Report: Nuggets exercise team options on three players

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The Denver Nuggets have exercised team options on Emmanuel Mudiay, Jusuf Nurkic, and Gary Harris for the 2017-18 season, according to Matt Moore of CBS Sports.

Source tells CBS Sports the Nuggets have exercised options on Jusuf Nurkic, Emmanuel Mudiay, and Gary Harris, to absolutely zero surprise.

— Matt Moore Action Network NBA (@MattMooreTAN) October 21, 2016

The move, which the Nuggets had to make official before the October 31 deadline, locks in the salaries for Mudiay, Nurkic and Harris at $3.38 million, $2.95 million, and $2.55 million respectively through 2018.

Picking up a player’s rookie option is usually common practice as there have only been a couple first-round picks over the past few years who have had their team options declined. The rookie-scale salary given to a first-round pick is so cheap compared to the rest of the salary cap landscape that it’s usually foolish for teams not to exercise a player’s option.

However, Charlotte’s P.J. Hairston and Brooklyn’s Sergey Karasev had their options declined in 2015. Indian also declined Solomon Hill‘s team option after last year, a move which the Pacers surely regret.

The next notable date for the Nuggets front office is December 15 when the no-trade restrictions lift on Darrell Arthur and Mike Miller the two free agents Denver signed this summer.