3 Free agent signings the Nuggets will regret come January
By Tyler Watts
The Denver Nuggets have taken a ton of heat for their offseason. Letting Kentavious Caldwell-Pope walk in free agency was a bold decision. They wanted to stay under the second tax apron and avoid the harsher restrictions that come with it. It left Denver limited with assets to replace a key piece of their core.
General manager Calvin Booth is counting on his recent draft picks to step up. The Nuggets need Christian Braun, Julian Strawther, and Peyton Watson to fill roles this season. Those young talents blossoming could keep Denver in the title picture, but there is a massive downside if they cannot improve.
The Nuggets added in free agency, but these signings have plenty of risk. All will be counted on as key pieces. Can they live up to the expectation? The Nuggets may regret these deals as the calendar flips to 2025.
3. Vlatko Cancar
The 6’8 forward missed the entire 2023-24 season with an ACL tear. Cancar did play for Slovenia in the Olympic qualifying tournament and looked extremely rusty. He is one year removed from playing in high-level action. The 27-year-old deserves a pass for those struggles, but what can the Nuggets reasonably expect?
Before his injury, Cancar averaged 14.8 minutes per game coming off the bench as a plus floor spacer with size. His playing time vanished in the playoffs as Denver won the championship. Now he is coming off a significant injury and likely counted on for more.
The Nuggets signed Cancar to a one-year minimum contract, so the risk is small. If things do not work out, they will move on, but the franchise needs forward depth. If Cancar cannot play a role, they will regret not signing someone to eat minutes, especially if Michael Porter Jr. or Aaron Gordon misses time.
The Denver Nuggets are familiar with Vlatko Cancar and his game. Hopefully, he is better than ever and makes an impact. If not, the franchise may have a hole to fill before the trade deadline, and it may not be the only one.
