There has been plenty of debate and speculation over what the Nuggets should do this offseason to improve their roster, but newly promoted Ben Tenzer cleared some things up on Thursday night after the draft when he told the media, “We’ll probably focus more on free agency than trades.”
Nuggets new front office executives say they’ll likely focus more on free agency than trades.
— Katy Winge (@katywinge) June 27, 2025
Looking to target depth, shooting, and a point of attack defender. pic.twitter.com/q4eOgOVsGs
This may not be breaking news, but it signals that the team is largely prepared to run it back, just making tweaks on the margins. Many had hoped they would make a splash move, trading away Michael Porter Jr., or another veteran with a big salary, in hopes of bringing back another star to Denver.
If Tenzer’s comments can be taken at face value, it doesn’t seem like that’s at the forefront of Denver’s plan. I’m sure they’ll still be open to trades and scouring the market, but this means they’ve determined that MPJ is worth more to them than he is on the open market.
Nuggets need to crush free agency
The only issue with this plan is that the Ngugets are still extremely limited in their spending power this offseason. They have the taxpayer midlevel exception and minimum contracts to offer, and that’s it.
The TPMLE is a real weapon that can help lure a strong rotation player, but the Nuggets haven’t maximized this tool in recent years, most notably whiffing on the Dario Saric signing last summer. The Nuggets need to target a player who fits with the team right now and can help from day one, and in the playoffs.
There are plenty of veteran players on the market who meet those criteria, but the Nuggets need to pick the right one and lock him up. There are also useful players who can be had on minimum contracts, but again, the Nuggets need to identify the right players and bring them to Denver.
They did a solid job last summer with Russell Westbrook, and finding another player who can add that type of contribution on a minimum contract would be a massive win. Beyond those avenues, the team will be relying on internal development and hoping to hit on an undrafted free agent or two.
It’s certainly not going to be the sexiest offseason in Denver, but that doesn’t mean it can’t be a good one. The team believes in their starting lineup, and for good reason. If they can add meaningful players on the margins and go into next season with more depth and versatility, they should be in a really good spot to compete for another title.