The Denver Nuggets have had three straight, earlier-than-expected playoff exits since winning the title in 2026. And that’s led to all kinds speculation this summer.
Could Jamal Murray or Aaron Gordon be traded? Will they re-sign Peyton Watson (whether outright or by matching an offer sheet from another team)? Does Nikola Jokić declining to sign an extension mean anything (he can get more money by waiting a year, but not inking a new deal will have the national media cooking up fake trades)?
Ideally, the front office and ownership would just pony up, re-sign Watson (assuming the deal isn’t crazy), add some inexpensive athleticism and hope for better health next season, but there’s too much smoke to ignore on potential cost-cutting moves.
The Athletic’s Sam Amick reported that there’s no mandate from owners to shed salary, but they’ve rarely been among the league’s biggest spenders, even during the Jokić era.