Pre-Draft Outlook
The Nuggets are one of a small number of teams who aren’t going into the Draft desperately looking for help, and it’s a good thing, too, since Denver doesn’t own a No. 1 pick (it belongs to Charlotte). This is a built-for-now contender with a nucleus young enough — Nikola Jokic, Jamal Murray and Michael Porter Jr. are all under 30 — to compete for years. Besides, the Nuggets are also blessed with a deep rotation, with veterans such as Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and Bruce Brown (who has a player option for next season). After doing a thorough job drafting over the last several years, the Nuggets stayed patient with the process, gave those young players time and room to grow, and are now reaping the rewards.
The Way To Go
Maybe this is an omen, but the Nuggets’ second-round pick is No. 40 overall. Guess who they chose at 41 in 2014? Well, for sure, you only grab a two-time Kia MVP only once in three lifetimes, so the chance of the Nuggets getting another Jokic is, like, nil. The middle of the second round is where teams select players who are projects or those who, for whatever reason, stumbled in the Draft. Someone like Eastern Michigan’s Emoni Bates? Denver could lose Brown because the most the team can offer for next season is $7.8 million. Still, the Nuggets, again, are in the inviable position of having nothing to lose when it comes to the draft. The best strategy is getting someone to stash in player development and see what happens in a few years.
— Shaun Powell
Here’s a quick look at who the Denver Nuggets have under contract, who is a free agent this summer and who they added in the 2022 NBA Draft.
Under Contract
G: Christian Braun
G: Kentavious Caldwell-Pope
G: Peyton Watson
G: Jamal Murray
F: Michael Porter Jr.
F: Vlatko Cancar
F: Aaron Gordon
F/C: Zeke Nnaji
C: Nikola Jokic
Free Agents
G: Collin Gillespie (two-way)
G: Reggie Jackson (unrestricted)
G: Ish Smith (unrestricted)
G/F: Bruce Brown (player option)
F: Jeff Green (unrestricted)
F: Jack White (two-way)
C/F: Thomas Bryant (unrestricted)
C: DeAndre Jordan (unrestricted)
> 2023 Free Agent Tracker
Last Year’s Draft
2022: Christian Braun (21)
* = acquired via trade
** = traded in draft-night deal
*** = traded in offseason deal