The Nuggets’ offseason has been strangely quiet, and that silence is starting to feel louder with each passing week. For a team built around Nikola Jokic, that’s not exactly the kind of summer buzz Denver fans were hoping for.
Jokic remains, at worst, a top-two player in basketball, but the roster around him hasn’t exactly gotten the kind of shake-up that changes the conversation. That’s why some of the names being floated in possible moves have started to draw attention, even if the fit comes with obvious questions.
Among the players mentioned are LeBron James and Klay Thompson, though Thompson is the more intriguing option because of what he still brings from deep. That shooting is the hook, and it’s what led one writer to suggest a deal involving Peyton Watson and the Dallas Mavericks.
“The Denver Nuggets may be one of the only teams actually willing to take on the entirety of Thompson’s contract. The reason is the availability of free agent Peyton Watson via sign-and-trade.
Obviously, the Nuggets wouldn’t do this one-for-one, but the other players and draft capital involved are to be discussed later. Right now, let’s just talk about the incredible potential Thompson has with Nikola Jokic as his playmaker.
That would be a lethal duo, even with Thompson getting up there in age,” Charles North wrote.
Still, a straight-up swap of Thompson for Watson would be a nonstarter for Denver. Any real version of that idea would need more pieces attached, and even then it’s fair to wonder whether either side would want to go through with it.
In Other News...
One Young Nugget Suddenly Has A Huge Opening This Offseason
Denvers offseason shuffle has created a cleaner path for Julian Strawther, and the Nuggets seem ready to lean on him much more heavily in the second unit. With roster turnover still unfolding and the status of restricted free agents Peyton Watson and Spencer Jones unresolved, Strawther stands out as one of the players most likely to benefit from the changes around him.
The opportunity is bigger than just extra minutes. Strawther is entering a contract year, so every shift in role now carries added weight for both his place in the rotation and his next deal. If Denver keeps reshaping the bench the way it has so far, he could wind up as the primary option off the second unit and maybe even settle into a sixth-man type of role, which would make this season a pivotal one for his future. [Read more 🡒]
Nuggets Eye Veteran Bench Help For Adelmans Biggest Season Yet
The Nuggets are looking to give David Adelman a more seasoned voice on the bench, and Dave Joerger has emerged as a name worth watching. Denver is reportedly interested in adding the former Grizzlies and Kings head coach as an experienced assistant, a move that would bolster Adelman as he heads into the biggest season of his coaching career.
Joerger has been back in NBA assistant roles since 2020, and that background makes him a natural fit for a staff that could use another steady hand. Paris Basketball has also been in the mix for him, but the broader sense is that Joerger would rather stay in the NBA in an assistant capacity, which leaves Denver as a place to keep an eye on as this search plays out. [Read more 🡒]