The NBA is once again left without defending champion. The Denver Nuggets they fell into the Western Conference Semifinals before the The Minnesota Timberwolves and they are already putting their minds into preparing for the next campaign. The pillars of the franchise will continue there, although some tweaks seem to be necessary around those stars.
How does the Denver Nuggets contractual outlook look like after their elimination? All the details about its configuration for the 2024-2025 campaign.
Denver Nuggets, heading for the 2024-2025 season: Free agents, contracts and salaries
With contract
- Nikola Jokic – 51.4M
- Jamal Murray – 36M
- Michael Porter Jr. – 35.9M
- Aaron Gordon – 23.8M
- Zeke Nnaji – 8.9M
- Christian Braun – 3.1M
- Julian Strawther – 2.6M
- Peyton Watson – 2.4M
- Jalen Pickett – 1.9M
- Hunter Tyson – 1.9M
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Player option:
- Kentavious Caldwell-Pope – 15.4M
- Reggie Jackson – 5.2M
Equipment option:
Free agents:
- Justin Holiday – No Holds Barred
- DeAndre Jordan – No Holds Barred
Draft Picks:
- Pick 28 – First round
- Pick 56 – Second round
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The future outlook for the Denver Nuggets
The second unit, the great challenge
Beyond everything that gives excellent starting quintet with Jokic and Murray at the helm, one of the keys to Denver’s champion in 2023 was their very good second unity. Not only with a Christian Braun who continues in the team, but – above all – with Bruce Brown, one of the most decisive substitutes of that campaign, well accompanied by the veteran Jeff Green.
That depth of 8 reliable players was conspicuous by its absence in 2023-2024. The Nuggets bench made water throughout the campaign and the franchise traded the seniority of Brown and Green for young players who were not able to earn a spot in the Playoffs. From rookies like Strawther, Pickett and Tyson, to others with some years of experience -Nnaji, Watson- but without the necessary quality for the Playoffs.
The two veterans who took Brown and Green’s place in the eight-man rotation were Reggie Jackson y Justin Holidaywho were not a solution either.
Options in Free Agency and the Draft
For next season, Denver cannot repeat that mistake and will have to get some extra guarantee to accompany Braun in the second unit. The problem, of course, is that they have very few resources to sign free agents: with their current configuration, they cannot go much further than a signing with the mid-level from around 5 or 6 million dollars, with which in 2023 they hired Reggie Jackson. The other way to sign players in Free Agency is with minimum value contracts -That’s how Justin Holiday arrived.
In summary, It is highly unlikely that the Nuggets will be able to find firm solutions in their current contractual situation.. This leads to some other possible alternatives. One would be that some of his young and recent rookies have a very marked jump in quality -Strawther and Watson seem to be the most prepared for it-. Another option is to choose the 28th pick in the next Draft and get a player who is above what rookies at that height in the order usually provide.
Possible transfer?
Finally, there would be the option of transfer, although Denver doesn’t have much to offer in a trade. Jokic, Murray and Gordon are untouchable; None of their young players are particularly well-regarded and their picks lack much value. The only player who could mean a good return of names in exchange is Michael Porter Jr. Possibly not to get a talent of his caliber in exchange, but in case the idea is to give up some of that scoring hierarchy, to incorporate more and better role players.
MPJ comes from a disappointing season and, although it is unlikely that he will be transferred, it seems like the most direct way to extend the roster. This, as long as Denver believes that this is an urgent need for 2024-2025 and does not opt for the continuity of this same project.
2024-05-20 20:30:09
#Contracts #free #agents #salaries #outlook
