The Denver Nuggets aren't the only contender in the Western Conference that needs to shed a bunch of salary to avoid tax penalties and the dreaded second apron threshold. The Oklahoma City Thunder are in a world of hurt with their expected tax bill as well, but their first move of the offseason runs circles around the rumors for what the Nuggets are trying to accomplish.
The Nuggets are already lacking draft picks in the future, so this year's first-round pick at number 26 should be a higher priority to retain. The Nuggets need youth and athleticism at a value price, and the players available at the 26th pick could accomplish that. But the rumor for the Nuggets is that they may trade their pick along with Zeke Nnaji to clear Nnaji's $7.4 million in cap space so they can fit under the second apron, at least.
But here's Shams Charania delivering the news that the Thunder were able to offload Aaron Wiggins and his $9.2 million in 2026-27 and his additional two years at $8.3 million to the Atlanta Hawks for two second-round picks. The Thunder didn't have to package a pick to get off their salary issues. No, no, of course not. They found a proper suitor for Wiggins who could absorb his salary.
Who could the Nuggets find for Nnaji? Anybody?
It feels like the trade market for Nnaji might be pretty bleak. Perhaps it's a hunch, or perhaps it's the fact that the Nuggets never gave him enough of a chance to develop into anything useful for the team. Be it on the floor or as a trade piece. Nnaji has averaged just 12.0 minutes per game in his career, mostly garbage time and filling in for someone who's injured. But he's averaged just 4.1 points and 2.3 rebounds in six seasons.
The Nuggets are reportedly shopping the pick attached to Nnaji because they know they probably can't attach Nnaji to any other trade because of his high price for a roster filler. And because they've made a mockery of their future drafts by trading so many pieces away, they simply don't have the draft capital to attach except for the 2026 first.
The Thunder, on the other hand, have been stacking picks away for years, and they just received two more in a salary dump. The Nuggets dumped Michael Porter Jr. last year and had to attach a future first-round pick to do it. The Thunder just keep running circles around the Nuggets' front office, and the latest trade just adds to it.
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