Nuggets Miss Out on Three Potential Buyout Targets

The Denver Nuggets have gone the entire 2025-26 season with an open roster spot, and with just 22 games left, they have been expected to fill it. However, they continue to miss out on potential targets.

The Denver Post's Bennett Durando reports that the Nuggets "have been pursuing forward depth on the buyout market," as they look for a player who adds size on the wing, while being able to handle the ball. With that in mind, they have now missed out on three buyout targets:

Khris Middleton

While this was not necessarily a swing and a miss by the Nuggets, this was a situation they wished they could have capitalized on. Khris Middleton was seemingly given the option to explore a potential buyout by the Dallas Mavericks, but the 34-year-old wing has chosen to stay put.

Middleton would have given the Nuggets a veteran ball-handler and scorer on the wing, who they undoubtedly could have trusted in a playoff series. Middleton was the second option on an NBA championship team just five years ago, so having him as the tenth man in the rotation would have been huge for Denver.

"Denver was among the playoff teams with interest in signing Middleton via the buyout market but there has been pessimism all week that the former Bucks All-Star and champion could be lured away from Dallas," NBA insider Marc Stein said after reporting that Middleton will be staying put in Dallas.

Denver was among the playoff teams with interest in signing Middleton via the buyout market but there has been pessimism all week that the former Bucks All-Star and champion could be lured away from Dallas, where he has settled quickly since arriving via the Anthony Davis trade. https://t.co/TNvWLIQmZj
— Marc Stein (@TheSteinLine) March 1, 2026

If Middelton were to hit the buyout market, the Nuggets would have been a very likely destination. Unfortunately, the veteran wing seemingly did not want to change teams twice within a month.

Kyle Anderson

Durando reported that the Nuggets had shown interest in Kyle Anderson before the veteran forward opted to sign with the Minnesota Timberwolves. Anderson spent two prior seasons with the Timberwolves, as the 32-year-old forward seemingly chose familiarity over the Nuggets.

Anderson would have been a great addition for the Nuggets, as he provides size, defense, and ball-handling, three areas the Nuggets are searching for help in.

Not only is it unfortunate that the Nuggets missed out on Anderson, but it makes matters worse that he went to a division rival. It would not shock anyone if the Nuggets and Timberwolves (who face off on Sunday night) ultimately meet in the playoffs, and it would be heartbreaking if Anderson is the difference-maker in the series.

Jeremy Sochan

Jeremy Sochan was waived by the San Antonio Spurs and quickly signed a deal with the New York Knicks, but the Nuggets were reportedly one of the many teams interested in the 22-year-old forward, per ClutchPoints' Brett Siegel.

The 76ers, Nuggets, and Suns were among the 10 teams who contacted Sochan and his representation before his final decision to join the Knicks, league sources confirm to @ClutchPoints. https://t.co/aP8iQqkyMd
— Brett Siegel (@BrettSiegelNBA) February 12, 2026

On paper, Sochan would have been an ideal fit on Denver's bench, as a 6-foot-8 forward who plays defense and can handle the ball, but it did not work out. After what Sochan has shown in New York so far, maybe it worked out for the better.

Through five appearances with the Knicks since his signing, Sochan is averaging 1.2 points and 1.4 rebounds in just 7.2 minutes per game. If Sochan cannot find a reliable spot in the Knicks' rotation, he likely would not have found any minutes with the Nuggets, who have a deeper bench than the Eastern Conference contender.

The deadline for players to be waived and remain eligible to appear in the playoffs on a different team is here, so whoever is on the market is who the Nuggets can pick from to fill their final spot. It would be disappointing if the Nuggets went the entire season with an open roster spot, especially with the injuries they have endured, but at least they know their current group is enough to compete for a championship.