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It’s officially trade deadline season around the NBA, meaning there’s bound to be tons of lingering buzz and rumors surrounding what teams’ plans and players’ futures may be in the days ahead––conversations in which the Denver Nuggets certainly aren’t excluded from.
The Nuggets aren’t the most likely team to make a splash at this year’s deadline. They have no tradeable first-round picks or notable trade candidates to send off for a big move. Even if they did, their top guys haven’t been fully healthy in months, which forces Denver to be patient and see what their roster looks like once they’re 100%, rather than make a panic move for a sudden switch-up.
However, even without a blockbuster move in store, there have been a few minor rumors concerning the Nuggets and their deadline and future plans that have seeped through the cracks in recent weeks. Some of them have some truth, others might be a bit of a stretch.
Let’s take a look at some recent Nuggets rumors to determine whether they’re more likely to be their current reality, or simply just fiction.
Any Nuggets Deadline Move Has to Include Zeke Nnaji
ESPN‘s Kevin Pelton broke down some of the ins and outs of the Nuggets’ trade deadline and who could be involved, circling Zeke Nnaji as a name Denver would likely have to include in any “move of consequence.”
“Any move of consequence for the Nuggets likely has to include Nnaji, one of just two nonstarters on the roster with a cap hit greater than $3.2 million this season…If Nnaji keeps that up, Denver might not find it necessary to make a move before the deadline. Conversely, if Nnaji reverts to a noncontributor, teams might not want to take back his contract given the Nuggets have limited draft picks to incentivize a deal.”
Reality or Fiction?: Reality
When factoring in the financial implications in play for Denver, Zeke Nnaji does stick out as the most likely name on the Nuggets’ roster to get shipped out in the coming days.
Nnaji is currently the sixth-highest paid player this season on the Nuggets’ roster with a salary of $8.1 million, taking up over 5% of Denver’s total cap. For a team looking to cut down on costs for their total payroll, that number sticks out like a sore thumb and makes a deal involving him that much more appealing for this front office.
As Pelton notes, hashing out a deal for Nnaji without additional draft assets attached could be easier said than done. But the veteran big man has been productive enough in his opportunities to be more appealing on the market than previous seasons, averaging 8.1 points and 5.3 rebounds within the 2026 calendar year.
Nuggets Likely to Make “Small” Deadline Trade
Jake Fischer of The Stein Line recently noted that the Nuggets are expected to make a “small” deal at the deadline, largely in an effort to avoid the luxury tax line they currently sit less than $500,000 above.
“League personnel anticipate that the Nuggets will soon execute a small move of some sort to evade the luxury tax since Denver currently hovers roughly $500,000 above that line… The Nuggets, sources say, are confident that they’ll be able to do so without sacrificing anyone from their preferred rotation … with Denver also emboldened about its chances for contention when fully healthy given its promising 9-6 record without the injured Nikola Jokić”
Reality or Fiction?: Reality
The Nuggets are a team that’s historically avoided the luxury tax when given the opportunity, and now in the era of the league’s new CBA and financial restrictions, every dollar matters more than ever.
Especially as the Nuggets will be looking to convert Spencer Jones’s two-way deal to a traditional contract, thus adding more money to the books, it makes the likelihood of Denver making a small tweak to their depth chart even greater.
As mentioned, Nnaji would be the clear candidate on the books to assist those cap-saving efforts, but DaRon Holmes’ $3.2 million could be an easier name to move given his first-round pick status from two years ago, or Julian Strawther’s $2.6 million salary gets thrown into a trade instead.
All minor deals that won’t change much of the Nuggets’ playoff rotation, but more so to optimize their money on the books before rosters are locked for the season.
Questions Around Peyton Watson’s Future in Denver?
In the same report from Jake Fischer of The Stein Line, Peyton Watson’s future with the Nuggets was thrown into question due to his restricted free agency status later this summer, even with the Los Angeles Lakers entering the mix as a potential suitor.
“Rival executives are increasingly curious about Denver’s likely struggles to retain Peyton Watson this summer given the fourth-year swingman’s recent breakout play amid all of the Nuggets’ health woes. We’ll certainly be tracking this situation over the coming months, since Watson’s restricted free agency is already shaping up to become a major domino of the offseason. Sources say teams that are projected to have cap space — notably such as the Lakers — are already preparing interest.”
Reality or Fiction?: Fiction
Is there any chance Peyton Watson gets dealt at this year’s deadline? It’s hard to see. Could his future with the team change later this offseason once he hits restricted free agency? A bit more possible, but still seems more unlikely than not.
The Nuggets’ restricted free agency status on Watson gives them the chance to match any offer sheet that comes his way, even if the Lakers do have plans to offer him big money.
Retaining him could come at a steep price financially, but it’s hard to see Denver letting a talent like his simply walk to a rival team— not only due to his age of just 23 years old, but also because of how well he’s played during the Nuggets’ injury-riddled season.
Since being named a full-time starter in November, Watson’s averaged 17.3 points, 5.4 rebounds, and 2.1 assists a night while shooting 50.6% from the field and 43.8% from three, being a big reason for the Nuggets’ success despite being beaten up around the rotation.
Expect the Nuggets to pay to keep him on long-term, and potentially make further moves down the line to free up cap space and flexibility, rather than simply losing out on him via free agency or shipping him off in a trade.