Denver Nuggets’ Strategic Moves: Future Trades and Free Agent Options | 24-25 Offseason
welcome back basketball fans with the free agent Market going to open on 1st July the Denver Nuggets have been making some big moves lately today we’re diving into the purpose behind these trades and what steps they can take next to enhance their roster let’s break it down first up Denver sent Reggie Jackson along with three unprotected second round picks to the Charlotte Hornets for nothing in a move that seems perplexing at first glance however this trade is all about freeing up salary cap space about $5.25 million for the firstr rookie contract next let’s talk about the draft Denver used their number 22 pick to select Dron Holmes 2 standing at 69 and coming into the NBA after 3 years in college Holmes is ready to contribute right away after this Denver is very likely not to renew DeAndre Jordan’s contract as Holmes can provide immediate impact as a center and now some big news from shams and Jamal Murray are reportedly working on a 4year $29 million maximum contract extension set to start in the 2025 26 Season if Murray’s contract is signed when you add that to Nicola jokic is $55 million Michael Porter’s $38 million and the new contract for Aaron Gordon there is no way Gordon will keep a similar salary like before which is $ 22 million with his contribution and ability he can easily get a 30 to $35 million new contract contract adding those up Denver’s payroll will soar past $180 million four starters with several two-way contracts can easily put them over the second apron with the potential Financial constraints from these major contracts from 25 to 26 Denver faces several crucial decisions for next season for instance kcp declined the $15.4 million option on his contract for the 2024-25 season to become a free agent he might return with a higher salary but very unlikely alternatively he could secure a better contract elsewhere such as the Cavaliers or magic let’s say somehow kcp signs a higher salary contract Denver could give him a contract with $22 million with bird rights this would push Denver over the first apron in this scenario Denver needs a playmaker on the bench Dennis Schroeder could be a viable option when he played at Lakers he can play pick and roll with Anthony Davis he can also create offense by himself which could fill in the hole with Reggie’s trade Denver would need to add another two-way player to match the salary gap between Naji and schroer which is around $4 million because teams over first apron cannot use more than 100% in salary matching in a trade alternatively they could send Naji away for nothing similar to the Reggie Jackson trade depending on kcps new contract to stay under the first apron and bring in tus Jones from the from the free agent Market who is also good at organizing offense but not as quick as Schroeder but most likely kcp will not return if Denver wants to find a replacement free in the free agent Market Klay Thompson despite some struggles last season remains one of the top options however Denver cannot offer him as much as the magic can if they have the money they will give kcp a new contract another option is Buddy hee although the 76ers might not offer him more than his last season’s $2 28.9 million salary he may not accept anything less than $20 million this depends on how the 76ers deal with Tobias Harris and they are also chasing Paul George potentially using a sign and trade for healed but that’s another topic Gary Trent Jr who did not play well last season at Raptors after a new 5-year 175 million contract with Emanuel quickly a 5year $224.99 rookie scale cont contract extension with Scotty Barnes and Bruce Brown’s $23 million team option Raptors may not offer him a new contract Luke Kennard has a team option with the Grizzlies are already above the first apron after drafting Zack Ed so they might choose not to exercise his contract this makes him and mik Beasley cheaper options although neither can start posing a challenge for for Denver’s guard defense in this scenario Christian Brawn might start even under this situation Dennis schroer remains a good option he can run pick and roll plays with donon Holmes during mixed lineups as Don has shown that ability in the NCAA and Schroeder can create shot opportunities by himself as well can they trade Michael Porter Jr he struggled during the second round against the wolves and his contract doesn’t seem to match his contribution however his unique talent is crucial to Denver’s starting lineup finding a small forward with his combination of 610 height and shooting ability is rare whoever takes this position needs to draw significant attention Beyond The Arc which Porter does effectively Aaron Gordon lacks that outside threat um and both joki and Murray need that space to operate the offense Plus at only 25 years old Porter has shown Improvement in his rebounding and defensive skills it is hard to find someone better than him with a similar salary and that team is willing to trade with Denver um until now all major trades happened after the finals are a competitive team trade with a team that is going to rebuild or is rebuilding the Thunder acquired Alex Caruso from Chicago Nicks got M Bridges from the Nets and the Pelicans robbed dejonte Murray from Atlanta who is better than Porter from those types of teams besides there is news that Maverick is interested in kcp but they have to go sign and trade but Denver is willing to lose kcp for nothing instead of making the trade with Mavs shows teams willing to suffer instead of making trade with their competitors to make them better next season is crucial for Denver this is the last season before their payroll exploded trading Michael Porter Jr isn’t ideal due to his unique talent and fit in the lineup trading Zeke Naji seems more likely potentially bringing in players like tyus Jones or Dennis Schroeder to bolster the roster plus a shooter depends on their salary cap situation also this could be Denver’s last with their current Championship core four players for $180 million is not a payroll Denver can tolerate Jamal Murray had a challenging playoff run and the team needs to capitalize on Nicola jokic’s Prime to challenge for another title the Thunder already made their first move MAV sent Tim Hardway to piston to free up cap space to sign Derrick Jones back the Pelicans enhanced their backc court with Dej Murray Western Conference might be tougher than the previous season for Denver what do you think of Denver’s recent moves and future options share your thoughts in the comments below thanks for watching if you enjoyed this analysis hit the like button and share it with other basketball fans your support helps us bring you more in-depth analysis and insights don’t forget to subscribe so you don’t miss our upcoming videos let’s see how Denver continues to build their roster [Music]
🏀 The Denver Nuggets are facing significant challenges with KCP becoming a free agent. How will this impact their roster and salary cap? In this video, we break down the recent trades, including sending Reggie Jackson to the Hornets, and the drafting of DaRon Holmes II. We explore potential trades, free agent options, and what Denver can do to strengthen their roster. Will KCP stay, or will Denver need to find a replacement? Join us to find out!
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