Denver Nuggets Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Nuggets Notes: Murray, Hyland, Jokic, Connelly, Cousins

July 21st, 2022 at 10:59am CST by Luke Adams

When Jamal Murray was practicing with the Nuggets in April and weighing the possibility of returning from his ACL tear, he was more apprehensive on the defensive side of the ball than on offense, Mike Singer of The Denver Post said on the HoopsHype podcast with Michael Scotto.

“He was concerned about fighting around screens, getting dinged, diving for loose balls, and that half-second hesitancy that might still be there as a result of that ACL tear he had,” Singer said.

However, that hesitancy was no longer evident when Murray practiced with Denver’s Summer League team a few weeks ago, according to Singer, who suggests that Denver’s decision to trade Monte Morris signals the club is confident in Murray’s ability to return strong in 2022/23.

The Morris trade was also a sign that Bones Hyland will have a bigger role going forward, according to Scotto, who has heard that the 2021 first-rounder has put on six pounds of muscle this offseason and is working out twice a day as he prepares for a minutes bump in the fall.

Here’s more on the Nuggets:

Singer suggests that if Morris had reached free agency this summer, he likely would’ve earned a deal in the range of $14-15MM annually, as opposed to the $9MM he’ll make on his current deal. The Nuggets’ reluctance to pay that much to retain the point guard once his contract expires in 2024 was one reason why the team was willing to move him. As for Will Barton, his age (32 in January), injury history, and defensive limitations were factors in Denver’s decision to trade him, per Singer.
People around the Nuggets were “pinching themselves” when Nikola Jokic signed a five-year extension to remain with the team and appreciated that those negotiations were drama-free, according to Singer. As Singer points out, Denver is typically viewed as “a place where (star) free agents don’t want to come,” so Jokic’s decision to commit long-term was a testament to the relationship he has built with the franchise. Of course, the fact that he’ll be in line for a projected $270MM (an NBA record) on the five-year deal probably didn’t hurt either.
Singer believes that if the Nuggets had offered president of basketball operations Tim Connelly an extension worth about $5-6MM per year before the Timberwolves began pursuing him in earnest, he likely would’ve been “eager to stay” in Denver. However, the Nuggets were unwilling to match the five-year, $40MM offer Minnesota eventually made.
Singer got the impression there was some “friction” behind the scenes with DeMarcus Cousins last season, which is one reason why the Nuggets signed DeAndre Jordan this summer to fill that backup center role.

Nuggets Sign Jack White To Two-Way Contract

July 19th, 2022 at 9:45pm CST by JD Shaw

JULY 19: The signing is official, according to a team press release.

JULY 17: The Nuggets are signing Australian forward Jack White to a two-way contract, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski (Twitter link). As Wojnarowski notes, White is coming off a strong summer league stint with the team.

White, 6’7″, played four seasons at Duke before going undrafted in 2020. He signed with the NBL’s Melbourne United that summer, helping the team win a title in his first professional season. The 24-year-old also averaged 9.5 points and 6.6 rebounds in 22.5 minutes per game this past year.

“This is an amazing opportunity for me to take another step towards living out my dream of playing in the NBA, so I couldn’t be more grateful to the Nuggets for giving me a shot,” White said, as relayed in Melbourne United’s press release.

Denver now has both two-way spots and every spot on its 15-man roster filled. The team has a strong nucleus of Jamal Murray, Michael Porter Jr., Aaron Gordon and Nikola Jokic and expects to be a perennial championship contender next season.

Trade Breakdown: Nuggets/Wizards Swap

July 19th, 2022 at 8:48am CST by Rory Maher

This is the third in our series breaking down the major trades of the 2022 offseason. As opposed to giving out grades, this series will explore why the teams were motivated to make the moves. Let’s dig into a pair of transactions made by the Nuggets, including a four-player deal with the Wizards…

One of the advantages of exploring trades a few weeks after they occur is that you have the benefit of hindsight and a clearer view of a team’s big-picture focus. The Nuggets went into the offseason with the goal of improving their perimeter size, athleticism, defense and depth, so let’s take a look at some of the moves they’ve made to accomplish their intended goal.

First, the Nuggets traded JaMychal Green to the Thunder. Green had been a solid player for the past handful of seasons, but his three-point shooting cratered in his second year with Denver, dropping to 26.6% – a full 10% below his career rate of 36.6% – and with the impending return of Michael Porter Jr., plus Zeke Nnaji, Aaron Gordon and Jeff Green already at the forward spots, JaMychal became an expendable piece.

The Nuggets accomplished a few different things with the deal: they moved off Green’s mid-sized contract and created a roster spot; acquired the 30^th pick (used to select Peyton Watson) and a couple of future second-rounders (2023 and 2024); and created a $8.2MM traded player exception (the amount of Green’s 2022/23 salary).

The Thunder used some of their cap space to essentially punt the last pick of the first round to 2027 (top-five protected from 2027-29) in the hope that Denver’s pick will be of greater value than the last pick of the first round in 2022. Green is unlikely to ever play for the Thunder, so it’s possible they could get a second-round pick of their own if they move him, but would probably have to take on an unwanted contract in the process.

In the draft, the Nuggets selected Christian Braun with their own first-rounder (21^st), an experienced, athletic wing who helped Kansas win the NCAA tournament in 2021/22. Head coach Michael Malone has praised Braun, implying that he might have a regular role as a rookie.

As previously noted, the 30^th pick was used on Watson, another athletic wing with good size (6’8″). Watson was a McDonald’s All-American in high school yet rarely saw on-court action during his freshman season at UCLA, but obviously the Nuggets were high on him and he showed flashes of upside during Summer League.

Those moves essentially served as a preamble to Denver’s major trade with Washington, sending Monte Morris and Will Barton to the Wizards in exchange for Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and Ish Smith.

In a vacuum, without thinking about roster construction, it seems like the Nuggets might have been able to get more in return for two players who started last season. So why didn’t they?

A key aspect of this trade are the salaries involved. Morris is under contract at a reasonable rate – $9.1MM in ‘22/23, $9.8MM in ‘23/24 – while Barton is on an expiring deal worth $14.4MM.

Caldwell-Pope was recently extended for two seasons (with a player option in year two) after the Nuggets indicated at the time of the deal that they wanted to keep him around. For the upcoming season, he’ll make $14MM, while Smith is on expiring $4.7MM deal.

The Nuggets project to be a taxpayer next season, so shedding about $4.77MM in salary in the deal was certainly a factor, especially for a team that could be facing the repeater tax (and stiffer penalties) in subsequent seasons.

Morris is one of the top backup point guards in the league and capably served as a low-end starter last season. But with Jamal Murray projected to return to the lineup in the fall and Bones Hyland emerging as a rotation piece as a rookie, the backcourt – particularly for the smaller guard spot – was looking pretty crowded. That’s not to say the Nuggets didn’t value Morris – far from it. But the Wizards needed a point guard, and they got a good one in Morris.

Barton had been with Denver for eight years, making him the team’s longest-tenured player. While his production looked solid on paper – he averaged 14.7 PPG, 4.8 RPG and 3.9 APG on .438/.365/.803 shooting in 71 games (32.1 MPG) last season – a series of injuries have sapped his athleticism, and he’s a subpar defender with questionable shot selection.

Caldwell-Pope was the primary target for the Nuggets, as evidenced by his recent extension. He doesn’t need the ball in his hands to be effective on offense, has developed into a very good spot-up shooter, and is a solid defender. He should be a very nice complementary piece and will take over some of the defensive assignments that were perhaps given to Gordon too often last season.

The Nuggets surely haven’t forgotten battling against Caldwell-Pope in the Western Conference Finals a couple of seasons ago, and they’ve said they value his championship experience and defense. KCP was the third-best player when the Lakers won the title in 2020, bringing a new element to a Denver squad that aspires to reach those same heights in ‘22/23.

The veteran backup Smith, who will break a league record by playing for his 13^th NBA team once he appears in a game for Denver, will likely serve as a backup to Murray and Hyland. However, since the Nuggets plan to ease Murray back into action, there’s a real chance Smith could get regular minutes in the upcoming season, so he wasn’t just a throw-in piece.

Based on the return the Nuggets received, it appears that Barton’s contract was viewed as a negative asset by opposing teams. Morris was the main trade chip here, but he wasn’t projected to start next season and could reasonably be viewed as a luxury rather than a necessity, particularly since Caldwell-Pope is the best defender of the group and a cleaner fit for Denver’s starting lineup.

During free agency, Denver’s biggest signing was adding Bruce Brown via the taxpayer mid-level exception. The 25-year-old is the type of player who doesn’t need the ball on offense and can switch onto virtually anyone defensively, making him an ideal fit for a team that has been looking to upgrade its defense. He’s a solid rebounder and passer and very strong for his size – he also reportedly had offers for more money, but chose the Nuggets due to fit.

The Nuggets also promoted Davon Reed, another strong defender who shot 43% from deep while on a two-way contract last season, to a minimum-salary deal. The other free agency moves were re-signing Vlatko Cancar, a restricted free agent who hasn’t seen much action during his three seasons, and signing DeAndre Jordan to a minimum deal. I didn’t love the Jordan signing, but for the sake of Nuggets fans, maybe he won’t play much.

So far this offseason, the Nuggets have essentially replaced JaMychal Green, Morris, Barton, Facundo Campazzo, Bryn Forbes, Austin Rivers, and DeMarcus Cousins with Caldwell-Pope, Smith, Braun, Watson, Brown, Reed (now playoff-eligible), and Jordan. I would definitely say they’ve accomplished their goal of improving the team’s perimeter size, athleticism, defense and depth.

The Wizards, meanwhile, entered the offseason intent on re-signing Bradley Beal and bolstering the backcourt around him, particularly at point guard.

Their first move came in the draft, when they selected Wisconsin guard Johnny Davis with their lottery pick (10^th overall). It’s unclear how much playing time Davis will receive as a rookie, but some evaluators viewed him as a combo guard who could bring some much-needed toughness to D.C.

Then came the deal with the Nuggets. As previously mentioned, in a vacuum, based on production both last year and over the previous seasons, it’s hard to not view this trade as a win for the Wizards.

Morris was the clear target, a 27-year-old point guard who averaged averaged 12.6 PPG, 3.0 RPG and 4.4 APG on .484/.395/.869 shooting in 75 games (29.9 MPG). On top of his solid shooting efficiency, Morris is one of the best in the league at taking care of the ball, with a career assist-to-turnover ratio of 4.77:1.

According to Mike Singer of The Denver Post, the Nuggets received more than 20 calls inquiring about Morris, so he was clearly in-demand around the league.

The Wizards also got a buy-low candidate in Barton, who had similar offensive production to Caldwell-Pope and will provide depth on the wing. Both players are familiar with head coach Wes Unseld Jr., who used to be an assistant with the Nuggets.

The next major domino fell when the team re-signed Beal to a five-year, $251MM maximum-salary deal that includes a no-trade clause – a rarity in the NBA.

The Wizards also signed Delon Wright to a two-year, $16MM deal in free agency to further bolster the point guard position. Like Morris, Wright is a sometimes reluctant shooter despite solid averages (.453/.354/.799 career split), but he does a good job taking care of the ball.

Wright possesses excellent size at 6’5” and has a knack for being in the right place at the right time and making good decisions. I also personally rate him as one of the best point guard defenders in the league, which made him an attractive option for several teams in free agency. He recently said he joined the Wizards due to a chance at an expanded role.

Morris, Barton and Wright all have multiple seasons of playoff experience under their belts, which must have been attractive to a Wizards team that has missed out on the postseason in three of the last four seasons.

So far this offseason, the Wizards have swapped out Raul Neto, Tomas Satoransky, Caldwell-Pope and Smith for Davis, Morris, Barton and Wright. Like the Nuggets, I would say the Wizards have also accomplished their goal of improving their backcourt rotation and depth, particularly at point guard.

Essentially, I view the Nuggets/Wizards swap as a win for both teams and as a deal that contributed to clear upgrades in the clubs’ respective areas of emphasis.

Northwest Notes: Juzang, Vanderbilt, Thunder, KCP

July 18th, 2022 at 10:55pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Two-way player Johnny Juzang could be another developmental success story for the Jazz, Sarah Todd of the Deseret News writes.

Juzang, one of UCLA’s stars during the Final Four run in 2021, should get more of an opportunity than most undrafted rookies with Utah apparently shifting to rebuild mode. There are questions about Juzang’s defensive ability, but he proved to be a steady offensive threat in college. He struggled in Summer League action, shooting 26.1% from the field.

“I feel like I see the floor pretty well right now but I want to continue to become even more of a playmaker,” Juzang said. “I’m also focused on playing on and off the ball. It will all come with time.”

We have more from the Northwest Division:

Forward Jarred Vanderbilt, one of the players acquired from the Timberwolves in the Rudy Gobert deal, should be a defensive asset for the Jazz. He recognizes that he can be even more of a force if he develops his offensive game, according to Eric Walden of the Salt Lake Tribune. Vanderbilt started 67 regular season games for Minnesota last season but only averaged 6.9 PPG in 25.4 MPG. “Finishing around the rim, touch; working on my shooting, trying to expand my range; working on ball-handling and counter-moves,” Vanderbilt said of what he needs to work on the most. “I’m still young in my career, where I have a lot of opportunity to still grow and expand my game as well. I’m sticking to the foundation that got me here, but building off that.”
What did the Thunder learn about No. 2 overall pick Chet Holmgren and the rest of their squad at the Vegas Summer League? Joe Mussatto of The Oklahoman breaks down their performances.
Kentavious Caldwell-Pope‘s two-year extension with the Nuggets is worth $14.7MM in 2023/24, with a $15.44MM player option for ’24/25, Hoops Rumors has learned. The deal comes in at approximately $30.15MM in total.
In case you missed it, Kenrich Williams agreed to a four-year extension with the Thunder. Get all the details here.

Examining How Nikola Jokic's Extension Became Family Reunion

July 17th, 2022 at 8:39pm CST by JD Shaw

Mike Singer of the Denver Post examines how Nikola Jokic‘s super-max extension become a family reunion this summer. Jokic was joined by Nuggets general manager Calvin Booth and other staff members in his home country of Serbia before signing the extension.

Kentavious Caldwell-Pope Signs Two-Year Extension With Nuggets

July 16th, 2022 at 8:59pm CST by Rory Maher

JULY 16: Caldwell-Pope’s extension is now official, per NBA.com’s transactions log.

JULY 13: Kentavious Caldwell-Pope is signing a two-year, $30MM extension with the Nuggets, with the second year being a player option, his agent Rich Paul tells ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.

As ESPN’s Bobby Marks tweets, Caldwell-Pope was eligible for an extension despite recently being traded to Denver as long as the total length of the new contract did not exceed two years and the salary increase did not exceed 5%. He was on an expiring deal worth $14MM in 2022/23, so the extension will keep him under contract for at least one more season.

Caldwell-Pope and Ish Smith were sent to the Nuggets from the Wizards in exchange for Monte Morris and Will Barton. Mike Singer of The Denver Post reported at the time of the deal that Denver had been targeting Caldwell-Pope for some time and had interest in retaining him beyond next season, which is now coming to fruition.

Singer notes (via Twitter) that the Nuggets had no intention of trading away two starters from last season unless the team was confident it could sign Caldwell-Pope to an extension.

Caldwell-Pope, known colloquially as KCP, had a solid first season with Washington in ’21/22, averaging 13.2 PPG, 3.4 RPG, 1.9 APG and 1.1 SPG on .435/.390/.890 shooting. The Nuggets reportedly value his championship experience and solid defense.

The 29-year-old shooting guard was the Lakers’ third-best player when they won the title in 2020 and has become a much more reliable outside shooter in recent years. At 6’5″, he’s capable of defending both guard positions and is also an active off-ball cutter, which should pair well with the incredible vision and passing of Nikola Jokic.

KCP’s skill set is always in-demand in the NBA because he doesn’t need the ball to be effective on offense and is a pretty good defender. The Nuggets, in particular, are always looking for role players in that mold to complement their stars, but he’d be a decent fit on most teams.

The Nuggets now project to have their entire starting lineup under contract through at least ’23/24. With the impending returns of Michael Porter Jr. and Jamal Murray, plus the back-to-back MVP in Jokic, Denver has championship aspirations for the upcoming season.

Markus Howard To Sign With Baskonia

July 16th, 2022 at 8:15am CST by Dana Gauruder

Free agent guard Markus Howard has agreed to a two-year contract with Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz, according to Donatas Urbonas of BasketNews.

The news that the two sides were close to an agreement was first reported by Home of Glory.

Howard played last season with the Nuggets on a two-way contract. He became an unrestricted free agent when he was not extended a qualifying offer.

The undrafted guard out of Marquette suffered a sprained knee early last season, then appeared in 31 regular-season games after he returned. He averaged 4.1 PPG in 5.7 MPG.

During his rookie season in 2020/21, Howard has averaged 4.3 PPG in 37 games with Denver. He also saw action in nine postseason contests.

Northwest Notes: Micic, Utah, Booth, Walker

July 14th, 2022 at 7:57pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

28-year-old Vasilije Micic, the 2021 EuroLeague MVP whose draft rights are currently owned by the Thunder, is interested in joining the NBA if a trade is available, per Adrian Wojanarowski of ESPN (Twitter link).

Woj notes that, due to the team’s focus on rebuilding around a young roster, Oklahoma City might not make sense as a landing spot for the veteran guard. Micic was selected by the Sixers with the No. 52 pick in the 2014 draft. The Thunder acquired his draft rights during the 2020/21 season. Since 2018, Micic has played for Turkish club Anadolu Efes, winners of the past two EuroLeague titles.

During his 2021/22 EuroLeague stint with Anadolu Efes, Micic averaged 18.1 PPG, 4.7 APG, 2.3 RPG and 1.1 SPG across 28 contests. He posted shooting splits of .467/.349/.886.

The 6’5″ guard recently reiterated his enthusiasm for taking the leap across the pond.

“I’m still showing a desire to go to the NBA,” Micic told Achilleas Mavrodontis of Eurohoops. “I would like to try myself there, I would like to go there to see how is everything over there. Some things are not in my hands. I have some days left to make it happen, day by day. We will see. Otherwise, I will stay in Efes, but for now, it’s to go there.”

There’s more out of the Northwest Division:

After trading All-Star center Rudy Gobert to the Timberwolves for a handful of veterans and present and future draft picks, the Jazz will look very different during the 2022/23 season. Trent Wood of the Deseret News unpacks what Utah can expect from new ex-Minnesota acquisitions Patrick Beverley, Malik Beasley, Jarred Vanderbilt, Leandro Bolmaro and rookie Walker Kessler. GM Justin Zanik praised 34-year-old veteran point guard Beverley. “Patrick Beverley, longtime NBA antagonist, brings great defensive fire and that intensity is needed with our team,” Zanik said. Beyond Kessler, it sounds as if the more veteran players could either be on-court contributors or be made available via trade.
New Nuggets team president Calvin Booth is not taking his opportunity to win a title in Denver for granted, writes Harrison Wind of DNVR Sports. “I never thought I’d be, you know, the steward of a team of this caliber in my very first job,” Booth said.
Details have emerged regarding the deal of new Trail Blazers second-round pick Jabari Walker. According to Michael Scotto of HoopsHype (Twitter link), Walker, the No. 57 selection in the 2022 draft, has inked a three-season contract worth $4.76MM, with only the 2022/23 season fully guaranteed. During the ’23/24 season, the deal is partially guaranteed for $400K, per JD Shaw of Hoops Rumors (Twitter link). Walker’s deal will be non-guaranteed under the last year of the contract in ’24/25. Although it’s a minimum-salary contract, Portland used the mid-level exception to give the rookie a third year.

Northwest Notes: A-Rod, Jazz Staff, Russell, Murray

July 14th, 2022 at 10:58am CST by Dana Gauruder

Alex Rodriguez said he has been welcomed around the NBA, according to Tim Reynolds of The Associated Press. Rodriguez is part of the Timberwolves’ ownership group and will eventually become the majority owner along with business partner Marc Lore.

“I mean, I come at it from a different perspective, being in baseball for about a quarter of a century, and now it’s interesting to take my experience from Major League Baseball, from broadcasting and now being here as an owner,” Rodriguez said. “It’s been great. The NBA has welcomed me with open arms.”

He has been especially impressed with the league office.

“Team ownership is 365, 24/7,” Rodriguez said, “I knew that (NBA commissioner) Adam Silver and his team were great, but they’re even better than what they project. His senior management team, all the way through, they’re really incredible, they add tons of value. And I think they’re great at welcoming people, whether you’re a player, media, owner, executive into the room, and they know how to do that better than anyone.”

We have more from the Northwest Division:

New Jazz coach Will Hardy might retain holdovers Bryan Bailey and Irv Roland on his staff, Tony Jones of The Athletic reports. It was previously reported that Alex Jensen and Lamar Skeeter could remain on the staff. The Jazz are also in the market for a top assistant, Jones adds.
D’Angelo Russell is eager to get an extension this offseason, as he told Jon Krawczynski of The Athletic. “Obviously every player wants an extension, and you want to be in a position to do that,” the Timberwolves guard said. Russell, who has been the subject of trade rumors, added that his representation has had some dialogue with Minnesota’s front office. He’s also eager to play with the frontcourt duo of Karl-Anthony Towns and Rudy Gobert. “For myself, I’ve always realized that if you put a shooter and a roller next to me, I can make the game easier for everyone around me,” he said. “I’m just looking forward to bringing that to the team.”
Load management will be the way the Nuggets handle Jamal Murray coming off his major knee injury, Harrison Wind of DNVR Sports tweets. Murray’s minutes will be limited to the 20-30 minute range at the start of next season and he’ll also have some games off.

Contract Details: Kornet, Wall, Jokic, Garland, Reed, More

July 13th, 2022 at 12:51pm CST by Luke Adams

Luke Kornet‘s new two-year, minimum-salary contract with the Celtics includes multiple salary guarantee dates this year, Hoops Rumors has learned.

Currently, Kornet’s $2.13MM salary for 2022/23 is only partially guaranteed for $100K, but that guarantee would increase to $300K if the big man remains under contract through August 15. If Kornet makes Boston’s regular season roster, half of his salary (approximately $1.07MM) would become guaranteed.

Kornet’s deal with the Celtics doesn’t include any guarantee triggers beyond that, so his ’22/23 salary would become fully guaranteed after the league-wide salary guarantee deadline in January. His ’23/24 salary is non-guaranteed and would become fully guaranteed if he remains under contract through January 7, 2024.

Here are a few more details on newly signed contracts:

The second year of John Wall‘s two-year deal with the Clippers is a team option, Hoops Rumors has learned. Los Angeles used its full $6,479,000 taxpayer mid-level exception to sign Wall.
Nikola Jokic‘s super-max extension with the Nuggets and Darius Garland‘s new maximum-salary extension with the Cavaliers both feature 15% trade kickers.
Davon Reed‘s two-year, minimum-salary contract with the Nuggets is fully guaranteed in year one and non-guaranteed in year two. Reed’s second-year salary will become fully guaranteed if he’s not waived by July 8, 2023.
The Magic used a portion of their mid-level exception to sign second-round pick Caleb Houstan to a four-year contract that includes guaranteed $2MM salaries in each of the first two seasons. The third and fourth years are worth the minimum and are non-guaranteed — there’s also a team option on the fourth year.
As expected, the Lakers signed second-rounder Max Christie to a two-year, minimum-salary contract. That deal will be fully guaranteed, Hoops Rumors has learned. L.A. couldn’t offer Christie more than two years or more than the rookie minimum after using the full taxpayer mid-level exception on Lonnie Walker.
Michael Foster Jr.‘s deal with the Sixers is an Exhibit 10 contract, meaning the team has the option of converting it into a two-way contract before the season.