The Denver Nuggets matched the offer sheet the Oklahoma City Thunder gave Spencer Jones. It came as a bit of a surprise to many fans and pundits alike, as it moved the Nuggets past the NBA's second apron threshold, complicating the already complicated roster construction they were facing. But did the Nuggets do it as an ulterior motive to force Peyton Watson into accepting a contract for less than the value he wanted?
The Nuggets were being patient. Or maybe their plan was to wait until someone else blinked. And someone else did blink. But by matching the offer sheet, the Nuggets made it that much more difficult to pull off a sign-and-trade for the restricted free agent Watson. That could be exactly what they wanted.
The Nuggets are even more limited in what they can take back now
While operating as a first-apron team, the Nuggets could have taken a player back in the deal, but for less salary than they were sending out with Watson. That would have allowed the Nuggets to take a look at teams like the Los Angeles Clippers, who had been rumored to be in the chase for Watson. The rumor was something like Derrick Jones Jr. and a couple of first-round picks for Watson.
But now, the match on Spencer has changed that equation. The Nuggets can no longer take on another player in a sign-and-trade if they want to remain above the second apron and absorb the exorbitant fines.
Which seems unlikely, but if there was ever a time to change your spending habits, the season before the greatest basketball player on the planet, Nikola Jokic, enters his team option year without a contract extension in place is probably the best time to do it.
That means the Nuggets are limited to taking on draft picks only to stay above the second-apron threshold while completing a sign-and-trade. And it means that it limits the already limited number of teams that were chasing Watson. Probably exactly what the Nuggets wanted.
It's a sinister plan, but it's a business
The Nuggets are currently limited by the second apron. As long as they are above it, the rules above apply. Maybe they weighed the pros and cons of negotiations with Watson and deemed this a better business decision to get Watson to sign next year for less money.
When you consider that the Nuggets have only paid roughly $58 million in luxury tax fines in their history, and that they are currently on the hook for $68.6 million next year, $32.2 million of which came from the Jones match, it kind of makes sense for them to just temporarily go above the second apron to try to bend the rules in their favor.
They can always get back under the threshold later by dumping salary at any point before the trade deadline. Or they can shock the NBA by paying a massive luxury tax fine. Probably not.
If this is the reason they made the move, it's sinister. But it's a business. Hopefully, it resolves peacefully in the middle for both sides, and the Nuggets and Watson can move past the drama. Until those salary dumps pop up, at least.
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