The Denver Nuggets will be on the bargain free agent hunt this offseason again, just like they were last year when they signed Tim Hardaway Jr. and Bruce Brown to one-year minimum deals. That search could find them a 3-and-D wing like Keon Ellis, or it could find the Nuggets looking for someone like Los Angeles Lakers' free agent guard Luke Kennard instead.
Kennard may be a small downgrade on defense from Ellis or Brown, but a huge upgrade in his three-point shooting, which would mesh very well in the Nuggets' three-point-powered offense. And while defense is the main priority this offseason, the three-point shooting capabilities of Kennard would be hard to ignore if the Nuggets were able to land the nine-year vet on a minimum contract.
Nikola Jokic excels at finding the open player beyond the arc, and the Nuggets led the league in three-point shooting percentage as a result. The Nuggets wouldn't be able to find a much better shooter to come off the bench than Kennard, a possible perfect fit for the Nuggets' rotation.
Kennard is a three-point specialist and a great fit for the Nuggets
Kennard has led the league in three-point shooting percentage multiple times, including 2025-26, at 47.8%. Jamal Murray was the highest on the Nuggets at 43.5%, followed by Cameron Johnson at 43.0%. Instantly, Kennard fits. He's a selective three-point shooter who thrives on the open looks rather than forcing up a shot. Joker has no problem finding the wide-open look, and Kennard could have an even higher ceiling in Denver than he did with the Atlanta Hawks or Lakers last season.
Kennard could even be the Hardaway replacement. Kennard finished in fifth place in the Sixth Man of the Year Award voting in 2021-22 with the Los Angeles Clippers, and he's averaged a solid 9.6 points largely off the bench in his career.
Sure, Kennard isn't going to be a stopper on defense, but he's not bad and capable in team defense, so with a healthy Peyton Watson and Aaron Gordon helping out, he could handle himself fine. But he could possibly make up a few extra points with the Nuggets from the extra open looks, making the average defense forgivable in this case.
But Kennard only makes sense on the minimum contract. The Nuggets would be wise to have other players like Precious Achiuwa for defensive help on a minimum contract as well, to pair with someone like Kennard. But they won't have a lot of options at the bargain price, so they need to act quickly once the free agency window opens.
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