The Denver Nuggets have had not only a good offseason, but one of the best in the league, if not the best. It started with trading Michael Porter Jr. and a first-round pick to the Nets for Cam Johnson, but it didn't stop there. Not even close. The new front office duo reshaped the roster, but there is still another move Denver could make before the season starts.
There is an open roster spot that the Nuggets could use to sign a point guard for added depth, but they are a little less than $3 million below the first tax apron, which they should want to avoid. Denver could sign someone to a veteran's minimum, staying below the first apron, but who should that player be?
Russell Westbrook? He signed a two-year deal with the Nuggets last summer, declining his player option for the 2025-26 season to become an unrestricted free agent. He's still on the market, and the Kings have interest in him. There hasn't been anything reported about Denver being interested in re-signing him.
What about Cam Payne? He spent last season with the Knicks, providing energy and shooting off the bench as New York made its first conference finals appearance in over two decades. He can be a streaky shooter (like Russ), but he's a point guard with playoff experience. It wouldn't hurt to have Payne around, not as a rotation player, but as an option.
Nuggets could sign a point guard to final roster spot
Denver reunited with Bruce Brown this offseason, and he can play the backup point guard role. There is also Jalen Pickett, who should be third on the point guard depth chart behind Brown.
Brown isn't a true point guard, though. Pickett showed some promise last season, but he's entering only his third year. You need to play your young guys so they can develop, but if something were to happen to Jamal Murray or Brown, Pickett could be thrust into a role he may not be ready for.
Perhaps the Nuggets prefer to keep the roster spot open entering the season, giving them additional financial flexibility and allowing them to see how the first stretch of the season goes. Perhaps they are waiting to see if they can find a trade partner for Zeke Nnaji, allowing them to dump the remaining three seasons on his contract. Okay, that's wishful thinking.
Denver is in a great position entering the season, regardless of whether it addresses the 15th roster spot. Still, it wouldn't hurt to have the security of a veteran point guard to officially seal the deal on what's been a dream of a summer.