3 Moves the Nuggets Need to Make Before the Offseason Is Over

The Denver Nuggets have been pretty quiet through their offseason moves thus far when stacked up against the rest of the NBA.

Denver has just 12 names signed onto their roster, has multiple of their own free agents still left on the market without a deal, and based on where they stood in terms of title contention last season, hasn’t exactly pushed the needle forward much at all through the past few weeks.

But there's still a ton of time for the Nuggets to change the tune of their uninspiring summer, and several moves that can be made to position them better for not only this season, but for next offseason and beyond.

Let's sort through three tasks that should be on the Nuggets' agenda in the coming weeks to get this offseason closer to being complete than it is now:

1. Re-Sign Peyton Watson, Spencer Jones

Mar 25, 2026; Denver, Colorado, USA; Denver Nuggets guard Peyton Watson (8) reacts after a play in the fourth quarter against the Dallas Mavericks at Ball Arena. Mandatory Credit: Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The Nuggets are over two weeks into free agency without a true answer on the future of Peyton Watson or Spencer Jones––both of which were some of their most important names hitting the open market heading into this offseason.

But the process shouldn't be this complicated, at least big-picture-wise: Watson and Jones need to be back on the roster next season, no questions asked.

Watson brings the exact two-way versatility and athleticism the Nuggets need in their frontcourt, and has one of the highest untapped ceilings among their current group of young players. Jones brings the defensive skillset that Denver could use in their frontcourt after ranking in the bottom 10 of NBA defenses for a second straight season.

It could be costly to retain both, and could certainly push them into the second apron/high luxury tax bill territory. But those problems are worth having as opposed to losing out on one, or even both of them to other teams––even in a sign-and-trade scenario. Hashing out a new deal for both needs to be a top priority.

2. Trade Cameron Johnson's Expiring Contract

Apr 23, 2026; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Denver Nuggets forward Cameron Johnson (23) goes after the ball against the Minnesota Timberwolves in the third quarter at Target Center. Mandatory Credit: Bruce Kluckhohn-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

If the Nuggets want to find any type of salary cap relief after bringing Watson and Jones back into the mix, the easiest way to do just that without rattling this current core too much would be to ship off Cameron Johnson and his expiring contract worth $23 million.

Jamal Murray and Aaron Gordon are both fixtures of this roster that the Nuggets likely need to keep for their offense to stay atop the NBA, and Christian Braun's trade value probably isn't too hot right now, which allows the Nuggets to find many enticing offers for him. That leaves Johnson as the odd man out.

Does trading him out after one season make the Michael Porter Jr. trade from last summer look even worse than it does now? Yes.

At the same time, shipping him off means that the Nuggets can use the cap space Johnson takes up to put towards Jones and Watson's new deals, while also claiming value on him before he hits free agency next offseason, and could leave for nothing. Better to get ahead of that situation now.

3. Sign Another Bench Scorer to Replace Tim Hardaway Jr.

Mar 21, 2026; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Milwaukee Bucks guard Cam Thomas (24) during the second half at Mortgage Matchup Center. Mandatory Credit: Joe Camporeale-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The Nuggets haven't really found a new bench scorer to take the role that Tim Hardaway Jr. had last season ever since he left to join the Miami Heat on a one-year deal.

Finding a Sixth Man of the Year candidate on a minimum contract is certainly tough, and might be impossible to do two summers in a row. But Denver should at least look around the market to find someone best suited to take some minutes on the wing.

Someone like Cameron Thomas could be a perfect fit for that. His stock is low after fizzling out on two teams last season, but has all of the talent to be an impactful scorer who can play big minutes.

He could be brought on for a one-year, minimum deal that can prove his worth as a low-risk, high-reward endeavor for Denver, and might offer just the offensive spark they could use off the bench.

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