Denver Nuggets: Which of the veterans will return this offseason?

Will Jeff Green pick up his option and remain with the Denver Nuggets?

Jeff Green signed a two-year deal last offseason with a player option on the second season worth $4.5 million. The most likely outcome this offseason is that Green picks it up and plays at least one more season with the Denver Nuggets.

Additionally, entering his age-36 season, Uncle Jeff will be hoping to win his first title of his career and at full strength, the Nuggets are as good a chance at doing that as anyone.

This season, Green averaged just over ten points per game while shooting 32 percent from behind the arc and playing solid, versatile defense for a team that needs help on the wing.

Once Jamal and MPJ return to the court, it’s likely we see Green’s role shrink into a 3-and-D wing/forward off the bench, slotting in across multiple positions. This is the role he has played in various stops in recent years and if he does opt out of his player option, he’ll be playing that same role but on another team and likely on a veteran’s minimum.

Based on his past comments, I don’t think he’ll be doing that. In an interview with Sopan Deb, The New York Times, Green was confused as to why he could only get the veteran’s minimum across the league:

"“It confuses me, but it isn’t frustrating. You know, this stuff, that’s out of my control. I go out and just do the work. And I let my agent handle the logistics of the contract terms, but it is confusing to the point of, ‘What else do I need to do to prove that I’m not a minimum guy?’ “I’d love to settle down in one place. There’s Brooklyn. I’d love to settle down in Brooklyn. I’m not too concerned with the NBA record or how many teams. When you think about it, if I was to play 22 years, played on 15 teams, what does that say? It has no teeth behind it.”"

He gave that interview when entering the offseason with the Brooklyn Nets this past season. We now know he signed for the mid-level exception in Denver so it’s looking like Colorado is the one place he’s settling down, at least for one more year.