The Denver Nuggets are sitting at 13 standard contracts right now, and with the NBA’s Feb. 19 deadline looming, they’ll need to add at least one more player to stay roster-compliant. Assistant coach David Adelman made it clear that the front office isn’t rushing into anything-they’re weighing every angle as they look to round out the roster for the stretch run.
“The conversations we’ve had have been interesting,” Adelman said. “You could look at it like, ‘Well, we’ve had injuries at these spots.
We should go get somebody that can take that spot if we got into a bad moment where someone couldn’t come back, if we’re in (the playoffs) at the end of the year.’” But Adelman also acknowledged the complexity of predicting playoff matchups in the West, where every team presents a different challenge.
“Maybe you’re looking at, we could use more ball-handling. Maybe you’re looking at, we could use more size with the current injuries for the wing position.”
Translation: Denver’s not just looking to fill a seat on the bench-they’re trying to find the right piece that could matter in May or June. That means they’re juggling injury insurance with playoff versatility, and that’s a tricky needle to thread.
One name that’s reportedly on their radar? Lonzo Ball.
After being traded and subsequently waived last week, Ball is a potential target for the Nuggets as they explore ways to bolster their backcourt depth. While there’s no official word on how far those talks have gone, the interest is real.
Meanwhile, Spencer Jones-currently on a two-way deal-is expected to be promoted to the standard roster once he clears concussion protocol. The team has high hopes for Jones, and there’s optimism that they can add him and another player without dipping back into the luxury tax. That’s a big win from a cap management perspective, especially for a contending team trying to maintain flexibility.
Around the Northwest Division:
In Oklahoma City, the Thunder’s G League affiliate, the OKC Blue, just added guard Chris Youngblood back to the roster. Youngblood had been waived after maxing out his 50-game limit on a two-way contract, a sign of just how much the Thunder leaned on him early in the season.
If they wanted to keep playing him beyond that threshold, they would’ve needed to convert him to a standard deal. For now, he’ll stay sharp with the Blue, but don’t be surprised if he earns another shot soon.
Another new face in OKC is Jared McCain, acquired last week from the Sixers. McCain made his Thunder debut against the Rockets, logging 14 minutes and scoring five points.
It’s early, but he’s already finding his footing. “He’s blending in,” one team source said.
That’s exactly what you want to hear when you’re integrating a young player into a team with playoff aspirations.
And in Utah, Jaren Jackson Jr. made his Jazz debut on Saturday and wasted no time making an impact. He dropped 22 points, grabbed four boards, dished out three assists and added three steals in just 25 minutes against Orlando.
He didn’t see the floor in crunch time-part of what looked like a strategic soft-tank move-but that didn’t dampen his enthusiasm. Jackson is clearly buying into what head coach Will Hardy is building.
“He’s just getting to know me, I’m getting to know him, and we’re seeing how we can build this thing into something beautiful,” Jackson said. That’s the kind of mindset Utah’s front office wants to hear from a core piece moving forward.
So while the trade deadline buzz continues to grow, teams across the Northwest are already making moves-some subtle, some strategic-that could shape the second half of the season and beyond.