Brian Windhorst says the Nuggets are in a tough spot after losing KCP: "How do the Nuggets keep up?"
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Many teams were busy on Day 1 of the 2024 NBA free agency period. Some have already made big moves, while others are rumored to be working on making something happen.
According to ESPN's Brian Windhorst, the 2023 NBA champion Denver Nuggets are one squad worth watching this summer. While the other NBA teams are busy improving their rosters, the Nuggets don't seem in a hurry to do so. They have lost several key players from their championship team without getting anyone in return.
" I think the Denver Nuggets are a team we should be paying more attention to," said Windhorst. "Jamal Murray has not extended his contract. He's playing with the Canadian national team, not contract-extended. No one's talking about that. Why? Why hasn't he extended his contract? Aaron Gordon is due a contract extension this summer. Is he going to sign an extension? Like, are they done spending on this roster?"
The Nuggets need to keep up
Jamal Murray is set to make $36 million next season, the final campaign of a five-year deal he signed in 2019. According to the latest intel from Shams Charania, the Nuggets and Jamal are working on a $209 million extension. However, the star point guard is currently busy practicing with SGA and Team Canada. Meanwhile, Aaron Gordon has a $22.8 million player option for the 2025-26 season, and it's unclear right now what AG's plans are.
Last season, the Nuggets lost a pair of crucial reserves in free agency when Bruce Brown and Jeff Green signed elsewhere. This time around, they watched Kentavious Caldwell-Pope walk away and sign a three-year $66 million deal with the Orlando Magic. Before KCP left, GM Calvin Booth confidently said that Christian Braun would replace KCP on the Nuggets rotation. For Windy, however, the small losses are accumulating for the Nuggets.
"They salary-dumped Reggie Jackson a couple of days ago," added Windhorst. "Not that Reggie Jackson is a gigantic loss, but they could've traded him for another player, not just salary dump him. So, how do the Nuggets keep up with the Joneses? How do they replace a guy in their roster who was a big part of their championship team after they lost a guy last year? I think Denver is in a tough spot. If you can be in a tough spot with Nikola Jokic, Denver is kind of in a bit of a tough spot right now."
What is Denver's plan?
The Nuggets failed to defend their championship, losing to the Minnesota Timberwolves in the second round of the 2024 NBA Playoffs. They could have used Brown in the Minnesota series, but they let him walk away without getting anyone in return.
Looking ahead, the Nuggets have secured Nikola Jokic until at least the 2026-27 campaign, with the 2027-28 season as a player option. But aside from Joker, Denver has locked up only Michael Porter Jr., who is signed until the 2026-27 campaign. They have made it known that Murray is a priority, but right now, he looks busier with the Canadian National Team than signing a contract extension.
The Nuggets won the championship in 2023 behind a balanced attack led by Jokic and Murray. The team boasted a solid backup unit that played a significant role in the 2023 NBA Finals. However, with Denver losing members of that title team one after the other, it's unclear what the long-term plan is. With their losses, they need to upgrade their roster, considering what the rest of the league is doing.