Denver Nuggets Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Nuggets Exercise Bones Hyland’s 2023/24 Option

October 4th, 2022 at 8:53am CST by Luke Adams

The Nuggets have picked up their team option on Bones Hyland for 2023/24, reports Mike Singer of The Denver Post (Twitter link). The move locks in Hyland’s $2,306,400 salary for his third NBA season.

The No. 26 overall pick in the 2021 draft, Hyland enjoyed a successful rookie season that saw him establish himself as a regular part of Denver’s backcourt rotation. The 22-year-old averaged 10.1 PPG, 2.8 APG, and 2.7 RPG in 69 appearances (19.0 MPG), with a shooting line of .403/.366/.856.

Even with Jamal Murray returning to action this season, Hyland is expected to once again play a key role for the Nuggets, who traded away point guard Monte Morris over the summer.

Denver’s next decision on Hyland – on his 2024/25 option – will be due next fall. Assuming that option is picked up, Hyland will become extension-eligible during the 2024 offseason and would be a restricted free agent in 2025 if he doesn’t sign an extension before then.

The Nuggets are also exercising their 2023/24 option on Zeke Nnaji. We’re tracking all of this year’s rookie scale team option decisions right here.

Nuggets Pick Up Zeke Nnaji’s Option

October 3rd, 2022 at 6:11pm CST by Dana Gauruder

The Nuggets are picking up forward/center Zeke Nnaji’s fourth-year option for the 2023/24 season, ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski tweets.

Nnaji, the 22nd pick of the 2020 draft, has appeared in 83 regular season games during his two seasons, averaging 4.9 points and 2.6 rebounds in 13.2 minutes per game. The option is worth $4,306,281.

The 6’9” big man could see time at both power forward and center this season. He’s fighting veterans Jeff Green and DeAndre Jordan for playing time behind Aaron Gordon and Nikola Jokic. He will make $2,617,800 this season.

Nnaji added 10 pounds of muscle during the offseason and has impressed during the summer and in camp, Mike Singer of the Denver Post tweets.

Aaron Gordon Discusses How Nuggets Have Strides To Make

October 2nd, 2022 at 8:31pm CST by JD Shaw

Nuggets veteran Aaron Gordon discussed how he and the team have plenty of strides to take, as relayed by Mike Singer of the Denver Post. The Nuggets have a title contender on paper, but the club’s chemistry will naturally need some time to improve. The projected five-man group of Jamal Murray, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Michael Porter Jr., Gordon and Nikola Jokic have never played together, while Murray hasn’t played at all in over a year due to a torn ACL.

Nuggets, GM Calvin Booth Agree To Extension

October 2nd, 2022 at 7:12pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

7:12 pm: Denver has officially announced that Booth has signed an extension.

“Calvin has been a huge part of what we’ve done here over the last five seasons and I have the utmost confidence in him as our General Manager,” Josh Kroenke said in a statement. “Cal has seen the game from every angle and has an extremely bright basketball mind. I look forward to continuing alongside Calvin and the rest of the organization with the goal of bringing an NBA championship to the city of Denver.”

3:13pm: Nuggets general manager Calvin Booth has agreed to a long-term contract extension that is set to keep him in Denver through the 2024/25 season, sources inform Mike Singer of The Denver Post. Financial terms of the agreement have yet to be disclosed. Singer also added (via Twitter) that essentially all of Denver’s front office was extended through ’24/25.

After former team president Tim Connelly departed the Nuggets front office during the 2022 offseason to take over the lead front office gig with the Timberwolves, Booth assumed the prime role in personnel decision-making for what could be a title contender in Denver this year.

As Singer writes, Booth quickly addressed the team’s perimeter defense in trading for 3-and-D wing Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and reserve point guard Ish Smith earlier this summer, plus signing versatile free agent vet Bruce Brown. Booth also selected rookies Christian Braun and Peyton Watson in the 2022 draft, and added former two-time All-Defensive First Team center DeAndre Jordan in free agency.

With the high-level scoring duo of guard Jamal Murray and forward Michael Porter Jr. set to return from injuries to help two-time reigning league MVP Nikola Jokic shore up the team’s offense, Denver looks to be at its healthiest since the 2019/20 season, when the team reached the Western Conference Finals.

Northwest Notes: Nuggets, Lillard, Edwards, Holmgren

September 30th, 2022 at 10:12pm CST by Rory Maher

Veterans Jeff Green, DeAndre Jordan, Ish Smith and Bruce Brown are providing the Nuggets with energy and a level of comfort during training camp, writes Mike Singer of The Denver Post (subscription required). Back-to-back MVP Nikola Jokic is laid back, which allows the more boisterous personalities of Green and Jordan to stand out, Singer notes.

Brown said he feels more at home in Denver than he did during last season’s drama-filled campaign with a big market club in Brooklyn.

“I’m more laid back, chill,” Brown said. “I like to be in the house with my dog and my people. Obviously, New York gets a lot of attention, a lot of media attention. That wasn’t for me, but I love my time with those guys.”

According to Harrison Wind of DNVR Sports (Twitter links), Brown has been playing point guard with the second unit, while Zeke Nnaji has been the backup center. That’s a bit of a change for both players — Brown is a swiss army knife type who has played multiple positions, but mostly on the wing, while Nnaji primarily played power forward in the past. Nnaji has performed well in camp thus far, Wind adds.

Here’s more from around the Northwest:

Damian Lillard is just 531 points shy of surpassing Hall of Famer Clyde Drexler to become the Trail Blazers‘ all-time leading scorer. Lillard says it’s an accomplishment he doesn’t take lightly. “This feat would mean a lot to me,” Lillard told Chris Haynes of Yahoo Sports. “Just the respect I have for the organization and for Clyde and how great of a player he was. I think it shows just how productive I’ve been throughout my career. It would truly be an honor.”
Timberwolves wing Anthony Edwards is hoping to make big strides on the defensive end in 2022/23, saying that because he’ll be guarding top players more often, he’ll be “salty” to not make an All-Defensive team, as Wolves reporter Dane Moore relays (via Twitter). The former No. 1 overall pick will play a huge part in Minnesota’s standing in the West this season.
This year’s No. 2 overall pick, Chet Holmgren, will miss the entire season for the Thunder with a foot injury, but he’s still learning about the NBA while recovering, according to Cliff Brunt of The Associated Press. “What I’m trying to do right now is just kind of soak up all the knowledge of how things are done around here, how they’re going to be done going forward,” Holmgren said. “So when I’m ready to get get back in there, I can just kind of seamlessly plug myself in.”

Northwest Notes: Grant, Blazers, Jokic, Murray, Vanderbilt

September 29th, 2022 at 11:06pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

New Trail Blazers starting power forward Jerami Grant is working on his chemistry with center Jusuf Nurkic and the rest of his new Portland compatriots, writes Aaron Fentress of The Oregonian. Fentress writes that the team’s 2022 training camp tipped off on Tuesday in Santa Barbara.

“His length is incredible,” Nurkic raved of the 6’8″ forward. “Layups. Dunks. It’s so effortless.”

“I’m still learning the way he passes,” Grant said of the 6’11” center. “I’m figuring out when to cut, where to cut and kind of reading him.”

As Fentress notes, the Blazers could look to play Grant some minutes at small forward and even as a small-ball center. Like Nurkic, other teammates are also impressed with Grant’s two-way play and athleticism.

“Looking at Jerami, and the size, the athleticism and versatility sticks out,” star point guard Damian Lillard said of watching Grant from afar. “But then being able to see his skill set up close, he has been impressive.”

There’s more out of the Northwest Division:

With four of the team’s starting positions set, three Trail Blazers players will compete in training camp for the remaining opening: the starting small forward gig. In a separate piece, Aaron Fentress of The Oregonian examines the pros and cons of swingman Josh Hart, Nassir Little and Justise Winslow. “I think as a competitor we all want to start, we all want raises,” Winslow said of the process. “But at the same time, you understand that you’re part of a bigger team.”
Nuggets MVP center Nikola Jokic and guard Jamal Murray are hoping to pick up right where the dynamic duo left off before Murray’s ACL tear in April 2021, writes Mike Singer of The Denver Post. “It was fun,” Jokic said of a recent training camp practice together. “Like I said, it feels really natural, it feels easy. I think we’re gonna be back really soon.” Head coach Michael Malone registered his excitement for the return of the pairing this season. “It looks good, but I know it’s going to look better once Jamal gets back into game shape where he completely has no concerns about his knee.”
The Jazz view recently-added 6’9″ big man Jarred Vanderbilt as primarily a power forward, and intend to only play him as a center in spot minutes, tweets Tony Jones of The Athletic. Jones cites that thinking as one of the incentives behind the club’s trade for former Pistons center Kelly Olynyk.

Murray Has "Swagger" Back

September 26th, 2022 at 10:55pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Jamal Murray has his “swagger” back, according to Nuggets coach Michael Malone, Mike Singer of the Denver Post writes. Murray spent last season rehabbing from a knee injury. “He looks really good,” Malone said. “The thing I look for, obviously, is how confident is he? He’s out there playing. I don’t see him thinking about anything. He’s just playing the game.”

Brown Key Piece For Nuggets

September 26th, 2022 at 9:12pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Fresh off signing a super-max extension, Nuggets superstar Nikola Jokic says he hopes to play his entire career with the organization, Mike Singer of the Denver Post tweets. “That’s the goal,” Jokic said.
The Nuggets finished last season ranked No. 15 in team defense. Coach Michael Malone wants to see dramatic improvement, Singer relays in another tweet. “Our goal this year is to be a top-five defense,” he said.
Bruce Brown left the Nets and signed a two-year contract with the Nuggets in free agency. Malone has big plans for him, Harrison Wind of DNVR Sports tweets. “I don’t think people understand the importance that Bruce Brown is going to bring to this team,” he said.

Nuggets Sign Grant Golden To Exhibit 10 Contract

September 26th, 2022 at 11:56am CST by Luke Adams

The Nuggets have filled their 20-man roster by signing undrafted rookie forward Grant Golden to an Exhibit 10 contract, a source tells Mike Singer of The Denver Post (Twitter link).

Golden, who spent his entire college career at Richmond, averaged 13.7 PPG, 6.0 RPG, and 2.9 APG on .506/.280/.706 shooting in 37 games (27.6 MPG) as a “super senior” in 2021/22. After going undrafted, the 6’10” forward played for the Hawks’ Summer League team in Las Vegas, logging limited minutes in four appearances.

Golden will take the spot on the Nuggets’ roster that opened up when the team waived Justin Tillman. It’s unclear whether he’ll be a full participant in training camp or whether his time under contract in Denver will be more short-lived.

Signing Golden to an Exhibit 10 contract ensures that the Nuggets will have his G League rights and means he’ll be eligible for a bonus worth up to $50K if he’s waived and subsequently spends at least 60 days with Denver’s NBAGL affiliate, the Grand Rapids Gold.

Nuggets Waive Justin Tillman

September 26th, 2022 at 7:41am CST by Luke Adams

As expected, the Nuggets have waived forward Justin Tillman, per NBA.com’s official transaction log.

The move had been anticipated after Denver recently announced a training camp roster that didn’t include Tillman. As we relayed on Friday, the 26-year-old is expected to play for the Grand Rapids Gold – the Nuggets’ G League affiliate – this season after signing an Exhibit 10 contract with the club earlier this offseason.

A former VCU standout, Tillman has yet to make his NBA regular season debut, but has seen action in a number of leagues around the world since going undrafted in 2018. He has spent time in Korea, Israel, Italy, Turkey, and Puerto Rico, as well as in the G League.

Tillman was a member of the All-NBAGL First Team in 2021/22, averaging an impressive 23.5 PPG and 11.8 RPG in 28 games (35.3 MPG) for the College Park Skyhawks, Atlanta’s affiliate. Grand Rapids acquired Tillman’s returning NBAGL rights from College Park in an August trade.

The Nuggets now have 19 players officially under contract.