Thanks to the NBA's rules and the Denver Nuggets' current salary cap constraints, they can only sign free agents who are not their own to a minimum-salary contract. Whether that's a veteran's minimum or a rookie's minimum. That's forced them to think outside the box about where they're going to find talent at that price in free agency while still getting a roster upgrade. That "where" could be in Europe, trying to land the EuroLeague Defensive Player of the Year, Alpha Diallo.
Donatas Urbonas of BasketNews reports that the Nuggets are one of "multiple teams" hot on the pursuit of Diallo, the 29-year-old, 6-foot-7 forward who plays a kind of defense on the perimeter that the Nuggets desperately need. Urbonas notes that Diallo led all forwards in the EuroLeague in allowing the fewest points per possession, and that he excels in on-ball and man-to-man defense.
Why Diallo is such a great fit
That's exactly what the Nuggets needed last year. Countless times, they allowed an alarming amount of points in the paint thanks to layups generated by guards and wings taking advantage of the lack of perimeter defense played by Tim Hardaway Jr. and Bruce Brown off the bench. It was a problem that was made doubly bad by the lack of rim protection once those players got to the paint.
On top of his great defense, Diallo averaged a solid 11.9 points on 50.1% shooting from the floor, 4.4 rebounds, 1.5 assists, and 1.3 steals per game. He's a solid all-around player with a great defensive upside who's still looking for his first NBA contract. That makes him a rookie if he signs with the Nuggets.
If he did, that means the Nuggets could add Diallo for the lowest possible dollar amount available to count against the salary cap, at $1.37 million. It's another strategic move for the Nuggets to save every last bit where they can against the cap to save on many, many millions in tax penalties for violating the NBA's tax thresholds.
The Nuggets have been quiet to start the offseason window
While most teams have most of their rosters constructed for the 2026-27 season, the Nuggets still have up to four roster spots left to fill. They have only announced agreements with Marvin Bagley III and Tyus Jones, while releasing Jonas Valanciunas and Jalen Pickett.
The Nuggets have been operating so quietly that they didn't even announce signing the 35th pick of the 2026 NBA Draft, Trevon Brazile, to a "contract." We're still in the dark about the details, but he shows in the NBA's official transaction log as being a Nugget.
Maybe the Nuggets will finally make a little noise and add Diallo. He's the best defensive upgrade the Nuggets will find at the value, and he'd be a great fit for the Nuggets' bench.
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