Julian Strawther is the next rookie-scale decision looming over the Nuggets, and after the way Denver has handled these deals in recent years, this one carries real weight.
The clock is already running. Denver has until October 19th to decide whether to extend Strawther, and the franchise’s recent track record makes the choice harder than it should be. Rookie extensions have not exactly been a strength for the Nuggets lately, and that’s putting it mildly.
The trouble started in October 2023, when Denver gave Zeke Nnaji a four-year, $32 million extension. The deal was generous for a player who still hasn’t cracked the rotation, and the structure only made it tougher on the Nuggets: two player-option years at $7.4 million each. Given where Nnaji stands now, he’s expected to take both, leaving Denver stuck with him for at least another year.
Then came October 2025, when the Nuggets stumbled again. They handed Christian Braun a five-year, $125 million extension that begins this season, and they passed on extending Peyton Watson at a price that likely would have been cheaper than the contract he ultimately got from the Cleveland Cavaliers in the recently completed sign-and-trade.
That’s a rough run of decisions, and it leaves Denver in a familiar spot with another young player. The Nuggets are in a brutal salary situation - they’re currently the only NBA team above the second-apron luxury tax penalty threshold - so the margin for error is tiny.
For that reason, the cleaner path here is to let Strawther play this out and reach restricted free agency, the way Watson did this summer.
Strawther’s role already took a hit last season after the Nuggets added Tim Hardaway Jr., who took over as the sixth man and moved ahead of him on the depth chart. Hardaway is gone now, but DeMar DeRozan is in the mix, and Strawther’s place in the rotation still isn’t settled. His defensive issues have also been part of the problem, and they’ve kept him out of the lineup at times.
Denver has already been burned twice by jumping early on these rookie-scale extensions. The smart play now is to wait, see what Strawther does in his fourth season, and then decide next summer whether he’s worth bringing back if he proves himself.
In Other News...
Bruce Brown Market Buzz Just Shifted In A Way Nuggets Fans Know
Bruce Browns market is starting to sort itself out, and for Nuggets fans, the shape of it feels familiar. The Lakers are still carrying one more player than the league limit while trying to improve through trades and free-agent signings, and Brown is among the names on their board as they look for help. He is also drawing interest from the Cavaliers, Heat and Knicks, which keeps the veteran guard in the middle of a crowded summer market.
The latest chatter, though, points in a direction Lakers fans may not love, and Denver followers know how this kind of chase can change quickly. The Lakers have already missed on other free agents recently, while Browns appeal as a versatile role player has made him a target for multiple teams. For now, the race around him is still open, but the list of realistic landing spots appears to be narrowing in a way that could matter for a former Nugget. [Read more 🡒]
Luka Doncic Just Raised The Stakes For His Lakers Future
Luka Doncics offseason is already drawing attention for reasons that go beyond the usual summer workout chatter. He has tightened up his conditioning ahead of the upcoming NBA season, earned praise from Dirk Nowitzki and recently welcomed his Lakers teammates to Slovenia for a bonding trip and training camp, a sign that Los Angeles is trying to build around him early and often.
Still, the bigger question hangs over the long view of his time with the Lakers. There has been plenty of speculation about where Doncics future ultimately leads, and while nothing has materialized in the way of a transaction, the discussion around his next chapter has only grown louder as teams keep an eye on the possibilities if he ever becomes available. [Read more 🡒]
Knicks Could Land The Versatile Veteran Their Bench Still Needs
The Knicks are still sorting out the edges of their roster, and Bruce Brown has emerged as a name to watch while they work through those final spots. The veteran guard has built a reputation around versatility, with the kind of across-the-board usefulness that makes him attractive to contenders looking for extra help on the bench.
Several playoff teams have taken a look, including the Lakers, Cavaliers and Heat, but Brown remains one of the more practical options for New York if the market breaks his way. There has been no official signing yet, so the Knicks are still in the mix rather than locked in, leaving this as one of the more notable late-summer decisions to track. [Read more 🡒]