The Denver Nuggets have been eerily quiet this summer. In free agency, they have only signed two guys, both to minimum contracts. Of course, they still have to figure out what to do with Peyton Watson. Watson is a restricted free agent, and negotiations have not gone well.
This cautious approach to improving the team has been put in place due to their financial situation. Denver will likely end up in the second apron next season, and that has prevented them from making more moves to further improve the bench.
One writer doesn’t believe that this is the correct approach for the team.
GettyDenver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic drives the ball in a game. (Photo by Stephen Maturen/Getty Images)
Nuggets Crushed for Not Improving More This Summer
In an offseason power rankings article written by David Aldridge of The Athletic, he puts the Nuggets 28th in the league. The reason for that is their approach to improving the team this summer.
“The Nuggets went with mostly low-budget adds to the rotation this summer, and we’ll see if they can wait out restricted free agent Peyton Watson to make a long-term deal. But San Antonio and OKC are ascendant in the West, and the gap between them and Denver isn’t getting smaller,” Aldridge wrote.
After winning the title in 2023, Denver has not come close to getting back to the top of the mountain. They still have one of the best players in the league in Nikola Jokic, but finding the right players around him has proven to be quite challenging.
Adding Tyus Jones and Marvin Bagley are the only two outside players whom the Nuggets have brought in thus far. Of course, they don’t have much financial space to add more players if they want to avoid the second apron, although that wasn’t much of a talking point after last season.
GettyDenver Nuggets forward Peyton Watson reacts during a game. (Photo by Nic Antaya/Getty Images)
Denver may have seen its Title Window Close
With the way Oklahoma City and San Antonio have ascended, there is a chance that the Nuggets have seen their title window slam shut. They don’t look close to the same level as either team, even if they do bring back Watson. They just don’t have the same depth as those teams.
Spending more in free agency this summer may have been the way to go, especially if they are already going to be in the second apron. Adding some players off the bench would have allowed them to be more efficient in the non-Jokic minutes, which is their biggest issue.
Surviving those minutes in the playoffs has been one of the biggest problems for the team, which is not something they addressed this offseason. Bringing Watson back is something that they need to do, even if they end up having to make a trade down the line.
The Nuggets are a team that might have to consider making some major moves at the trade deadline if things are not going well.
Nuggets Ripped for Cautious Approach to Free Agency