The Denver Nuggets are staring at an important deadline with Julian Strawther, and it could say plenty about how they view one of their young pieces.
Denver has until October 19, three days before its season opener, to work out a rookie-scale extension with Strawther and his agents, Demetrius Porter and Darren Matsubara of The Team. If the sides don’t reach a deal by next Monday, Strawther will be on track to hit restricted free agency in 2027.
That puts the 24-year-old guard in a tricky spot. The Nuggets have six players younger than 25 on the roster, and four of them arrived this offseason, but their present-day priorities still center on chasing championships while Nikola Jokic remains in his prime. Long-term planning matters too, though, and Strawther has a case as one of the franchise’s more overlooked future pieces.
Still, the expectation around the league is clear: Denver is unlikely to extend him before the deadline.
There’s logic behind that stance. The Nuggets are already operating in the second apron, with several heavy contracts stacked on the books.
They also signed Christian Braun to a five-year, $125 million extension last year, and they can’t afford to treat every young player like a major financial commitment. Strawther wouldn’t command anything close to Braun’s number, but even a deal in the neighborhood of $30 million over four years is a real decision for a team in Denver’s position.
Strawther is eligible for a rookie-scale extension, and a number of players from the 2023 draft class have already locked in new deals with their teams, including Victor Wembanyama, Amen Thompson, Ausar Thompson, Keyonte George, and Brandin Podziemski. Strawther’s situation is different, though, and he shouldn’t be measured against those names.
What happens next could make this a defining season for him. With Tim Hardaway Jr. gone, Strawther’s role is expected to grow, and the Nuggets are going to need more from him. He’ll be playing with no guaranteed future attached, which turns this into a true contract year.
Denver has seen this movie before. Last season, the Nuggets were in a similar spot with Peyton Watson. They passed on a team-friendly extension, Watson broke out, and eventually landed a four-year, $88 million contract with the Cleveland Cavaliers in a sign-and-trade.
Strawther may not bring Watson’s defensive value or versatility, but the broader path is the same: a productive year could change the conversation. He could put himself in position to earn a new deal from Denver in restricted free agency or draw interest from other teams willing to bet on his upside.
For now, the clock is ticking, and Strawther’s next few weeks could shape what comes next for both him and the Nuggets.
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Jokic Gave Nuggets Fans A Feel Good Moment After Another Big Night
Caleb Wilson has been one of the early preseason storylines for the Bulls, and the rookie continued to show why in a close game against Denver. Chicago fell 133-128, but Wilson still put up 17 points in the loss, adding to a strong first impression that has him averaging 17.7 points, 3.7 rebounds and 2.3 assists through three preseason games.
The matchup carried a little extra weight for Wilson because it came against Nikola Jokic, the kind of opponent young players circle on the calendar. Jokic answered with another big night for Denver as the Nuggets kept control late, giving home fans a familiar reminder of how quickly he can tilt a game even in preseason. [Read more 🡒]
Nuggets Rotation Battle Around DeMar DeRozan Is Just Heating Up
Preseason has given David Adelman a first look at how the Nuggets might sort out a reshaped second unit, and the early focus is less on big-picture style than on the smaller lineup decisions that can define a bench group. Adelman said the staff is evaluating how to build that reserve mix around DeMar DeRozan, who is slated for a bench role this season, while also weighing different combinations that include Spencer Jones, Marvin Bagley III, Tyus Jones, Julian Strawther, Alpha Diallo, Cam Whitmore and Bryce Hopkins.
The real work now is in settling the backup shooting guard spot and finding the right balance next to DeRozan without overloading one lineup with too many overlapping pieces. Denver has time to sort through those looks, but the preseason stage is where those auditions matter most, especially with several players still trying to carve out defined roles before the rotation tightens. [Read more 🡒]
Nuggets Suddenly Have A Backup Center Decision They Can't Ignore
David Adelman took a look at the Nuggets backup center picture in a preseason game against the Bulls, and the early evidence only made the conversation louder. Zeke Nnaji got the first crack in that role, but the short stint did not do much to settle Denvers frontcourt questions, while rookie DaRon Holmes II gave the staff something more encouraging to think about with a more active showing off the bench.
For a team trying to balance rotation fit with cap realities, the backup five spot has become more than a lineup detail. Nnajis contract situation already puts him in the middle of trade talk, and when a preseason audition opens the door for another option to look sturdier, the Nuggets cannot really treat it as a throwaway storyline anymore. [Read more 🡒]