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Nuggets Notes: Murray, Kroenke, Roster, Caldwell-Pope

August 22nd, 2024 at 12:53pm CST by Rory Maher

Injuries were a significant factor in Jamal Murray‘s struggles in the 2024 postseason and during the Olympics in Paris this summer, Nuggets president Josh Kroenke said on Wednesday, according to Bennett Durando of The Denver Post.

“When you’re going against the best in the world, whether it’s in the NBA playoffs or in the Olympics, you’re gonna get (opponents’) best shot And if you’re not 100% and you know you want to be out there still, you’re gonna try to fight through it like Jamal is,” Kroenke said after participating in the Gardner Hendrick Pro-Am, part of the BMW Championship at Castle Pines Golf Club.

“But I know he wasn’t 100%. I know getting him back there is a big step toward seeing the Jamal who was throwing up triple-doubles in the NBA Finals.”

As Durando writes, the Canadian guard was visibly slowed by a left calf strain during Denver’s second-round playoff loss to Minnesota. Kroenke said Murray has also been battling an ankle issue in addition to other ailments, though he didn’t specify when that particular injury occurred.

A report in late June indicated that the Nuggets and Murray were nearing an agreement on a four-year, $208.45MM maximum extension, but a deal has yet to be finalized. While Kroenke declined to go into specifics on when a contract might come to fruition, he remains confident in Murray’s abilities, Durando adds.

“Jamal’s a great player, one of the best in the NBA,” Kroenke said, “and however he felt personally that the Olympics were for him, just reading some of his quotes, I know he was frustrated a little bit. So I have no doubt that he’ll use that the right way for motivation going into the season.”

Here’s more on the Nuggets, courtesy of Durando (Twitter links):

According to Kroenke, Denver’s roster is “pretty set” for the 2024/25 season, though he acknowledged things can change quickly in the NBA. “Our eyes and ears are always open,” he said. “The new (CBA) rules are interesting, and how some of those trades work once you’re over the tax.” The Nuggets’ roster, which is currently at the offseason limit of 21 players, includes 15 players on guaranteed standard contracts, with all three of the team’s two-way slots filled.
The Nuggets’ president also touched on Kentavious Caldwell-Pope‘s free agency, Durando notes. A key three-and-D player for Denver the past two seasons, Caldwell-Pope signed a three-year, $66MM deal with Orlando after declining his ’24/25 player option. Kroenke said that while the Nuggets made the veteran wing some offers, they were also leery of the second apron restrictions in the new CBA, emphasizing that maintaining the “flexibility to retain the guys we want to keep” in the future was a key factor in contract talks. Kroenke also expressed confidence in the team’s young players and their ability to take on expanded roles.
In case you missed it, the Nuggets are rumored to be interested in Hornets guard Vasilije Micic, one of Nikola Jokic‘s teammates on the Serbian national team. Serbia won the bronze medal at the Olympics.

Stein’s Latest: Curry, James, Embiid, Yurtseven, Micic

August 18th, 2024 at 3:51pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

Warriors All-NBA point guard Stephen Curry is eligible for a one-season, $62.6MM contract extension prior to October 21. He could also wait until the 2025 offseason to seek a two-year deal worth a projected $130MM, Marc Stein writes in his latest Substack story.

Stein notes that, having missed out on Jazz All-Star Lauri Markkanen and Sixers All-Star Paul George, Golden State continues looking for opportunities to upgrade the roster via trade. The Warriors believe they have the current and future assets necessary to do just that.

Last year’s Warriors went 46-36, finishing with just the No. 10 seed in the Western Conference. Golden State failed to make the playoffs after falling to the Kings in the play-in tournament.

Curry, 36, had yet another excellent individual year. The 10-time All-Star averaged 26.4 points on .450/.408/.923 shooting splits, 5.1 assists, 4.5 rebounds, and 0.7 steals in 74 games.

Here are some other key notes from Stein’s newest Substack article:

According to Stein, there’s a belief that the Lakers would have “reluctantly” engaged in trade discussions to send All-NBA combo forward LeBron James to the Warriors, so he could join then-future Team USA colleague Curry and friend Draymond Green, if that’s what James had wanted. However, Stein’s sources say that Klutch Sports CEO Rich Paul, James’ longtime agent, urged both L.A. and Golden State to scrap the idea — in part because Paul didn’t want James to be faced with criticism for jumping teams for a fourth time.
Sixers All-Star center Joel Embiid, fresh off winning his first Olympic gold medal for Team USA this summer, hinted that he might be interested in playing for his native Cameroon during the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles. However, as Stein writes, a player over the age of 17 can only change his country affiliation if he receives clearance from FIBA and his previous country (in this case, USA Basketball). Stein is skeptical that Embiid will be permitted to do so.
According to Stein, free agent center Omer Yurtseven was one of several players to recently work out for the Knicks, who opted not to sign him at that time. Greek club Panathinaikos reportedly remains intrigued by the 7-footer. New York lost its 2023/24 starting center, Isaiah Hartenstein, to the Thunder in free agency, and no doubt needs to get creative filling out its frontcourt depth, so Yurtseven would have made sense as a fringe rotation option. Across three NBA seasons with the Heat and Jazz, the big man has appeared in 113 contests (24 starts), averaging 5.0 points, 4.6 rebounds and 0.7 steals per night.
Hornets point guard Vasilije Micic is considered a potential down-the-road trade target for the Nuggets, given his close relationship with Nikola Jokic, Stein writes. Micic may not be a practical option for Denver at this point though, given his $7.7MM salary and the team’s proximity to the tax aprons. Acquired midway through his 2023/24 rookie season, the 6’5″ guard averaged 10.8 points and 6.2 assists across 30 games for Charlotte down the stretch.

And-Ones: K. Smith, Schedule, C. Brown, Burton, Duke & Rutgers

August 14th, 2024 at 11:02pm CST by Arthur Hill

Warner Bros. Discovery is suing the NBA after being excluded from the new broadcast rights package, but Kenny Smith isn’t worried about how that might affect what will likely be the final year of “Inside the NBA,” writes Greg Rajan of The Houston Chronicle. Smith, who has been with the network since his playing career ended in 1998, insists that nothing will change inside the studio.

“No, because we do our jobs,” he said. “Our job is to talk (about) the game and give insight and also give you insight about what’s going on behind the scenes with TNT. Like, ‘Hey, we’re not happy.’ That’s part of what makes us different. I don’t think any other network would allow or want their talent to talk about things like that. We’re going to do it, no matter what happens.

“But again, we’ve had a great run. If it continues, it’ll be great. But also, there are massive opportunities for the four of us — again, to create ownership opportunities to make sure our directors, producers, makeup, stats and audio people are still part of one of the greatest shows in sports TV history.”

Smith views the possible end of the network’s affiliation with the NBA as an opportunity for the show to reach out into other areas. He compares it to what Adam Sandler or Peyton and Eli Manning are doing with their companies, providing a chance to create a new brand in sports television.

There’s more from around the basketball world:

More details on the 2024/25 NBA schedule continue to leak out ahead of the official announcement at 3:00 pm ET on Thursday. The Nuggets will host the Thunder on October 24 in the season opener for both teams, according to Shams Charania of The Athletic (Twitter link). It will be a matchup of the top two seeds in the West last season. After facing the Clippers October 23 in the first game at the new Inuit Dome, the Suns will stay in Los Angeles to take on the Lakers October 25 before hosting the Mavericks in their home opener a night later, tweets Duane Rankin of The Arizona Republic. The Kings will have two six-game road trips during the season, sources tell James Ham of Kings Beat (Twitter link). One in January will have them face the Nuggets, Knicks, Nets, Sixers, Thunder and Timberwolves, and another from March 29 to April 7 will feature games against the Magic, Pacers, Wizards, Hornets, Cavaliers and Pistons.
Former NBA players Charlie Brown Jr. and Deonte Burton will be among the players representing the G League United in a pair of September exhibition games, the league announced (Twitter links).
Duke and Rutgers will be the top destinations for NBA scouts when the college basketball season begins, observes Adam Zagoria of NJ.com. The Blue Devils have the projected No. 1 pick in the 2025 draft, Cooper Flagg, along with Khaman Maluach, a probable lottery selection who played for South Sudan in the Olympics. The Scarlet Knights’ Ace Bailey and Dylan Harper are also in contention for the top spot in next year’s draft.

Olympic Notes: Murray, Yabusele, Giddey, Barrett, More

August 14th, 2024 at 8:44pm CST by Arthur Hill

There are concerns about Jamal Murray following a lackluster Olympic performance with Team Canada, writes John Hollinger of The Athletic. After dealing with injuries during the latter part of the season, the Nuggets guard was limited to 36.6% true shooting and a 4.7 PER in four Olympic games.

While Hollinger admits that’s a small sample size, he notes that Murray wasn’t any better in Canada’s exhibition contests and didn’t look like the same player he was during Denver’s 2023 title run. Hollinger observes that Murray played without “zip” while having a hard time getting separation from his defender and finishing at the rim. If there’s a physical issue affecting Murray, it could be a significant story heading into training camp and the start of the season, Hollinger adds.

A report in late June stated that the Nuggets and Murray were nearing agreement on a four-year, $208MM extension. Hollinger wonders if the team might be reconsidering that offer in light of Murray’s recent downturn.

Hollinger shares a few more thoughts on the Olympics:

Guerschon Yabusele helped his NBA prospects tremendously with his Olympic performance, but Hollinger is skeptical that he’ll join the league this season. A league source confirms to Hollinger that Yabusele has a $2.5MM buyout in his contract with Real Madrid. Any NBA team that signs him would have to pay that amount, which would count against the cap above the $850K maximum international buyout, along with Yabusele’s salary. Hollinger sees a better chance for Yabusele to return to the NBA next summer when he’ll be a free agent.
Australia used Josh Giddey as its primary ball-handler, a role he’ll assume with the Bulls this season. Hollinger points out that although Giddey could have used better outside shooting around him, he was effective running the offense. He made 11 three-pointers in four games, easing some of the concerns about him in Oklahoma City, while taking on a 30% usage rate.
Hollinger believes Raptors swingman RJ Barrett could be headed for a breakout season. Playing for Canada, Barrett ranked fourth in the Olympics in scoring at 19.8 PPG with 58/44/84 shooting splits. Hollinger adds that Barrett was impressive after being traded to Toronto last season and should have a high-usage role on a rebuilding team.
Khem Birch may have sparked NBA interest after being Canada’s top center in France, per Hollinger. Birch will be 32 by the time training camps open, but Hollinger suggests he could fill a role as a third center.
Mathias Lessort, who helped France reach the gold medal game, could be a “last-resort option” for the Knicks next summer if they still haven’t found a reliable backup center, Hollinger states. The 29-year-old big man is under contract with Panathinaikos in Greece this season.
Isaac Bonga is a free agent after wrapping up a strong Olympics with Germany. Hollinger notes that Bonga is only 24 and could return to the NBA and a three-and-D specialist, even if it doesn’t happen right away.

NBA 2024 Offseason Check-In: Denver Nuggets

August 13th, 2024 at 9:19am CST by Luke Adams

Hoops Rumors is checking in on the 2024 offseason for all 30 NBA teams, recapping the summer’s free agent signings, trades, draft picks, departures, and more. We’ll take a look at each team’s offseason moves and consider what might still be coming before the regular season begins. Today, we’re focusing on the Denver Nuggets.

Free agent signings

Dario Saric: Two years, $10,594,400. Second-year player option. Signed using taxpayer mid-level exception.
Russell Westbrook: Two years, minimum salary ($6,772,731). Second-year player option. Signed using minimum salary exception.
Vlatko Cancar: One year, minimum salary. Re-signed using minimum salary exception.
DeAndre Jordan: One year, minimum salary. Re-signed using minimum salary exception.
Gabe McGlothan: One year, minimum salary. Non-guaranteed (Exhibit 10). Signed using minimum salary exception.
Jaylin Williams: One year, minimum salary. Non-guaranteed (Exhibit 10). Signed using minimum salary exception.
Jahmir Young: One year, minimum salary. Non-guaranteed (Exhibit 10). Signed using minimum salary exception.

Trades

Acquired the draft rights to DaRon Holmes (No. 22 pick) from the Suns in exchange for the draft rights to Ryan Dunn (No. 28 pick), the No. 56 pick in the 2024 draft, the Nuggets’ 2026 second-round pick, and the Nuggets’ 2031 second-round pick.
Acquired cash from the Hornets in a six-team trade in exchange for Reggie Jackson, the Nuggets’ 2025 second-round pick, the Nuggets’ 2029 second-round pick, and the Nuggets’ 2030 second-round pick.

Draft picks

1-22: DaRon Holmes
- Signed to rookie scale contract (four years, $15,203,657).

Two-way signings

Departed/unsigned free agents

Kentavious Caldwell-Pope (Magic)
Collin Gillespie (Suns)
Justin Holiday (unsigned)
Jay Huff (Grizzlies)
Braxton Key (unsigned)

Salary cap situation

Operating over the cap ($140.6MM), over the luxury tax line ($170.8MM), and between the first tax apron ($178.1MM) and second tax apron ($188.9MM).
Carrying approximately $182.6MM in salary.
Hard-capped at $188,931,000.
No form of mid-level or bi-annual exception available.
One traded player exception available (worth $5,250,000).

The offseason so far

For a second consecutive offseason since winning a championship in June 2023, the Nuggets’ rotation took a major hit. After losing top reserves Bruce Brown and Jeff Green in free agency a year ago, Denver saw starting shooting guard Kentavious Caldwell-Pope depart for Orlando this time around.

While it would be easy to cite the new tax apron rules as the reason why they couldn’t retain Caldwell-Pope, the Nuggets had the ability to outbid the Magic for him without derailing the rest of their summer plans if they’d been willing to commit to a significant luxury tax bill. This ownership group has typically been averse to operating too deep into the tax, however, even with three-time MVP Nikola Jokic in his prime and championship contention within reach.

Losing Caldwell-Pope allowed the Nuggets to free up their taxpayer mid-level exception, which they used to sign stretch forward/center Dario Saric. Saric is a solid role player who should play a role off the bench, but he won’t have the same kind of two-way impact that Caldwell-Pope has in recent years.

The Nuggets’ other major offseason addition was Russell Westbrook, who agreed to a two-year, minimum-salary deal (including a second-year player option) after being bought out by Utah. It remains to be seen how Westbrook will fit in Denver, but landing a former MVP and talented play-maker capable of breaking down defenses looks like a win for a team limited to minimum-salary offers.

Still, it’s fair to question the Nuggets’ offseason as a whole. Caldwell-Pope’s exit was a major blow, and the team’s work on the trade market raised eyebrows too — Denver surrendered a whopping six second-round picks in order to shed Reggie Jackson‘s expiring $5.25MM contract and to move up six spots in the first round to draft DaRon Holmes, who suffered a season-ending Achilles tear during his Summer League debut.

Even if Holmes had remained healthy, it’s unclear whether he would’ve been ready to play a major role as a rookie, so giving up all that future draft capital to select him and to move off a relatively small contract may not have been the best use of the Nuggets’ limited resources.

Denver also re-signed veteran center DeAndre Jordan, who played a limited role in 36 appearances last season, and forward Vlatko Cancar, who is coming off a torn ACL and didn’t play well for Slovenia in Olympic qualifiers this summer (he made just 3-of-19 shot attempts and was a -49 in three games). It’s possible the Nuggets will be able to get productive minutes from one or both big men, but expectations should be modest.

Up next

The Nuggets have 15 players on standard guaranteed contracts, three on two-way deals, and three more on Exhibit 10 pacts, so their roster looks set for the regular season.

The primary outstanding question in Denver this offseason is whether a lucrative new long-term contract for Jamal Murray will be finalized in the near future. A report in June indicated that Murray and the Nuggets were expected to come to terms on a four-year, maximum-salary extension that would begin in 2025/26 and would be worth nearly $208MM, based on the NBA’s latest cap projections.

Subsequent reporting indicating that the two sides would wait until after the Olympics to complete a new deal. Well, the Olympics are over, so are the Nuggets still planning to move forward on that maximum-salary extension? Presumably, we’ll get our answer soon.

That four-year extension is a worthwhile investment if Denver is getting the peak version of Murray, but he has battled injuries in recent years and certainly wasn’t at his best in the NBA playoffs (.402 FG%, .315 3PT%) or at the Olympics (.290 FG%, .143 3PT%).

I wouldn’t expect the Nuggets to get cold feet and back out of the deal completely, but with no formal agreement in place yet, maybe there’s some wiggle room for the team to protect itself a little with some injury language or a partially guaranteed final year. A fully guaranteed contract worth an average of $52MM annually for a player who has infamously never made an All-Star team would be risky and would create additional financial constraints for an organization already being affected by its high payroll.

Nuggets Granted Disabled Player Exception

August 9th, 2024 at 10:27am CST by Rory Maher

The Nuggets have been granted a disabled player exception in the wake of DaRon Holmes‘ season-ending torn Achilles tendon, league sources tell Tony Jones of The Athletic (Twitter link).

The exception is worth $1,532,820, half of the rookie’s $3,065,640 salary for the 2024/25 season.

Holmes, who starred in college at Dayton, sustained the injury in his Summer League debut with Denver on July 12. The Nuggets traded three second-round picks to Phoenix to move up six spots in the 2024 draft (from No. 28 to No. 22) to acquire the rights to the 21-year-old big man.

A disabled player exception gives an over-the-cap team some extra spending power – but not an additional 15-man roster spot – when it loses a player to an injury deemed likely to sideline him through at least June 15 of the upcoming season.

We go into more detail on who qualifies for disabled player exceptions and how exactly they work in our glossary entry on the subject. But essentially, if a team has a player suffer a season-ending injury prior to January 15, the exception gives that team the opportunity to add an injury replacement by either signing a player to a one-year contract, trading for a player in the final year of his contract, or placing a waiver claim on a player in the final year of his contract.

Since the DPE for Holmes is so small, there’s a good chance it won’t be used by March 10; the Nuggets have 15 players on guaranteed standard contracts, and the exception doesn’t create a roster spot. Still, there was no downside to applying for the DPE, even if it may not prove very useful.

Christmas Day Games Include Sixers-Celtics, Lakers-Warriors

August 8th, 2024 at 9:20pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

The NBA’s leaked slate of Christmas Day games will feature several heavy hitters.

Sources tell Shams Charania of The Athletic (Twitter link) that, as usual, five games will be broadcast, highlighted by a marquee matchup between two longtime Eastern Conference foes, the revamped Sixers and the Celtics. Boston, the reigning league champion, will host.

The schedule will be rounded out by several clashes between starry clubs, from veteran-laden squads to young up-and-comers. The Spurs will travel to Madison Square Garden to play the Knicks. A Western Conference Finals rematch is also on the docket, as the Mavericks will host the Timberwolves.

The newly Klay Thompson-less Warriors will host the Lakers, and the Nuggets will travel to Phoenix to face the retooled Suns.

Philadelphia almost completely overhauled its roster around incumbent All-Stars Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey. The new additions are headlined by nine-time All-Star combo forward Paul George, who departed the Clippers to sign a four-year, maximum-salary deal with the Sixers. Philadelphia also signed seasoned free agents like forward Caleb Martin, center Andre Drummond, and shooting guard Eric Gordon while bringing back wing Kelly Oubre Jr.

The Celtics retained all of their own key players after going 64-18 in the regular season and 16-3 in the playoffs. A pair of new extensions for All-NBA forward Jayson Tatum and All-Defensive Team guard Derrick White highlighted the team’s transactions, though longer-term uncertainty looms as owner Wyc Grousbeck is looking to sell the franchise.

Led by Defensive Player of the Year and impending Olympic medalist Victor Wembanyama, the Spurs figure to improve on their paltry 21-61 record in 2023/24. The team signed 12-time All-Star point guard Chris Paul to a one-year deal this summer, and traded for veteran combo forward Harrison Barnes. San Antonio also used its No. 4 pick in the lottery on NCAA championship-winning UConn guard Stephon Castle, the 2023/24 Big East Freshman of the Year.

The Knicks, meanwhile traded for former All-Defensive small forward Mikal Bridges this summer to maximize their ability to switch on the wing. The team also re-signed free agent forward OG Anunoby to a long-term contract and free agent center/power forward Precious Achiuwa to a shorter-term deal, inked All-NBA point guard Jalen Brunson to a contract extension, and brought aboard veteran point guard Cameron Payne for extra depth.

Fresh off its first NBA Finals appearance with star guards Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving, Dallas added future Hall of Famer Thompson away from the Warriors as part of a sign-and-trade, while also acquiring young guard Quentin Grimes from the Pistons. Dallas also signed free agent wing Naji Marshall to a three-year deal.

After winning their first (two) playoff series in 20 years this spring, the Timberwolves traded for the draft rights to No. 8 pick Rob Dillingham and retained several of their own free agents.

While Golden State did lose out on Thompson, the Warriors quickly pivoted on the perimeter, signing free agent guard De’Anthony Melton and signing-and-trading for free agent wings Kyle Anderson and Buddy Hield. The team is hoping to rebound from a finish as the West’s No. 10 seed and a quick play-in tournament exit.

Denver let free agent starting shooting guard Kentavious Caldwell-Pope walk in free agency and brought in reserve guard Russell Westbrook.

The Suns hired title-winning head coach Mike Budenholzer and signed Tyus Jones to a steal of a veteran’s minimum contract. Phoenix also brought back several of its own free agents, including wings Josh Okogie and Royce O’Neale and Damion Lee. The team also inked free agents Mason Plumlee and Monte Morris to minimum-salary contracts.

The most questionable omission from all this Christmas scheduling is clearly the Thunder, who claimed the West’s No. 1 overall seed last season and added ex-Knicks center Isaiah Hartenstein via a lucrative three-year, $87MM deal. Oklahoma City also dealt guard Josh Giddey – who fell out of the starting lineup in the playoffs – to Chicago for All-Defensive wing Alex Caruso.

With Shai Gilgeous-Alexander having finished as the MVP runner-up last year and young pieces Chet Holmgren and Jalen Williams set to develop, the Thunder look poised to contend for the West’s top seed once again.

Western Notes: Lakers, Markkanen, Grizzlies, Murray

August 7th, 2024 at 1:18pm CST by Tristan Tucker

The Lakers, Celtics and Cavaliers are the only three teams who haven’t added any new players through free agency or trade this offseason. Of the three, Los Angeles is the one with the least clarity about its lineup for next season.

Jovan Buha of The Athletic evaluates the Lakers’ depth chart and offers his predictions about who will take the fifth starter spot. With LeBron James, Anthony Davis, Austin Reaves and D’Angelo Russell looking like surefire starters, Buha lands on Rui Hachimura over Jarred Vanderbilt for the fifth slot.

Buha points to L.A.’s offensive production and 22-10 record with Hachimura in the lineup to close last season as major reasons why he views him as the frontrunner.

We have more from around the Western Conference:

Lauri Markkanen‘s massive payday with the Jazz is a testament to patience, perseverance, and opportunity, according to Tony Jones of The Athletic. As Jones details, Markkanen didn’t often look like a future star in Chicago or Cleveland, but continued to work on improving his skill set and got the kind of runway in Utah that he hadn’t received at his previous NBA stops. Two years after joining the Jazz, Markkanen has an All-Star berth, a Most Improved Player award, and a new $200MM+ contract under his belt.
With Luke Kennard back in the fold, marginal moves are the ones that will define the rest of the Grizzlies‘ offseason, Damichael Cole of The Memphis Commercial Appeal writes. Deciding whether or not to keep Mamadi Diakite is the most significant move involving players currently on the roster. Parting ways with Diakite would open a spot on the 15-man roster, but there’s no urgency to make a decision right away. Outside of that, a possible rookie scale extension for Santi Aldama is another piece of offseason or preseason business to watch.
The difference in outside discourse regarding Jamal Murray between this offseason and last year is drastic, Bennett Durando of The Denver Post observes. Murray was fresh off playing a key role in the Nuggets winning their first championship a year ago, but underachieved in the 2024 playoffs and in the Olympics, Durando writes. While it shouldn’t be discounted that he was playing a different role – and played through injury – Murray’s struggles this year are poorly timed, given that he’s expected to sign a lucrative long-term extension this summer.

Luke Adams contributed to this post.

Nuggets Expect More From Braun, Need Free Agents To Deliver

August 5th, 2024 at 10:46pm CST by Dana Gauruder

It has been an eventful offseason for the Nuggets and The Athletic’s Tony Jones breaks down all the meaningful developments. They lost Kentavious Caldwell-Pope in free agency but the front office is convinced Christian Braun can handle a larger role. The Nuggets are also encouraged by Julian Strawther‘s Summer League performances and think he’ll add much-needed shooting to the rotation.

The Nuggets believe Russell Westbrook will fortify their offense and they’ll also need free agent addition Dario Saric to produce in a backup frontcourt role, especially with first-rounder DaRon Holmes having suffered a torn Achilles during Summer League action. If Saric doesn’t deliver, the Nuggets could be forced to use Aaron Gordon as the de facto backup center, Jones writes.

G League Team Acquires Bediako From Spurs

July 30th, 2024 at 10:05pm CST by Dana Gauruder

The Grand Rapids Gold, the Nuggets‘ G League team, acquired the returning rights to center Charles Bediako in a deal with the Austin Spurs, according to OurSportsCentral.com. The Spurs‘ affiliate received the returning player rights of Jamorko Pickett and Reggie Kissoonlal.

Trail Blazers coach Chauncey Billups believes Russell Westbrook will be a good fit with the Nuggets, adding toughness and a mentality that will make the team better, he told Sean Keeler of The Denver Post. “Russ does help that (depth),” Billups said. “He helps bring some of those things. Obviously, (he and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope are) totally different players. But, yeah, losing KCP was — I’m happy and proud of him for getting to capitalize (financially) on the great years that he had here — but it’s a substantial loss.”
DeAndre Jordan‘s one-year contract with the Nuggets is worth the minimum salary, Hoops Rumors has confirmed. Jordan’s deal was originally reported to be worth $3.6MM, which would have been possible if he were re-signed using his Early Bird rights, but it’s simply a veteran’s minimum contract, which will pay the veteran center approximately $3.3MM.