The Nuggets’ roster squeeze is starting to show up in a very real way.
Denver has been operating with just 14 standard contracts because of its salary cap situation, and that means the team has to keep an eye on the NBA’s two-way rules a lot sooner than most clubs do. The Nuggets are still the only team above the league’s second apron penalty threshold, and with missed time already piling up for Spencer Jones, Alpha Diallo and Cameron Johnson, plus Julian Strawther out until sometime in December, those two-way spots have become more than just depth insurance.
There’s a catch, though: teams with only 14 roster spots filled are limited to 90 total games for their combined two-way players. Denver has already burned through 16 of those 90 in just seven games, which is 18% of the allotment. Even a DNP - coach’s decision counts if a player dresses, so the meter keeps running whether the guy actually sees the floor or not.
That’s why a roster move could come faster than expected. If the Nuggets want to keep leaning on their two-way group without running into the limit, one of those players may need to be converted to a standard contract.
Bryce Hopkins looks like the front-runner for that kind of promotion. The 49th pick in the second round of this year’s draft has made the most of his minutes, bringing physicality, downhill pressure and a workable three-point shot.
He stood out against the Raptors with 18 points and a burst of energy that was hard to miss. He has used 7 of his 16 games.
Ryan Nembhard is also in the mix. Denver only has Tyus Jones behind Jamal Murray at point guard, and Nembhard led all rookies last year in assists with the Dallas Mavericks.
Still, the cap math works against him compared with Hopkins because of service time, so Hopkins keeps the edge. Nembhard has used 6 of his 16 games.
Cam Whitmore appears to be the one most likely to slip out of the conversation. He has only appeared in three games, and the source material makes clear that his defense has not helped his case. For now, Hopkins seems to be the player with the clearest path if Denver decides it has to make a move.
In Other News...
Pacers Get A Potential Boost Before Jokic Test In Mexico City
The Nuggets trip to Mexico City comes with the usual international-game wrinkles, and this one arrives with Indiana trying to get healthier in time for a tough test against Nikola Jokic and company. The Pacers are already carrying three players on the injury report as officially ruled out, which makes every upgrade matter a little more as they prepare for the altitude and the different rhythm that comes with playing outside the usual NBA routine.
Indiana did get a bit of encouraging news before tipoff, with two rotation pieces moving closer to availability after recent absences. One of them is expected to be back in game action, while the other was also bumped up on the report after missing the last two games, giving the Pacers a better chance to have some backcourt and wing stability for a matchup that already asks plenty of any opponent. [Read more 🡒]
Aaron Gordon Gave Nuggets Fans A Mexico City Moment To Love
The Nuggets left Mexico City with a win over Indiana, but the night also carried the kind of atmosphere that makes an overseas game feel bigger than the standings. Denver got important production from Cam Johnson, Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray in the 114-102 victory, while Pascal Siakam paced the Pacers, and the setting gave the matchup a different pulse than a typical regular-season stop.
Before tipoff, one of the more memorable touches came when Aaron Gordon helped greet the crowd in Spanish, a small gesture that played well in a building full of energy. It was the sort of moment that can stick with fans long after the final horn, especially with both teams now moving on to games in Texas and leaving the Mexico City stage behind. [Read more 🡒]
Nikola Jokics Impact Looks Even Bigger After Two Nuggets Departures
Nikola Jokics value has long gone beyond the box score, but two recent departures have offered another reminder of just how much he can lift the players around him. Peyton Watson and Tim Hardaway Jr. both saw their three-point shooting dip after leaving Denver, a familiar pattern for a team that has spent years benefiting from Jokics passing, touch and ability to create cleaner looks for teammates.
Watson and Hardaway were more effective from deep while playing alongside Jokic, which has only sharpened the sense that the Nuggets offense makes life easier for shooters who know where to be and when to expect the ball. The early struggles in their new stops do not tell the whole story, but they do reinforce an old Nuggets truth: replacing Jokics impact is about a lot more than filling his minutes. [Read more 🡒]