Monte Morris’ future outlook with the Denver Nuggets

The longtime Denver Nugget has been a mainstay in the rotation, but what does his future hold as the franchise chases its first-ever NBA championship?

Monte Morris‘ tenure with the Denver Nuggets has been met with mixed emotions. On the one hand, he’s blossomed beautifully from a late-round draft pick in 2017 to a near 30-minute per-game starter and one of the pillars in Denver’s rotation. Much to the delight of Nuggets fans.

On the other hand, he’s owed nearly $19 million ($18.925) in guaranteed money over the next two seasons and is far from a reliable defender. With the Flint, Michigan product posting a defensive efficiency rating of 110.4 this past season, which falls outside of the top 150 among NBA guards.

He’s also been recently overshadowed by Denver’s exciting young talent, Bones Hyland. Who’s an incredibly shifty scorer and on a much friendlier rookie deal with an average salary of $2.69 million per year through 2025, per Spotrac.

So, with the emergence of Bones Hyland, and the inevitable return of Jamal Murray in 2023, where does this leave Monte Morris?

Well, based on the circumstances, the Denver Nuggets are left with two options.