Nuggets Mailbag: Which big man is likely on the move this summer?

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Which Nuggets big man is most likely to be moved this summer? – Matt in Denver

It’s hard to believe that Kenneth Faried’s career will end at the end of the Nuggets’ bench. Just last season, Faried started 34 out of the 61 games he appeared in and helped the Nuggets to the league’s best offense over the second half of the year. He averaged 9.6 rebounds and 7.6 assists per game last season and 12.5 points and 8.7 rebounds per game in 2015-16. He’s just 28-years-old.

The three-point shot is more important than ever in today’s modern game and Faried has never and likely will never pose a threat from beyond the arc. But that doesn’t mean his role as an energy big off the bench is gone for good. Because it’s not. Faried still has a place in this league for a playoff-caliber team off the bench. His future in Denver, however, is non-existent.

Faried was fifth in line for minutes at power forward at the end of last season behind Paul Millsap, Trey Lyles, Wilson Chandler and Darrell Arthur. All four of those players could be on Denver’s roster at the start of next year. He was fourth on the depth chart at center behind Nikola Jokic, Mason Plumlee and Darrell Arthur.

With just one year remaining on his contract, the Nuggets will surely look to move Faried again this summer — as they did last year and up until the trade deadline. There haven’t been any takers for Faried yet, but with just one year and $12.9 million left on his contract, Faried is more attractive to teams with cap room (cough, cough Atlanta) than he was a year ago. However, Denver would still need to include a sweetener to get off of Faried. Maybe that guy is on its roster right now. Maybe that’s a first-round pick.

Could the Nuggets look to add a guard in the draft? – Steven in Colorado Springs

The short answer here is yes. A year after not using the 13th pick and trading back in the draft because of the number of guards on the roster, per general manager Arturas Karnisovas, the Nuggets need backcourt help.

Sixth-man of the year candidate Will Barton is an unrestricted free agent and Denver may not have enough money to bring him back. Backup point guard Devin Harris is unrestricted as well. Malik Beasley, who the Nuggets selected 19th overall in 2016 showed flashes last season but would struggle in a Barton-type role next year unless he makes a leap this summer. Torrey Craig will be a second-year player next season but him taking on a 25-plus minute per game role seems far-fetched.

If Denver loses Barton they’ll have to replace him by committee. The Nuggets won’t have the money, as outlined here, to go out and get a free agent that can replicate Barton’s production. And yes they could look to the draft for help. The Nuggets hold the 14th pick heading into the draft lottery on May 15 and have never moved up despite 13 lottery appearances. Denver has a 1.8 percent chance of moving into the top-3 and a 0.5 percent chance at landing the first overall selection.

Some names the Nuggets could target in the draft are Mikal Bridges, Miles Bridges, Zhaire Smith, Kevin Knox, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Lonnie Walker IV. The common thread between those five players? They all project as twos or threes at the next level besides Knox, who could play some four.

Will Nikola Jokic get a max contract this summer? – Bogdan in Belgrade, Serbia

Going off of what president of basketball operations Tim Connelly had to say after the season, Jokic will get a max contract this summer. He was the second-lowest paid player on the Nuggets last season (Richard Jefferson) and has been on a team-friendly contract throughout his time in Denver. Jokic earned $1.3 million in 2016, $1.35 million in 2017 and $1.47 million this season.

Jokic has a team option for $1.6 million next year. If Denver picks that up (which they likely won’t), Jokic will be an unrestricted free agent a year from now. He could take visits with teams, be wined and dined and go to the team of his choosing. He could still return to Denver at that point but the Nuggets don’t want to take that chance. Denver can decline his team option for the 2019-20 season which makes Jokic a restricted free agent this summer. He can sign an offer sheet with another team but the Nuggets can match any contract.

“Nikola is going to be here for a very long time,” Connelly said. “The sooner the better. He’s a guy who’s been tremendous in how quickly he’s developed and a guy we love, and he loves Denver. The sooner we can get his signature on a long-term contract the better. … Our motivation is to get it done sooner rather than later. Whatever keeps him here the longest is best for us and best for the team.”

The two sides could also come to an agreement this summer before Jokic is able to sign an offer sheet with another team. With Jokic wanting to stay in Denver long-term and the Nuggets looking to give him a much-deserved contract, that option could be enticing for both sides.

Is the stretch provision a possibility for Kenneth Faried or Darrell Arthur? – @tracysmith_89

Under the NBA’s collective bargaining agreement, if a player is waived from July 1 to August 31, then his remaining salary is paid over twice the number of years remaining on his contract, plus one if a team chooses to “stretch” a contract. You don’t see this provision used often with one-year contracts (which both Faried and Arthur are on), but last summer the Bucks waived Spencer Hawes who had one year and $6 million left on his contract. By using the stretch provision, Hawes will be paid $2,007,058.33 over the next three years.

It’s tough to envision the Nuggets using the stretch provision if the goal was to open up cap room because even if they’re able to get off of either big man’s contract, Denver will still be up against the salary cap if they re-up Jokic with a max contract. The Nuggets have never used the stretch provision before either.

A more likely scenario is Denver moving Faried in a trade. As explained earlier, it might take a future pick (as was the case when the Nuggets traded Jusuf Nurkic) to get a deal done.