After adding Cameron Johnson, Jonas Valančiūnas, Bruce Brown, and Tim Hardaway Jr. this offseason, the Denver Nuggets look like the best bet to usurp the Oklahoma City Thunder in the Western Conference. Led by the best player in the world, Nikola Jokic, the Nuggets have given him his best NBA supporting cast.
They might not be done making moves. Denver is $14 million below the second apron after shedding Michael Porter Jr.’s contract and is yet to use the midlevel exception, so as far as contenders go, they have more flexibility than most.
Instead of using their remaining space right away this offseason, it might be smart for them to pump the brakes and see how one of the summer’s most dramatic storylines plays out.
GettyINGLEWOOD, CALIFORNIA – MAY 01: Nikola Jokic #15 of the Denver Nuggets posts up Kawhi Leonard #2 of the LA Clippers in Game Six of the Western Conference First Round NBA Playoffs at Intuit Dome on May 01, 2025 in Inglewood, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)
Denver Nuggets Could Sign Kawhi Leonard
As Kawhi Leonard and the Los Angeles Clippers get investigated by the league for circumventing the salary cap, the league has a wide range of punishments it can dole out.
For starters, Adam Silver can suspend or fine Steve Ballmer. On top of that, he can forfeit the Clippers‘ future draft picks, limiting their flexibility moving forward. The biggest punishment, and the most interesting to fans, would be voiding Leonard’s contract.
Normally, when a top free agent hits the market, teams have managed to dip well under the cap in order to throw a lucrative offer his way. If the league voids Leonard’s contract, that would almost certainly happen after the season starts, and only a handful of teams could offer him anything close to his market value, which would normally be a maximum or near-max deal.
Would Leonard sign with a rebuilding team like the Utah Jazz or Brooklyn Nets simply to make more money? Or would he take his talents to a winning team for less? The Nuggets can’t offer him the $50 million, but they can offer him more than most playoff teams.
GettyKawhi Leonard #2 of the Los Angeles Clippers reacts after defeating the Denver Nuggets in Game Three of the Western Conference First Round NBA Playoffs at Intuit Dome on April 24, 2025 in Inglewood, California.
Mapping How Nuggets Can Land Kawhi Leonard
If the league aims to punish the Clippers for any wrongdoing, watching him sign with the Nuggets would be the biggest punishment imaginable. Denver sliminated the Clippers in the first round of the playoffs last season, and seeing Denver win with Leonard would be a slap in the face to Ballmer.
“They have access to the full mid-level exception worth $14.3 million, a rarity for a contender at this stage of the offseason,” explained FanSided’s Cal Durrett on September 20th. “Money clearly appears to be a priority for Leonard, and being able to offer him the most amount of any contender could be a great selling point.”
A lineup of Jamal Murray, Aaron Gordon, Leonard, Johnson, and Jokic would be the best in the entire NBA, and Christian Braun, Brown, Hardaway Jr., and Valančiūnas would make for elite depth pieces. The only thing to do now is wait and see if Silver brings down the hammer.
Denver Nuggets Could Add Unfair Free Agent Pending NBA Approval