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Nuggets offseason preview: Free agents, financial outlook & Brown’s future

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The Denver Nuggets offseason plans 2023 are officially underway. The Nuggets pulled off what most people thought couldn’t be done, and they’re now your world champions, but that doesn’t mean they’re satisfied yet, not for a single second.

This team is poised to be very good for a very long time. They didn’t win because of luck or chance or a fluky season; they dominated their way to an NBA championship with a 16-4 postseason record, losing just one game at home and even sweeping in the Western Conference Finals.

But it’s one thing to win a championship and a whole different thing is to stay competitive. Anything can change in the blink of an eye in the NBA, and that’s why today, we’ll dig deep into some of the Nuggets offseason rumors, and what they should do to stay at the top of their game.

Nuggets offseason plans 2023

Just like every single team in the league, the Nuggets will have to look for ways to try and get better. Everyone will be aiming at their crown and figuring out how to contain Nikola Jokic and their offensive flow, and they won’t have that much money to reinforce their squad.

The Nuggets front office has done a solid job of making moves and signings that may not seem that impactful at first, but that end up making a huge impact. We have Aaron Gordon, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, and Bruce Brown as primary examples of that.

       

Multiple free agents will want to team up with Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray, not only because of the big chance of winning an NBA championship but also because the Nuggets are actually quite entertaining and fun to watch. But what to do? Let’s take a look.

Nuggets free agents

The Nuggets will likely lose several veterans, as DeAndre Jordan and Thomas Bryant barely set foot on the court in the playoffs, so there’s not that much incentive to bring them back. Jeff Green and Ish Smith could continue to provide depth at a reasonable price, while Reggie Jackson might test the field before making any decision.

Of course, they’re likely to lose Bruce Brown, and that could end up being a major issue after all he did for them on both ends of the floor this season. He’s in for a huge payday, and the Nuggets might not be in a position to offer him what he’s worth, especially with this new CBA about to kick in.

Don’t fix what’s not broken

Fortunately, it’s not like the Nuggets have a lot of glaring holes to fill or multiple needs or issues to solve. With that in mind, most of the Nuggets free agency targets in 2023 should focus solely on depth and rounding out their already solid roster.

Michael Malone recently stated that he’s made every single decision thinking about how that could fit with or affect Nikola Jokic, and that’s going to continue to be his modus operandi for as long as the Serbian big man is in town.

       

We don’t foresee any major changes in their philosophy or their roster.

Bruce Brown out, Chris Braun in

As we mentioned when we discussed the upcoming Nuggets free agents, Bruce Brown’s departure could be a major blow. His work as a slasher has done wonders for him offensively when Jokic is doubled team, and he’s even knocked down some threes from time to time. His defensive energy is second to none, and he’s surprisingly been quite efficient when guarding one through five, even despite his size — or lack thereof.

But as much as they would hate to lose Brown, they may already have a replacement for him right in front of them. Christian Braun made winning plays on both ends of the floor throughout his rookie season, even in the playoffs.

He made the most of his touches, embraced his role, and more importantly: Played hard on every single possession. He’s a proven winner at all levels now, and he might be ready to take a bigger role next season and continue his breakout within the organization.

Lock Jamal Murray in

Considering everything we’ve already discussed, the main focus of the Nuggets offseason plans 2023 should center around Jamal Murray and his contract extension. He’s locked in for the next couple of years, but the Nuggets would love to have him tied to the team for as long as Jokic is there.

Jokic’s deal runs through the 2027-28 season, and Murray has shown no desire or hint whatsoever to walk away. The team stood by him through thick and thin after all the injuries, and he’ll likely pay them back by extending his stay at Mile High for years to come. It’s a match made in heaven.

Dynasty in the making?

The Nuggets don’t need to do a lo to be the next dynasty in the league. They already have one of the greatest centers in NBA history, and their core of Michael Porter Jr., Aaron Gordon, Jamal Murray, and Nikola Jokic will be together for at least two more seasons.

Jokic is an unguardable force of nature. He’s the only point center this game has ever seen, and he’ll likely set the blueprint for a revolution of the big man. Everybody will build their teams around what they did this season, so why change anything?

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