In a bit of a stunning move, Duncan Robinson exercised his early termination option on Sunday, foregoing his final year with the Heat to become a free agent. Robinson was due $20 million for the 2025-26 season, but with only $9.5 million guaranteed, he opted to hit the market and aim to secure a longterm deal, even if the annual average value is lower.
Miami Heat guard Duncan Robinson is declining his $20 million early termination option to become a free agent and will work with the franchise on a new deal to return, or a move elsewhere, sources tell ESPN. pic.twitter.com/R0faNKX1wi
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) June 29, 2025
This seems like an odd move from Robinson’s side on the surface, but it provides a great opportunity for contending teams to snag one of the league’s best shooters on the cheap. That’s exactly how the Nuggets should be thinking, as they can now try to lure Robinson to Denver with the temptation of playing off of Nikola Jokic.
Robinson’s shot diet in Denver would be outstanding, and he would get the easiest looks of his life by simply moving and cutting around the three-time MVP. It would be a dream fit for Robinson and the Nuggets’ offense.
He would open up a layer of spacing that this team simply hasn’t had, and he’s the kind of marksman who doesn’t need space to get his shots off at a high percentage. The Nuggets have been dying for a true sniper to put on the floor with Jokic, and Robinson would fit the bill and then some.
Would Robinson settle for the TPMLE?
A big question now becomes, what is the actual market for Robinson? The Nuggets can offer the taxpayer midlevel exception, which is about $5.7 million per season. That would be quite a pay cut for Robinson, but perhaps he prioritizes fit and winning, in which case, Denver may be able to offer him the most appealing situation to build his value back up.
It’s certainly worth a phone call, and we’ve seen plenty of players experience career years alongside Jokci that have allowed them great earning potential in the future. Robinson’s value is fairly low after a few tough seasons, as the Heat have gotten worse, and they’ve lost much of their playmaking.
Robinson needs to be in a situation where the shots are created for him, and nowhere can he do that better than Denver. Robinson is a bit of a liability on the defensive end, but he at least has the size and effort required to hold his own on that end. He’s passable in the regular season, at the very least.
He could slot right into the Nuggets’ starting lineup, or come off the bench, and would grant David Adelman plenty of flexibility and versatility when crafting his lineups and rotations. He may not be in the budget, but the Nuggets would be crazy not to try and add the best shooter on the market, who wasn’t even expected to be available a day ago.