The Denver Nuggets were exposed on both sides of the ball against the Minnesota Timberwolves in their first-round playoff defeat at the hands of the team that was "built to beat them." The offseason has come early, and the Nuggets have identified areas of need to improve for next season. Their search needs to start with plugging the holes that ended their season.
Given the needs they need to fill and the limited cap space available, the free agent market is narrow, but the Nuggets can still fix a couple of their issues on a budget. And the good news for Nuggets fans is that team president Josh Kroenke confirmed that he is willing to stay in the luxury tax zone to win as one of the options on the table, so they will at least probably be spending to compete.
The Nuggets need rim protection, perimeter defense, and athleticism at a bargain price. There aren't a lot of budget options that will fit the Nuggets' needs, but they do exist.
Free agents at a budget price
Jaylen Clark
Jaylen Clark will be a restricted free agent for the Timberwolves, and he made just $2.1 million last season. If the Nuggets can pry him from Minnesota, he would be a massive upgrade on perimeter defense and a great fit for the Nuggets' second unit.
Clark played high-pressure defense on the Nuggets' guards in Games 5 and 6, and he's known as a defensive specialist. Clark doesn't shoot the ball much, which could be a good fit paired with Jamal Murray in the non-Jokic minutes.
Keon Ellis
Keon Ellis, an unrestricted free agent, is another guard who can play perimeter defense. Ellis was traded from the Sacramento Kings to the Cleveland Cavaliers, and he saw an uptick in minutes and performance.
Ellis averaged 8.3 points and 1.3 steals, plus 0.8 blocks in 24.8 minutes. He's making just $2.3 million this season, and he's got some upside from beyond the arc, which would fit the Nuggets well. Ellis shot 43.3% from three-point range in 2024-25 with the Kings, and 41.7% in 2023-24.
Tari Eason
Tari Eason, a restricted free agent, is an athletic wing who plays stellar defense and cleans the glass. Eason averaged 10.5 points and 6.3 rebounds in 25.8 minutes over 60 games, 34 starts, with the Houston Rockets.
But it's the career 1.3 steals and 0.7 blocks per game that would benefit the Nuggets. Eason can also drive to the basket, and coming off a $5.6 million salary, he could be a more affordable younger wing with upside the Nuggets could take a chance on.
Mark Williams
Mark Williams, a restricted free agent, is coming off a rising rookie contract that saw him make $6.2 million in the final year of his deal, now with the Phoenix Suns. Williams may see a substantial increase in that price tag due to his upside, and he started 55 games for the Suns this season, but he is also a major injury risk. Not exactly something the Nuggets would want to deal with, but the rim protection market at a budget price is thin.
Williams averaged 11.7 points and 8.0 rebounds in 23.6 minutes over 60 games for the Suns, and he's got a career average of 1.0 blocks per game. Williams is athletic and could be a major boost for the paint off the bench compared to what Jonas Valanciunas gave the Nuggets in the non-Nikola Jokic minutes.
Add us as a preferred source on Google