The Nuggets are on the board! They've been quiet as we entered the final hours before the trade deadline, but per ESPN's Shams Charania, the Nuggets have traded Hunter Tyson and a 2032 second-round pick to the Brooklyn Nets in exchange for the less favorable of a Clippers or Hawks 2026 second-round pick.
On the floor, the trade opens a roster spot. Tyson filled in and was the 12th man on the end of the bench. But on paper, it does everything!
The trade didn't just open a roster spot for the Nuggets, who are signing Spencer Jones off his two-way contract according to Chris Haynes. But, more importantly, it also got the Nuggets under the luxury tax threshold! The Nuggets were vocal about their desire to get under the tax, and they got their wish. Kudos to GM Ben Tenzer for finding a deal that made sense. He set the Nuggets up for the future with this one!
Now, the Nuggets can match an offer for Peyton Watson when he becomes a restricted free agent this offseason. Sure, they'll go back over the tax line, but they won't have to pay the crazy fines associated with being a repeat offender of the tax threshold season after season.
There's room for one more addition to the roster
Per Ryan Blackburn, the Nuggets will still have $1.8 million in cap space under the luxury tax. That could be enough to sign a player from the buyout market that Shams had mentioned if the Nuggets need to. At the rate they're going, it's a good option to have. The injury woes have been well-documented. I can't remember a time the team went through so much adversity over a half-season.
Now, the focus is to figure out a way to keep the roster healthy enough to make it deep into June. We might need to enlist a magician's help for that at the current pace.