The Denver Nuggets are getting ready to make a run for the 2026 NBA Championship following a powerful offseason run.
Final season, the Denver Nuggets had been despatched residence following a hard-fought seven-game sequence towards the Oklahoma Metropolis Thunder within the second spherical of the 2025 NBA Playoffs.
Following a disappointing postseason, the Nuggets’ high brass has gone all-in to enhance the roster round their famous person Nikola Jokic.
In actual fact, Jeff Teague claimed the Nuggets have received NBA free company to this point. Including to that, NBA analyst Invoice Simmons additionally applauded the group.
When a participant of Nikola Jokic’s caliber is on the roster, it’s the entrance workplace’s responsibility to construct an NBA Championship-contending roster across the stated famous person.
Simmons blatantly referred to as out the Nuggets’ failure to take action final season, however they’ve lastly realized the necessity to try this forward of the 2025-26 NBA season.
“The Nuggets lastly realized that they’ve Nikola Jokic on their crew and [are] performing accordingly was one in every of my dozen issues that I completely liked,” Simmons stated on his podcast.
He added: “I simply wanna see Jokic with a ok crew. Yeah, I’m a Celtic fan. I root for sure gamers. I identical to watching Jokic.
“His crew wasn’t ok final yr. They didn’t spend sufficient cash on it. It was only a flawed roster.”
Regardless of a flawed roster, Jokic led the Nuggets to a 50-32 report and helped the crew end because the fourth seed within the Western Convention.
Michael Porter Jr. had an underwhelming marketing campaign final season, averaging 18.2 factors, 7.0 rebounds, and a couple of.1 assists per recreation whereas making $35.8 million.
Eliminating Porter Jr. was seen as a key process for the Nuggets this offseason, and so they have succeeded in doing so.
The Nuggets traded Porter Jr. and an unprotected 2032 first-round decide to the Brooklyn Nets in change for Cameron Johnson.
Simmons labeled it a ‘miracle,’ stating: “They nonetheless took OKC to seven, which was a borderline f______ miracle. And what else is a miracle, turning Michael Porter Jr. into Cam Johnson, saving $17 million a yr.”
“And possibly, I don’t know if it’s essentially an improve ’trigger I do assume Porter, if he’s wholesome and his shoulder’s not f_____ up, did some okay issues for them. He sucks on protection… this can be a miracle for them to shave cash,” Simmons concluded.
In distinction, Johnson put up 18.8 factors, 4.3 rebounds, and three.4 assists per recreation final season. However the greatest upside to having him is his $21.05 million wage for the upcoming season.
This has allowed the Nuggets to get inventive and welcome free brokers like Bruce Brown and Tim Hardaway Jr. to the roster on one-year offers.
