyler Herro was traded to the Bucks as part of the package for Antetokounmpo and before the Lakers agreed to re-sign Austin Reaves on a four-year, maximum-salary deal, Los Angeles explored a trade with the Heat that would have involved Herro, Kel’el Ware and multiple first-round picks, Scotto reports. The Nets also checked in with Miami regarding what it would have taken to acquire Herro, per HoopsHype. Rival teams continue to view Herro as a trade candidate and are curious which direction the Bucks will take in the wake of the blockbuster deal, Scotto adds.
Stein/Fischer’s Latest: Nuggets, Mamukelashvili, Hachimura, More
While the Nuggets have had internal discussions about whether they have the requisite assets to trade for Jaylen Brown, they’re not currently viewed as a “bona fide landing spot” for the Celtics‘ star wing, sources tell Marc Stein and Jake Fischer of The Stein Line (Substack link).
As Stein and Fischer write, the Nuggets are attempting to thread a difficult needle of upgrading their roster around Nikola Jokic and re-signing restricted free agent Peyton Watson. While Denver is confident it will be able to keep Watson, there’s a growing sense that the team might have to trade “at least one” starter to do so.
Aaron Gordon has drawn the most trade interest of the non-Jokic starters to this point, per Stein and Fischer, but the Nuggets seem to want to keep Gordon and Jamal Murray, preferring instead to trade either Cameron Johnson or Christian Braun.
According to Stein and Fischer, Jonas Valanciunas is not expected to return next season and that may apply to Tim Hardaway Jr. as well.
Here’s more from Stein and Fischer’s latest round-up of NBA rumors:
- The Raptors are “bracing” for backup forward/center Sandro Mamukelashvili to test the open market in free agency, sources tell The Stein Line. Toronto still hopes to re-sign Mamukelashvili before league-wide free agency opens on June 30, Stein and Fischer clarify, but the Georgian big man is expected to draw interest from multiple teams for a significant chunk of the non-taxpayer mid-level exception, which projects to be worth about $15MM next season.
- The Nets and Spurs are among the teams with interest in free agent forward Rui Hachimura, Stein and Fischer report. The 28-year-old averaged 11.5 points on .514/.443/.694 shooting splits in 68 games (28.3 minutes per contest) with the Lakers last season.
- Magic center Moritz Wagner is another player who could change teams, according to Stein and Fischer, who say the German big man has signaled a willingness to leave Orlando and is expected to have multiple suitors on the open market.
- The Hawks explored a trade for Mavericks center Daniel Gafford ahead of the February deadline, but were only willing to part with second-round picks to acquire him, sources tell Stein and Fischer. According to The Stein Line, the Mavs attempted to land a first-round pick in a trade involving Gafford prior to this week’s draft, but were unsuccessful in those efforts.
- Maccabi Tel Aviv shooting guard Lonnie Walker IV could return to the NBA this summer, according to Stein, who reports (via Twitter) that the Walker is expected to have some NBA suitors this offseason. The 27-year-old has an NBA opt out until July 15, Stein adds. Walker’s last NBA stint came in 2024/25, when he spent the final two months of that season with the Sixers.
Stein’s Latest: Giannis, Magic, Braun, C. Johnson, Sixers
The Magic‘s decision to hire Sean Sweeney as their next head coach has led to increased speculation about Orlando potentially pursuing Giannis Antetokounmpo, according to Marc Stein of The Stein Line (Substack link), who says some people around the league already viewed the Magic as a possible suitor for the two-time MVP.
Antetokounmpo has a known affinity for Sweeney, a former Bucks assistant who spent four seasons with the Greek forward in Milwaukee. Stein writes that the two “worked closely” together.
As Stein observes, Sweeney isn’t Antetokounmpo’s only connection to the Magic, as senior advisor John Hammond selected the 31-year-old with the 15th overall pick in the 2015 draft. Magic president of basketball operations Jeff Weltman still regularly contacts Hammond for advice, Stein reports.
League sources tell Stein that the Heat and Trail Blazers are “already in pursuit” of Antetokounmpo, with Miami considered a top trade contender for the nine-time All-NBA member.
There’s a growing belief around the league that Antetokounmpo’s future will be resolved in the next few weeks after owner Jimmy Haslam set a soft deadline of the NBA draft, Stein adds.
Here’s more from Stein’s latest rumor round-up:
- Rival teams are expecting the Nuggets to make Christian Braun and Cameron Johnson available in trade talks this summer, according to Stein. Denver has said re-signing restricted free agent Peyton Watson will be a priority this offseason and there’s technically nothing preventing the team from doing so while keeping its other higher-priced players, assuming ownership is willing to pay the luxury tax bill. However, the Nuggets project to be well over the second apron if they bring back the same group, with Braun and Johnson among their trade candidates. Johnson’s expiring $23.1MM contract is considered far more appealing than Braun’s five-year, $125MM rookie scale extension, which begins next season, Stein notes.
- One of the reasons the Nuggets prioritized a long-term deal with Braun last offseason is he’s “routinely described” as one of Nikola Jokic‘s favorite teammates, league sources tell Stein. Jokic has finished either first or second in MVP voting each of the past six seasons.
- Vice president of player personnel Prosper Karangwa is expected to remain with the Sixers after the team hired Mike Gansey as its new head of basketball operations, according to Stein, who previously linked Karangwa to the Lakers and Mavericks. Stein reiterates that 76ers assistant GM Jameer Nelson is expected to be promoted to GM and that current GM Elton Brand is considered likely to be offered a new role in Philadelphia.
Free Agent Rumors: Duren, Kessler, Reaves, Dosunmu, More
Jalen Duren of the Pistons and Walker Kessler of the Jazz will be two of the top centers on the free agent market this offseason, but both will be restricted and the expectation is that they’ll remain with their current clubs, writes Tim Bontemps of ESPN.
Duren looked headed for a potential maximum-salary contract after a regular season breakout that saw him earn a spot on the All-NBA third team and rank second in Most Improved Player voting. An underwhelming postseason showing may have hurt his earning potential a little, according to Bontemps, but scouts and executives consider him likely to get a new deal that approaches $40MM per year.
“If he wants to get a max, they’ll tell him to go get one,” one Eastern Conference executive told Bontemps. “But he’s Cade (Cunningham)‘s guy, so they’ll have to play it the right way.”
Meanwhile, the Jazz added Jaren Jackson Jr. to their frontcourt during the season, but neither he nor Lauri Markkanen is expected to play the majority of his minutes at center, so Kessler remains an important part of the future in Utah. The belief around the league is that he’ll be able to negotiate a contract worth in the neighborhood of $25-30MM annually, Bontemps says.
“It appears Utah is gearing up to keep him,” an East scout told ESPN. “I don’t see an obvious fit in free agency for someone to try to get him. They’re going to be in an interesting spot next season, and I’m excited to see how they navigate all of it.”
Here are a few more notes and rumors on some of this summer’s top free agents:
- Scouts and executives who spoke to ESPN don’t expect Austin Reaves to get his full max (roughly $239MM over five years) from the Lakers, but they wouldn’t be surprised if he receives $40MM per year. “I’d be pretty surprised if the first year (salary) starts with a three instead of a four,” an Eastern Conference scout said, “but the Lakers need to keep him, and by all accounts he wants to be there, so I think they make it work.” The Nets, one of the few teams with the cap room necessary to make a run at a player like Reaves, is considered a rival suitor to monitor, sources tell Bontemps.
- Sources around the NBA believe guard Ayo Dosunmu will re-sign with the Timberwolves on a deal worth a little more than the non-taxpayer mid-level exception ($15MM), though that may require the team to part with injured guard Donte DiVincenzo to avoid going too deep into tax/apron territory, Bontemps notes.
- Rival scouts and executives would be surprised if the Knicks let unrestricted free agents Mitchell Robinson and Landry Shamet get away, especially if they win a title. “You have to bring (Robinson) back,” an East executive said. “If they win the Finals, they’re not losing anybody. And, even if they don’t, I don’t see how they let him walk.” Both players are candidates for two-year deals, since New York projects to operate above the second tax apron for the next couple years anyway, Bontemps observes.
- Trail Blazers center Robert Williams is expected to generate significant interest after his healthiest season in years, given how much teams are valuing size, Bontemps writes, adding that the range for his starting salary may be in the vicinity of $10-15MM. “The injury history will scare a lot of teams off,” a Western Conference executive said. “But when he plays, he’s good. You just can’t expect him to start for you because he won’t be on the court if you play him that many minutes. He’ll be good value if — a huge if — he can stay on the floor.”
- While Peyton Watson‘s recurring hamstring issues this past season are a concern, the expectation is that the Nuggets will find a way to give him a new contract in the $20-25MM range in restricted free agency, per Bontemps. “They could easily just pay him and pay the tax, but we know how the Kroenkes operate,” a West scout said. “That means sending out either (Cameron) Johnson or (Christian) Braun, and I don’t know where that lands. The injury stuff is a concern, but so is how they struggled without him.”
Nuggets Face Tough Decisions As Roster Becomes More Expensive
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.