The Nuggets are still hunting for help, and the search may be taking them far beyond the usual free-agent pool.
Because of the NBA’s rules and Denver’s salary-cap situation, the team can only bring in outside free agents on minimum-salary deals, whether that’s a veteran minimum or a rookie minimum. That has pushed the Nuggets to get creative about where they might find a useful upgrade at the lowest possible cost. One name now in the mix is Alpha Diallo, the EuroLeague Defensive Player of the Year.
Donatas Urbonas of BasketNews reports that Denver is one of “multiple teams” pursuing Diallo, a 29-year-old, 6-foot-7 forward whose perimeter defense fits a clear need. Urbonas also noted that Diallo led all forwards in the EuroLeague in allowing the fewest points per possession and stood out for his on-ball and man-to-man defense.
That kind of player would make sense for a Nuggets team that spent too much of last season getting burned on the perimeter. Guards and wings repeatedly got into the paint against Denver’s bench units, with Tim Hardaway Jr. and Bruce Brown among the players unable to consistently hold up defensively. Once those drives reached the lane, the problem only got worse because of the lack of rim protection behind them.
Diallo brings more than defense, too. He averaged 11.9 points on 50.1% shooting from the floor, along with 4.4 rebounds, 1.5 assists and 1.3 steals per game. He has yet to land his first NBA contract, which would make him a rookie if he signs with Denver.
That matters for the Nuggets’ books. If Diallo came aboard, he could count against the salary cap at the minimum rookie rate of $1.37 million. For a team trying to squeeze every possible dollar out of its roster construction, that kind of move can help trim the kind of tax penalties that come with crossing the NBA’s thresholds.
So far, Denver has been quiet this offseason. The Nuggets still have as many as four roster spots to fill and have only announced agreements with Marvin Bagley III and Tyus Jones. They also released Jonas Valanciunas and Jalen Pickett.
The silence has been notable enough that Denver did not even announce the signing of 35th pick Trevon Brazile to a “contract.” His status remains unclear, though he does appear in the NBA’s official transaction log as a Nugget.
For now, Diallo looks like the sort of low-cost swing that could actually move the needle. If Denver wants a defensive upgrade on the bench without spending much, he fits the bill.
In Other News...
Nuggets May Be Forced To Revisit A Free Agent Fans Never Expected
The Nuggets have been busy shaping the back end of the roster, signing Alpha Diallo while also weighing what comes next with restricted free agents Peyton Watson and Spencer Jones. Even with those decisions still in motion, Denvers bigger concern remains the same: the team could use more guard depth and another steady ball-handler behind the main rotation.
Russell Westbrooks name is now back in the conversation because of that need, even after one season in Denver left a complicated ending. The Nuggets are looking at a thin backup-guard picture, and with Westbrook available again, the idea of revisiting a player few expected to circle back has become part of the discussion. [Read more 🡒]
Jokic Looks Ready But Nuggets Fans Still Have One Offseason Fear
Nikola Jokic has reportedly been in good shape this offseason, and that alone is enough to calm some nerves in Denver after a summer that has brought more subtraction than splash. The Nuggets have added Marvin Bagley III and Tyus Jones, but they also lost Tim Hardaway Jr. and Jonas Valanciunas, leaving the front office with a thinner margin for error as it tries to keep the roster competitive around its star center.
Denver has created cap space, yet the bigger concern for Nuggets fans is what has not happened so far. The team has been working on new deals for Peyton Watson and Spencer Jones, but the overall pace of the offseason has been quiet, and there still has not been a major move to strengthen the group for next season. [Read more 🡒]
Nikola Jokic Has Nuggets Fans Reading Into One New Offseason Look
Nikola Jokics offseason has once again taken him back to Serbia, where the Nuggets center has been spending time rafting with friends as he does most summers. The photos that surfaced from the trip caught attention for a different reason this time: Jokic looked leaner than he has in past offseasons, a small visual cue that has Denver fans already trying to read between the lines before training camp even gets here.
It comes at a time when the Nuggets have not dramatically reshaped the roster after their first-round playoff exit, even with additions like Marvin Bagley III and Tyus Jones and a few familiar veterans moving on. Jokic also spent part of last season dealing with a hyperextended left knee that cost him four weeks, so the slimmer look has naturally prompted some speculation that he may be approaching the year with a little extra attention on staying fresh. [Read more 🡒]