July 7th 2024.
According to a reliable source, Vlatko Cancar has signed a new contract with the Denver Nuggets for the 2024-25 season. The deal is for the veteran minimum, as the Nuggets had declined Cancar's $2.35 million team option back in June. This decision was mutually beneficial for both parties, as it will increase Cancar's salary while decreasing his cap figure. The forward has been with the Nuggets since the start of his NBA career, playing in 130 games and starting 11 over the past five seasons.
It's worth noting that minimum salaries for NBA players increase for the first 10 years of their service. However, to discourage teams from signing younger players at a cheaper minimum, the league reimburses them for any amount committed over the minimum salary of a two-year player. As Cancar is a five-year veteran, his minimum salary for the upcoming season will be $2.43 million, which is about $80,000 more than what he would've earned under his previous contract if the team had picked up his option. However, the amount that counts towards the Nuggets' salary cap will only be $2.09 million, saving them approximately $260,000 in cap space.
Unfortunately, Cancar missed the entire 2023-24 season due to a torn ACL he suffered during an international game last August while preparing for the FIBA World Cup. However, he made his return last week in Greece, where Slovenia was participating in the FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament. Nuggets' general manager Calvin Booth was in attendance to watch Cancar and also took the opportunity to recruit Croatian big man Dario Saric, who has since agreed to a two-year deal with the team.
Cancar struggled in the three games he played in for Slovenia, shooting just 3 for 19 from the field and missing 13 of his 14 attempts from beyond the arc. However, the Nuggets are hopeful that these numbers are simply due to rust and not indicative of his overall performance. In fact, the 2022-23 season was Cancar's best from 3-point range, where he averaged 1.9 attempts per game and made 37.4% of his shots.
But beyond his on-court abilities, Cancar is also a valued presence in the Nuggets' locker room. He is a good friend of three-time league MVP Nikola Jokic and has been a part of the team throughout his injury rehabilitation process. With two roster spots still open, the Nuggets are expected to fill one with veteran center DeAndre Jordan.
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