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2016/17 Salary Cap Projection: Denver Nuggets

December 3rd, 2015 at 4:06pm CST by Eddie Scarito

The NBA’s salary cap for 2015/16 has been set at $70MM, which is an 11% increase from last season, and the luxury tax line is fixed at $84.74MM. The last cap projection from the league prior to the official numbers being announced had been $67.1MM, and the projection for the tax line had been $81.6MM. Many league executives and agents believe that the salary cap will escalate to a whopping $95MM for 2016/17, a higher figure than the league’s last projection of $89MM. This significant bump is a result of the league’s new $24 billion TV deal that kicks in just in time for next season.

The increase in the salary cap will almost assuredly set off a flurry of activity in the free agent market next summer, and it will also make it easier than ever for teams to deal away their higher-priced stars. Prudent executives are acutely aware of exactly how much cap room they have to play with, not just for the current campaign, but for next season and beyond as well. While the exact amount of 2016/17’s salary cap won’t be announced until next summer, it always pays to know just how much salary is on the books for each franchise. With this in mind, we at Hoops Rumors will be breaking down the projected 2016/17 financial commitments for each franchise, and we’ll continue onward with a look at the Denver Nuggets:

Fully Guaranteed Salary Commitments: $56,907,812*
Partially Guaranteed Salary Commitments: $0
Non Guaranteed Salary Commitments: $2,690,150
Total Projected Salary Cap Commitments: $59,597,962

*Note: This amount includes Darrell Arthur‘s player option worth $2,940,630 and the $980,431 owed to Nick Johnson, who was waived by the team.

If the salary cap were to fall in line with the projection of $89MM, Denver would have approximately $29,402,038 in cap space, or $35,402,038 if the cap were to be set at the higher mark of $95MM. Again, these are merely predictions until the exact cap amounts are announced, and they are not meant to illustrate the exact amount that the team will have available to spend this coming offseason.

Trades and long-term free agent signings made during the season will also have a significant impact on the figures above, and we’ll be updating these posts to reflect the new numbers after any agreements and deals have been made official.

The Basketball Insiders salary pages were used in the creation of this post.

Northwest Notes: Donovan, Garnett, Malone

December 1st, 2015 at 8:32pm CST by Eddie Scarito

The Thunder‘s presentation when they courted Billy Donovan this past spring centered on organizational structure rather than basketball, and his relationship with GM Sam Presti helped convince Donovan to leave the University of Florida, as USA Today’s Sam Amick examines. Kevin Durant has been impressed so far, as the soon-to-be free agent said to Amick, though Donovan made his decision independent of the former MVP’s looming choice. “I never looked at it as, ‘Well, geesh, I may not [have Durant long-term],’ or like I need any assurances,” Donovan said. “Everybody has got their own decision to make, like I had to make a decision about coming here. Kevin at the end will have his own decision, but I feel like my job right now is to do the best I can to help Kevin and the rest of the team. So I never really factored that in.”

Here’s more from the Northwest Division:

Wolves point guard Ricky Rubio says the return of Kevin Garnett to Minnesota last season altered the franchise for the better, Britt Robson of MinnPost.com writes. “He changed the culture over here. It is something that I have been so excited to see. A guy who is 20 years in the league, 40 years old, comes two hours before practice and gets some shots up and does some extra work,” said Rubio. “Now everybody does the same. I used to do the same. I know your body got to rest sometimes, but it is something that, when you are home, you are thinking, “KG is on his way to the arena” and I am just having breakfast at home or whatever. And you feel bad. You feel like, ‘I should be there.’ And that — little things, little details change the culture from a normal team to a winning team. Because the line from winning and losing is so thin, that people don’t realize what it takes to win. There are so many little details that something that small can change a big thing at the end.“
Coach Michael Malone places much of the blame for the Nuggets‘ early season woes on himself, Christopher Dempsey of The Denver Post writes. “We’re not mentally tough enough to withstand a run and counter with our own,” Malone said. “We can do it in short stretches but sooner or later that levee is going to break and we’re not handling it like we need to. And, again, I’m going to put it on me. As the head coach of this team, I must do a better job. Whether it’s finding five guys who are going to play the right way, whether it’s helping us offensively, helping us defensively, it’s my job to help this team a lot more than I’ve been doing lately.”

Chuck Myron contributed to this post.

Atlantic Notes: Afflalo, ‘Melo, Okafor, Porzingis

December 1st, 2015 at 8:59am CST by Chuck Myron

The Knicks knew Kristaps Porzingis would perform well, but they had no idea he would burst out of the gates so spectacularly, GM Steve Mills told Zach Lowe of ESPN.com. The pick is a potential game-changer for New York, as Lowe examines. Mills said to Lowe that agents have remarked of how players “feel really good” about the Knicks but want to see the team start to win, a sentiment that Arron Afflalo understands. The shooting guard with an $8MM player option for next season contends “the city isn’t enough for people,” but is convinced for himself that the Knicks are for real, as he explained to Lowe.

“I want to finish my career here,” Afflalo said. “Having a good young player and a winning team should help us get other guys.”

Afflalo has been sold on the Knicks for a while, as he and Mills said to Lowe that the Knicks and Nuggets had trade talks last season that would have fulfilled Afflalo’s desire to go to New York even amid last season’s 17-win debacle. See more from around the Atlantic Division:

The Celtics went after the Hornets’ pick at No. 9 with the idea of flipping it to the Knicks, along with another first-rounder, for the No. 4 overall pick, which Boston would have used to take Justise Winslow, sources told Lowe for the same piece. Boston offered Charlotte four first-rounders for the ninth pick, as Lowe reported earlier, but the Hornets refused, putting the kibosh on the scenario in which Boston would have vaulted to No. 4. The Knicks listened to the idea, Mills admits, but a deal was never close, he told Lowe.
The Knicks have “never” thought about trading Carmelo Anthony, Mills insists to Lowe, who nonetheless hears skepticism from other teams that the subject hasn’t at least been the topic of internal discussion.
Knicks president Phil Jackson would have drafted Jahlil Okafor over Porzingis if he had the chance, a source said to Marc Berman of the New York Post.
Okafor’s off-court troubles are likely a shock to the Sixers, given the meticulous background checking they did before the draft on the center from Duke, a league executive told Berman for the same piece.
Porzingis decided against working out for the Sixers but wouldn’t have been opposed to playing for them, seeing it as an opportunity to perform in a low-pressure environment and viewing Nerlens Noel as a strong frontcourt complement to his game, a source close to Porzingis said to Berman.

Western Notes: Rondo, Lakers, Nuggets

November 29th, 2015 at 5:54pm CST by Will Joseph

The Mavs should have never acquired Rajon Rondo in a deal with the Celtics, according to Dallas coach Rick Carlisle, Tim MacMahon of ESPN.com reports. Rondo had a mostly tumultuous four months with the Mavs last season and he often clashed with Carlisle, MacMahon writes. Rondo, as MacMahon points out, averaged 9.3 points, 6.5 assists and 4.5 rebounds per game in 46 games with the Mavs, who were 26-20 when he played and 24-12 without him last season.

“Listen, we all did everything we could to make it work. It was challenging,” Carlisle told MacMahon. “Going back in time, it’s a deal we should have shied away from, for the sake of us and for the sake of him. It’s a deal we shouldn’t have made. I think we all realize that now, but when you do a deal like that, you’ve got to do everything possible to make it work. I learned a lot going through the year with him and trying to be creative and use some of his unique abilities. He’s a very talented player, and he’s having a great year this year, which is basically no surprise.”

Rondo, now with the Kings, is averaging 12.4 points and 11 assists per game.

Here’s more out of the Western Conference:

Kings coach George Karl is unsure if DeMarcus Cousins will return Monday, but believes it was best Cousins didn’t play over the weekend because the center has been injured, with a lower back strain, and frustrated, Jason Jones of the Sacramento Bee relays.
Despite the fact Kobe Bryant is experiencing his worst season, Christopher Dempsey of the Denver Post opines that the superstar’s minutes should not be reduced. The topic has been debated by several scribes, especially with the Lakers struggling to win games.
Darrell Arthur, who re-signed with the Nuggets during the summer, has added an improved 3-point shot to his arsenal lately, Dempsey writes in a separate story.

Northwest Notes: Nuggets, Blazers, Wolves

November 29th, 2015 at 3:02pm CST by Will Joseph

Nuggets rookie center Nikola Jokic is emerging as one of the biggest surprises of Denver’s season, Mark Kiszla of the Denver Post writes. “I did not expect Nikola Jokic to be our starting center 14 games into the season. But he has earned it. … He’s a guy who was wearing a pink uniform and playing in the Adriatic League last year. Now he is in the NBA, starting and doing great things,” Nuggets coach Michael Malone said. Jokic, who is averaging 7.8 points per game and five rebounds per game, signed a four-year deal worth $5.5MM in July after sitting out last season as a draft-and-stash prospect.

Here’s more out of the Northwest Division:

Malone believes it is important to keep Wilson Chandler, who is out for the season, around the team as the small forward begins his rehab, Christopher Dempsey of the Denver Post relays. “That was one thing that I felt very strongly about,” Malone said. “Make sure he feels a part of it, still. So once he starts traveling, we’ll have him travel with us the whole time. I might even give him a clipboard so he can be one of our coaches.”
Karl-Anthony Towns‘ lack of playing time recently in the fourth quarter for the Wolves is the result of reserve Gorgui Dieng being a more experienced defensive player, Jerry Zgoda of the Star Tribune details.
Noah Vonleh, with whom the Blazers exercised their rookie scale team option for the 2016/17 season, is experiencing foul trouble while making five starts at power forward as Meyers Leonard recovers from a dislocated left shoulder, Jason Quick of CSNNW.com writes. Vonleh has struggled to make an impact because fouls have forced him back to the bench, Quick adds.

And-Ones: Mudiay, Mickey, Henderson

November 25th, 2015 at 9:17pm CST by Eddie Scarito

Blazers swingman Gerald Henderson has struggled as he makes his way back from hip surgery in July, and he says that he still needs time to round into form, Jason Quick of CSNNW.com writes. “You know, it’s tough. I’m coming back from surgery, trying to implement myself into what we are doing … and I just haven’t found my rhythm yet,” Henderson admitted. “It will take me a while to get into the type of shape I’m used to being in. You missed pretty much the whole summer, the preseason, and the start of the year … like I said, I’ve got some catching up to do. It’s nothing more than that.’’ Henderson was acquired by Portland from the Hornets over the summer as a part of the Nicolas Batum trade, and he is eligible to become an unrestricted free agent next offseason.

Here’s the latest from around the league:

The Thunder have recalled Josh Huestis from the Oklahoma City Blue, their D-League affiliate, the team announced. Huestis has appeared in four games during his three D-League assignments this season, averaging 10.3 points, 4.0 rebounds and 1.5 assists in 31.3 minutes per game.
The Celtics recalled power forward Jordan Mickey from the D-League, the team announced (via Twitter). This was Mickey’s fourth assignment to the Red Claws this season.
Nuggets rookie Emmanuel Mudiay has played the second most minutes out of any rookie thus far this season, and it will be an interesting case study to see how the increased minutes impact his development, observes Brett Koremenos of Real GM in his look at the young point guard. The 19-year-old is averaging 12.5 points and 6.3 assists in 30.0 minutes per contest through 15 games.

Western Rumors: Bryant, Rockets, Nuggets

November 23rd, 2015 at 10:40pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Kobe Bryant is shooting a career-low 33.1% from the field but Lakers coach Byron Scott wants him to stay aggressive offensively, according to Baxter Holmes of ESPN.com. Bryant’s desire to score off isolation plays may be hindering the team’s ball movement but Scott doesn’t plan on telling the aging small forward to stop looking for his shot, Holmes continues. “He’s had 20 years of experience in the league,” Scott told the team’s beat reporters. “We might not have six players that have 20 years in this league combined. He has that privilege, basically. From a coaching standpoint, I want Kobe to be Kobe. Other guys haven’t earned that right yet.”

In other news around the Western Conference:

Former first-round pick Jordan Hamilton, who finished last season with the Clippers, has left the Russian club Krasny Oktyabr, aka Volgograd, tweets international journalist David Pick. JaJuan Johnson, another former NBA first-rounder who hasn’t played in the league since 2012, also left the team, Pick adds.
The struggling Rockets have slowed down offensively and interim coach J.B. Bickerstaff wants to increase the tempo, Jonathan Feigen of the Houston Chronicle reports. Houston was second in pace last season but has slipped to eighth this season. Some of that is due to defensive breakdowns but Bickerstaff also wants to utilize his team’s quickness to a greater extent, especially in the first half, Feigen adds. “That’s one of the things we’re focused on now,” Bickerstaff told the Houston media. “We want to be speedy. We want teams that come in here in the first five minutes of the game … to be overwhelmed by our speed. We have the athletes. We have the skilled players who can get up and down and do those things.”
Nuggets first-year coach Michael Malone is generally pleased with his team through the first 14 games, as he relayed to Christopher Dempsey of the Denver Post on Monday afternoon. “We lost eight games, but, c’mon, two of those to Golden State,” Malone said. “We lost to OKC when they were healthy. Phoenix twice, [which] is a good basketball team; at San Antonio. We’ve had some tough games, and hopefully as long as we keep on staying together, learning from the losses and growing, we’re going to be OK.”

Northwest Notes: Thunder, Nuggets, Blazers

November 22nd, 2015 at 3:45pm CST by Will Joseph

Kenneth Faried, who had some issues with former Nuggets coach Brian Shaw, likes the direction the team seems to be headed in and is surprised by the decent record so far under new coach Michael Malone, Christopher Dempsey of the Denver Post details.

“Coming out, I felt that we were going to struggle at first,” Faried said. “And we’ve had our struggles, but we’re 6-6. If you would have told me at the beginning of the season, ‘Oh, the Nuggets will be 6-6 and ahead of a lot of people in the West,’ I would have said ‘all right.’”

Here’s more from around the Northwest Division:

The Thunder recalled small forward Josh Huestis from the D-League, the team announced in a press release. Huestis has appeared in three games in the D-League this season, averaging 7.7 points and 3.7 rebounds in 29.3 minutes per game.
Noah Vonleh, on whom the Blazers exercised their rookie scale team option for the 2016/17 season in September, is one of the team’s younger players who has developed through putting in extra practice time, Jason Quick of CSNNW.com writes in a three-part series on how the team is improving. While the team’s younger players show up well before practice, the veterans have logged hours after practice and both groups are vital parts of the Blazers’ rebuilding process, Quick adds.

Mavericks Rumors: Cuban, Ex-Jazz, Iguodala

November 22nd, 2015 at 1:01pm CST by Arthur Hill

Mavericks owner Mark Cuban expects the soaring salary cap to bring significant changes to the league next season, according to Gary Washburn of The Boston Globe. In a wide-ranging interview, Cuban touched on the planning implications that come with an increased cap. “It’s going to change a lot,” Cuban said. “More from a strategy perspective, it makes the value of draft choices go through the roof because they’re pegged at a certain price. Minimum contracts will go through the roof. Anybody that signs for the mid-level, the value goes through the roof.” He added that it will be more difficult for teams to assemble multiple stars when they’re each making more than $30MM per season.

Cuban also addressed this week’s firing of Rockets coach Kevin McHale, who guided the team to the Western Conference Finals last season, but stumbled to a 4-7 start. “So I’ve said it before, the hardest thing for an NBA owner to do is hire a coach,” Cuban said. “The easiest thing to do is fire a coach. The reason it’s hard to hire a coach, coaches are great at date-face, they know exactly what your weaknesses are and they know exactly how to sell to those weaknesses, so it’s really difficult to pick it right and it’s 90% luck.”

There’s more news out of Dallas:

After adding Deron Williams, Wesley Matthews and Jeremy Evans over the summer, the Mavericks are taking on the look of the old Jazz teams, writes Jody Genessy of The Deseret News. Devin Harris is the fourth former Utah player on the roster, which Evans said helped to ease the transition when he signed with Dallas. “We always have something we can talk about — when we were in Utah, the times that we were together, the teammates there and what happened that year,” Evans said. “We know those guys and have fun here.”
Cuban insists the team was “20 minutes away” from acquiring Andre Iguodala from the Sixers in 2012, tweets Dwain Price of The Fort Worth Star-Telegram. Instead, Philadelphia traded Iguodala to the Nuggets.
The Mavericks have recalled Justin Anderson and Salah Mejri from the D-League, the team announced today. Anderson, a 6’6″ guard, is averaging 3.2 points and 1.3 rebounds in 10 games with Dallas, while Mejri, a 7’2″ center, hasn’t scored and has five rebounds in four games.

Erick Green Joins Kings D-League Team

November 21st, 2015 at 1:51pm CST by Eddie Scarito

Former Nuggets point guard Erick Green has signed with the NBA D-League and has been claimed via the league’s waiver process by the Reno Bighorns, the Kings’ D-League affiliate, Chris Reichert of Upside & Motor reports (Twitter link). Green will still be free to sign with any interested NBA team if offered a deal.

Green was cut loose by Denver earlier this month in order to clear a roster slot so that the team could re-sign Kostas Papanikolaou, whose services were sorely needed after injuries had sidelined Wilson Chandler, Jusuf Nurkic, Joffrey Lauvergne and Nikola Jokic. The Nuggets were high on Green’s potential, with GM Tim Connelly saying of the point guard, “He lives in the gym, everyone in this building has a positive impression of Erick, not just him as a player but him as a person. He’s a fantastic person, and he’s going to be back in the NBA, ASAP. He’s a guy we’ll keep close tabs on. You never close the door, especially for a guy who has done as much as Erick and worked as hard as he has.”

The 24-year-old was the No. 46 overall pick in the 2013 NBA Draft. He has appeared in a total of 46 contests over two seasons with Denver, averaging 3.2 points, 0.7 rebounds and 0.9 assists. Green’s career NBA slash line is .374/.292/.833.