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Denver Nuggets: How Denver can build a super-team by 2020

By Kevin Oestreicher

MINNEAPOLIS, MN - APRIL 11: Jimmy Butler #23 of the Minnesota Timberwolves shoots the ball against Nikola Jokic #15 and Paul Millsap #4 of the Denver Nuggets during the first quarter of the game on April 11, 2018 at the Target Center in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Timberwolves defeated the Nuggets 112-106. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Hannah Foslien/Getty Images)
MINNEAPOLIS, MN - APRIL 11: Jimmy Butler #23 of the Minnesota Timberwolves shoots the ball against Nikola Jokic #15 and Paul Millsap #4 of the Denver Nuggets during the first quarter of the game on April 11, 2018 at the Target Center in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Timberwolves defeated the Nuggets 112-106. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Hannah Foslien/Getty Images) /
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(Photo by AAron Ontiveroz/The Denver Post via Getty Images)
(Photo by AAron Ontiveroz/The Denver Post via Getty Images) /

2018 Off season Targets for the Nuggets

The 2018 off season should be all about Nikola Jokic, and not much else. Jokic holds a team option, which the Nuggets will reportedly decline. That is the right move for Denver, as in declining the option, they can match any offer that Jokic receives. Jokic will almost certainly receive a max contract worth $146.45 million over five years. This will push Denver into the luxury tax, so they would need to look to trade one of their expiring “bad contracts”

Denver Nuggets
Denver Nuggets /

Denver Nuggets

Some of Denver’s expiring “bad contracts” include Kenneth Faried ($13.7 million) Wilson Chandler ($12.8 million), and Darrell Arthur ($7.6 million). While Arthur is unlikely to move, Chandler and Faried could be valuable to rebuilding teams looking to gain additional assets. The Nuggets would likely have to attach a future pick or a young player to get those contracts off of their hands.

Denver has three pending free agents not including Jokic this off season in Will Barton, Devin Harris, and Richard Jefferson. Barton will probably leave for another team, as he will demand too big of a contract and he’ll want to have a bigger role on a team. Harris and Jefferson could re-sign for the minimum, but could also look to play elsewhere.

The only position of need for Denver this off season is a backup point guard. They could bring back Devin Harris, or they could look to sign someone like Shabazz Napier or even Derrick Rose. It’s key that Denver finds someone who can be an effective backup option behind Jamal Murray.

The 2018 off season should be about grooming the players already on the roster, with maybe one or two additions. Denver would have made the playoffs last year had it not been for injuries, so with a fully healthy team, they should be able to get into the playoffs without major additions. The superstar chase, if Denver were to take that route, would begin in 2019.

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