December 19th 2024.
The 2024-25 season has been quite an interesting one for the Nuggets. It has become a hot topic of discussion, with people torn between being optimistic or pessimistic about the team's performance. Are you someone who sees the glass as half full? If so, you must have been delighted when the Nuggets secured their 14th win out of 10 games in a thrilling match against Sacramento this week. The team has been able to pull off some incredible comebacks this season, thanks to their diverse pool of talented players. From Jamal Murray's game-winning step-back jumper against Sacramento to his game-tying layup in Toronto, Nikola Jokic's game-tying baby hook against Brooklyn, Julian Strawther's decisive contested layup against Denver, Michael Porter Jr.'s game-winner against Dallas, Peyton Watson's last-second block on Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, and many other moments that have made Denver's four double-digit comeback wins in the fourth quarter possible.
But if you lean towards being a glass-half-empty kind of person, then the last play of the game against Sacramento might have left a sour taste in your mouth. After Murray's incredible shot, DeMar DeRozan fumbled a pass from Domantas Sabonis, which could have resulted in a game-winning layup. This moment might have reminded you of how close the Nuggets were to losing some of their most exciting wins this season. The Raptors missed two free throws in the last 20 seconds when they were trying to protect their lead, R.J. Barrett's game-winning attempt against the Nuggets was almost in before it popped out at the buzzer, Dorian Finney-Smith missed a wide-open corner three in Brooklyn as time expired, and Kyrie Irving waited until his last shot to finally miss after scoring 43 points.
The first quarter of this season has been a lot to process, and there are still many unanswered questions. That's why the Nuggets are in no rush to make any changes to their roster. The NBA trade season unofficially began on December 15th, when free agents acquired in the summer become eligible for trade. But it will continue until February 6th, by which time the Nuggets will have played 51 games. According to sources, the Nuggets are open to the idea of adding depth or star power before the trade deadline, but their preference is to not make any significant trades.
But before we start thinking about who the Nuggets can trade for, let's take a look at who they can give up. And let me tell you, it's not a long list. The team is currently $5.6 million over the first tax apron and $5.1 million below the second apron. This season, they are hard-capped at the second apron due to using the taxpayer mid-level exception to sign Dario Saric. As a first-apron team, they can aggregate salaries in a trade, but they cannot take back more salary than they send out.
Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray are the two most expensive players on the team, and they are not going anywhere. Jokic's name is only included here as a formality because he is the heart and soul of the Nuggets. As for Murray, he recently signed a four-year, $208.5 million max extension, making him ineligible to be traded until the 2025 offseason. The only player with a salary higher than $10 million this season that the Nuggets can trade is Michael Porter Jr. Aaron Gordon, who signed a four-year, $133 million extension in October, is also not eligible to be traded until the 2025 offseason.
Zeke Nnaji is eligible to be traded, but his trade value is low. He is in the first season of a four-year, $32 million second contract and has been in and out of the rotation. However, unlike last season, the Nuggets do not have to deal with the poison pill restriction, making it easier to trade Nnaji. Dario Saric is also eligible to be traded, but his trade value is low as well. He signed with Denver for the mid-level exception in July, has a player option next offseason, and has played in only 10 of the first 24 games.
Russell Westbrook and Christian Braun are both eligible to be traded, but the Nuggets need quality rotation players on affordable contracts. So, it is highly unlikely that they will be traded. In other words, if the Nuggets want to make a significant trade, they will have to involve Michael Porter Jr. His combination of shooting and length has been crucial to the success of Denver's starting lineup. The team had contract extension talks with him earlier this season, and there is no doubt that they see him as a valuable asset.
Speaking of trades, there have been talks about the Nuggets going after Zach LaVine from the Bulls. This deal would require Porter's salary to be combined with Nnaji's, just like it would have been necessary for the team to acquire Paul George last summer. However, the Nuggets are not actively looking to make any big trades, and there are doubts about whether they will shake up their starting lineup.
So, there you have it. The Nuggets have some limitations when it comes to making trades, and it will be interesting to see how the rest of the season plays out for them. But for now, they are content with their current roster and are focused on continuing to improve and win games.
The talk surrounding the 2024-25 Nuggets team has become a thought-provoking examination of optimism versus pessimism. Are you someone who sees the glass as half-full? If so, you were probably ecstatic when the Nuggets pulled off yet another miraculous win, bringing their season record to 14-10. You couldn't help but marvel at the numerous clutch moments this team has produced in such a short amount of time, coming from a variety of players. The game-winning step-back jumper from Jamal Murray with only 8.6 seconds left must have reminded you of his game-tying layup against Toronto, or Nikola Jokic's baby hook against Brooklyn. Or perhaps you thought back to Julian Strawther's contested layup that sealed the deal against Denver's home team, or Michael Porter Jr.'s game-winner against Dallas. And let's not forget Peyton Watson's last-second block on Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, or any of the other incredible moments that have led to the Nuggets' four double-digit comeback wins in the fourth quarter this season.
But if you tend to see the glass as half-empty, the memory that likely stuck with you from the Sacramento game was the final play after Murray's shot, when DeMar DeRozan fumbled a pass from Domantas Sabonis that could have resulted in a game-winning layup. It's understandable that you might have flashbacks to how close the Nuggets were to losing some of their most thrilling victories. Like when the Raptors missed two free throws in the last 20 seconds while trying to hold onto their lead, or when R.J. Barrett's game-winning attempt in the rematch was almost in before it bounced out at the buzzer. And let's not forget Dorian Finney-Smith's missed three-pointer in Brooklyn as time expired, or Kyrie Irving's only missed shot of the night after scoring 43 points.
It's safe to say that the first quarter of this season has been a rollercoaster ride, leaving many of us with a lot to process. And even with all these games under their belt, the answers for the Nuggets are still not entirely clear. That's why the team is taking a cautious approach when it comes to making any changes to their roster. While the unofficial start of NBA trade season was on December 15th, when free agents acquired this summer became eligible to be traded, it doesn't officially end until February 6th. By that time, the Nuggets will have played 51 games. According to sources within the league, Denver is open to the idea of adding depth or star power before the trade deadline, but their preference is to feel confident without making any major deals.
So who exactly can the Nuggets trade? Currently, they are over the first tax apron by $5.6 million and under the second apron by $5.1 million. This season, they are hard-capped at the second apron due to using the taxpayer mid-level exception to sign Dario Saric. As a first-apron team, they are allowed to combine salaries in a trade, but they cannot take on more salary than they are sending out.
Before we start considering who the Nuggets might be able to acquire, it's essential to know who they are allowed to give up. This is the part where Ebenezer Scrooge would come in to explain just how limited Denver's options are. So let's put a damper on those trade wishlists. Here are the eight most expensive players on the roster and their trade eligibility.
Nikola Jokic, $51.4 million: Let's be real, we don't even need to include his name. It's just a formality. He may be "eligible," but he's not really eligible.
Jamal Murray, $36 million: Due to a signing restriction, he cannot be traded until the 2025 offseason. In September, Murray signed a four-year, $208.5 million max extension.
Michael Porter Jr., $35.9 million: He is the only player on the Nuggets with a salary over $10 million this season that is eligible to be traded.
Aaron Gordon, $22.8 million: Similar to Murray, he is not eligible to be traded until the 2025 offseason due to a signing restriction. Gordon signed a four-year, $133 million extension in October.
Zeke Nnaji, $8.9 million: He is eligible to be traded, but his trade value is low. Nnaji is in the first year of a four-year, $32 million contract, and he has been in and out of the rotation. The bright side is that unlike last season, there are no poison pill restrictions, which would make it nearly impossible to trade Nnaji.
Dario Saric, $5.2 million: He is eligible to be traded, but his trade value is low. Saric signed with Denver for the mid-level exception in July, and he has a player option for next season.
Russell Westbrook, $3.3 million and Christian Braun, $3.1 million: Both players are eligible to be traded, but the Nuggets desperately need quality rotation players with affordable contracts. And that's precisely what they have in Braun and Westbrook, who are both under contract for at least this season and the next.
In other words, if the Nuggets want to acquire a player that would significantly improve their rotation, Porter is the only one with a suitable contract and clear trade value. Some may be skeptical of his injury history, but it's worth noting that he has only missed one game since the start of last season. He's averaging 18.5 points, 7.1 rebounds, and a career-high 2.8 assists, shooting 51% from the floor. And he currently leads the team in total minutes played this season.
The Nuggets are not actively looking to trade the 26-year-old Porter, but the reality is that he would have to be involved in certain deals. His combination of shooting and length has been vital to the success of Denver's starting lineup. The team did have extension talks with him earlier this season, according to sources.
But what about a potential trade for Zach LaVine? Well, Porter's current contract could be used in a couple of different ways. The Nuggets could use it to acquire multiple players with smaller salaries, or they could use it to make a big splash. Last summer, they briefly considered going after Paul George, which would have required Porter's salary to be combined with Nnaji's. A similar combination would likely be necessary to bring in Bulls guard Zach LaVine, who has a salary of $43 million for the next two years. Sources have confirmed that the Nuggets have discussed the possibility of trading for LaVine, as well as other scoring guards and wings. However, acquiring someone like LaVine would shake up the starting lineup, and the Nuggets aren't sure if that's what they need right now.
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