Nuggets Legend Dan Issel Sets Timid Expectations for Denver's Offseason

The Denver Nuggets might be in for a quiet offseason.

Apr 30, 2026; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic (15) seats on the bench before the second half begins against the Minnesota Timberwolves during game six of the first round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs at Target Center. | Jesse Johnson-Imagn Images

Some reports around the NBA suggest the Denver Nuggets could be gearing up for an eventful 2026 offseason after their disappointing first-round playoff exit, but could we actually get the opposite?

With the Nuggets tied up financially and owner Stan Kroenke unlikely to overspend, the franchise could actually be in store for a quiet offseason, despite all the speculation. Nuggets legend and former player and coach Dan Issel joined the Run It Back show on Wednesday to set timid expectations for Denver's offseason.

"I don't think there's a whole lot they can do," Issel said. "I mean, they're not gonna trade Joker. And Jamal [Murray] had a rough series against Minnesota, but he was an All-Star this year. Cam Johnson is a nice piece—I don't know what you would get in return for him. Of course, Christian Braun has $100 million left on his contract. I don't know if you can make a lot of moves."

"Stan Kroenke is the most frugal billionaire since Warren Buffett." 😅💰

With Nikola Jokic, Jamal Murray, and Christian Braun's $100M remaining on his contract, Dan Issel doesn't expect a lot of offseason moves in Denver 😳@MichelleDBeadle | @ChandlerParsons | @TeamLou23 pic.twitter.com/mges8CwiPQ

— Run It Back (@RunItBackFDTV) May 6, 2026

The Nuggets are certainly in a tough position this offseason if they are looking to make roster changes, and Issel especially calls out Kroenke for not staying wise with his money.

"Stan Kroenke is the most frugal billionaire since Warren Buffett," Issel continued. "I don't think he's gonna fire a coach who has a lot of time left on his contract, or go into the ... third apron or fourth apron and pay all these taxes. So I don't know if there's a lot of moves to be made here."

Nuggets in for a quiet offseason?

Of course, anytime a team severely underperforms compared to its expectations, there will be plenty of speculation about changes to be made. Immediately after their season-ending Game 6 loss, fans were coming for David Adelman's head. That speculation was quickly shut down, with the Nuggets committing to the head coach, but the attention has shifted toward any potential roster changes.

But, as Issel says, it is not very realistic for the Nuggets to make these big changes to the roster, as many fans are expecting.

Apr 6, 2026; Denver, Colorado, USA; Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic (15) reacts after a play as forward Cam Johnson (23) and forward Aaron Gordon (32) and guard Christian Braun (0) and guard Jamal Murray (27) look on in the fourth quarter against the Portland Trail Blazers at Ball Arena. | Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images

The Nuggets are already projected to be over the second apron, so any moves they make will likely just be financially minded. Of course, they still want to construct a roster that is capable of competing for a championship, especially around Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray in their prime. But the Kroenkes will more importantly be looking to save money.

Money-saving moves

With that in mind, the most likely players to be out of Denver next season are Jonas Valanciunas and Peyton Watson.

Valanciunas is under contract for $10 million next season, but only $2 million of it is guaranteed. Just by waiving Valanciunas, the Nuggets will save $8 million in a situation where every dollar matters.

https://t.co/Im51BpKV8w pic.twitter.com/mYN0JMC9rf

— Bobby Marks (@BobbyMarks42) May 1, 2026

As for Watson, who is entering restricted free agency, the Nuggets will likely be stingy in bringing him back. The expectation is that they will try to re-sign him, but if they are not able to also trade away Christian Braun or Cam Johnson, they will likely stay away from putting more of a financial burden on themselves.

The Nuggets will certainly have some moves to make this offseason, but they might not be the big blockbusters that some fans are expecting.

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