Ranking Denver Nuggets’ options for mid-level exception

The Denver Nuggets are not going to have major flexibility when free agency begins. But, with a couple contractual formalities, they will have their full mid-level exception available to them.

5. Goran Dragic

The Nuggets have been missing a backup point guard for some time now. Goran Dragic is far from the player he once was in Phoenix, but off the bench, can still be valuable to any team’s rotation. Dragic is coming off a season in which he averaged 16 points per game, despite being injured for a large chunk of the season.

Dragic was not featured a whole lot in the rotation for the Heat, which in part led to his rather low 15.94 player efficiency rating, which was good for 98th in the NBA. This is of particular concern given Dragic’s usage rate of 26.3, which was the highest it’s been for him since 2016. In other words, when healthy, he was seeing the ball more and still wasn’t able to become a featured part of Miami’s offense.

However, Dragic could provide substantial value to a team that could use one more scorer off the bench. If Michael Malone could put him on the bench and save his legs for a playoff run, the Nuggets would find themselves that much more prepared for when opponents are faced with the tall order of playing a deep team with fresh bodies in high altitude.

4. Jordan Clarkson

Jordan Clarkson would be another good pickup for Denver, similar to the reasons Dragic could be. Clarkson has had a bit of an up-and-down career to this point, with several promising years in Los Angeles turned upside down by his turbulent tenure in Cleveland. After he was traded to the Jazz during the season, Clarkson’s more defined role on his team was more clearly fleshed out.

He averaged around the same amount of points per game as Dragic, with 15. But his efficiency rating was considerably better at 17.98, which ranked 64th. While not particularly known for his defense, Clarkson and his 6”4 frame could be bothersome to some other backup point guards. This was an issue the Nuggets ran into when trotting out Isaiah Thomas onto the floor to spell Jamal Murray.

The Jazz will be hoping to retain Clarkson after his blistering offensive output with the team. They themselves have struggled to find a true backup point guard, as the years of trying to shoehorn Raul Neto into the rotation suggests. But a large enough offer within the limits of the mid-level exception could be too hard a pill to swallow for a team ponying up cash for an eventual Donovan Mitchell extension.

3. Davis Bertans

The Nuggets might get outbid for Bertans, as his three point shooting marksmanship is going to drive up his price further and further. Bertans was pursued by multiple teams at the trade deadline, but the asking price for him was simply too high for anybody else to surrender for his services. If the Wizards’ high demands at the deadline are any indication, a contract for him won’t be cheap.

But the Nuggets should be moving heaven and earth to reel him in. His career 41% three point percentage is remarkable, considering his usage rate has been very low throughout his time in both San Antonio and Washington. With the Spurs, the highest it ever reached was just 16.9. With the Wizards, it only climbed to 18.5.

Replacing Mason Plumlee with Bertans in the rotation would be a home run for the Nuggets. Having more adequate shooting, particularly from the front court, would go a long way towards their success. Nikola Jokic and Paul Millsap only shoot 34% for their careers from beyond the arc. Having a sniper to drag some defense away from Jokic would do wonders for Denver’s offense.

2. Derrick Favors

This would be a bit of a desperation move for the Nuggets. Assuming both Plumlee and Millsap move on in free agency, having a contingency plan in place at power forward is important. Favors is nothing to write home about, as his “prove-it” campaign with the Pelicans didn’t go too well. He did average 10 rebounds a game, but the Pelicans were hoping to use him significantly more as a scorer.

He only registered ten points a game despite being a focal part of the offense throughout the season. Zion Williamson missed a large chunk of the season, leaving Favors as the main man up front. Not much was accomplished despite this. He averaged less than one free throw attempt per game and a miserable 14% three point percentage.

But should Denver find themselves out of options a couple of days into free agency, adding a capable front court option on a short term deal would not be a bad idea. Denver would be wise to try to avoid lateral scenarios like this, but you can still do worse than Favors on an affordable deal.

1. Joe Harris

Joe Harris’s status with the Brooklyn Nets remains up in the air. His elite shooting is going to make him among the more coveted players on the open market. His career 42% three point mark has him in position to make a big enough payday to force him out of Brooklyn. But if Harris comes to Denver, it will help the Nuggets find ways to offload either Gary Harris or Will Barton in a potential trade.

The Nuggets look like a team in position to make a splashy trade to reel in a big-fish superstar. Harris also appears to be a better fit than Harris, whose outside shot can be a bit hit or miss, whereas Harris’s can’t, as evidenced by his triumph in the 2019 three point shootout. The Nuggets could find themselves with three superstar players, along with a lethal outside shooter who can punish defenses who pay too much attention to any one of them in particular.