3 veterans the Denver Nuggets should target in free agency

Veterans the Denver Nuggets should target: Gary Harris

If the Nuggets were to acquire Donte DiVincenzo, this would instantly improve their outlook on defense as well as their outlook on offense. Since the fourth-year guard still managed over 10 points per game last season (10.3), shooting 36.8 percent from deep.

However, every team competing for an NBA championship needs to have multiple deep threats along the outside. And as of right now, the Denver Nuggets’ best shooter under contract for next season is Will Barton. Not to knock the longtime Nugget, but the team needs somebody else who can shoot the deep ball at a high clip if they want to contend.

Enter Gary Harris.

Now, to be completely frank, there is a chance that Harris falls outside of Denver’s budget. Since the 27-year-old is certainly worth more than a mid-level exception at $5.89 million. However, taking into account the injury concerns surrounding the sharpshooting veteran, (with any luck) he could just fall back into Denver’s lap this offseason.

First off, there’s the obvious attraction of bringing back a former player who’s already familiar with the system. Harris spent 6.5 seasons of his career with the Denver Nuggets and is only a few years removed from averaging nearly 18 points per game (17.5).

There’s a very slim chance that he will ever recover these numbers, but if he were to return to Denver, he wouldn’t necessarily have to. Slotting Harris back into the rotation would provide the Nuggets with a very reliable 3-and-D guard. One who still made over 38 percent of his shots from beyond the arc in 2022, averaging 11.1 points in 28.4 minutes per game.

The plus side of bringing back Gary Harris this time around is that he wouldn’t be relied on as one of the team’s go-to scoring threats. Much like he was in his previous run with the Nuggets. Rather, he would simply be tasked with complimenting the likes of Jokic, Porter, Gordon and Murray as a starter. Or provide solid minutes off the bench as the leader of Denver’s second unit.

He’s also the only veteran free agent who has chemistry and experience playing alongside the team’s best player, Nikola Jokic. Which is another definite advantage.