The Nuggets have said and done all the right things this offseason, but before long, it will be time for them to put their money where their mouth is. With Christian Braun and Peyton Watson both eligible for rookie extensions this fall, the Nuggets’ owners can show how serious they are about winning and maximizing the rest of Nikola Jokic’s career.
On the most recent episode of the Zach Lowe Show, Lowe stated that this will be a great litmus test to see how invested the Kroenkes truly are. When Bruce Brown and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope left in free agency, Denver was limited in their ability to keep those guys in town, and ultimately, based on the deals they got, letting them go proved to be the right move in each instance.
But these situations with the homegrown Braun and Watson are completely different. These are players the Nuggets drafted who are eligible for rookie extensions with the club before becoming restricted free agents.
As we’re seeing this offseason, restricted free agency is a nightmare scenario for teams and players, and should be avoided whenever possible. For Denver, it should be quite possible as they like both Braun and Watson, who should each be happy to extend, and should be reasonable with their demands.
Nuggets have no excuse to lose Braun or Watson
The Nuggets will have to pay them what they’re worth, but they should be value contracts that will age well and keep two important young players on a team that’s competing for titles. The only reason to let them go would be money, and it’s not a matter of punitive damages.
The Nuggets have the team in place to win, and as long as the owners are willing to pay tax bills, they can run it back until the wheels fall off. But the Kroenkes have never been prone to big spending, and Fred Katz, Lowe’s guest on the pod, even stated he would be shocked if Denver was willing to pay the repeater tax.
That’s a whole different story for down the road, but it has nothing to do with keeping Watson and Braun. The team is currently operating below the luxury tax line despite having a stacked roster, and these contracts wouldn’t even kick in for another year.
If they don’t get these extensions done, it’s a clear sign that ownership is still pinching pennies and they’re not truly willing to spend what it takes. That would be a pathetic showing from an ownership group that has a chance to do something special in the next few years.
They owe it to the fans, and they owe it to Jokic to make sure they spend every last penny to keep this team intact. This is the first real test, and if they don’t pass with flying colors, it’s time to be concerned.