EDITOR’S NOTE: This story lists the Nuggets’ free agents following the 2021-22 season. Click here for Boardroom’s full overview of Denver’s 2023 free agents.
Breaking down the Denver Nuggets players headed for free agency this summer, as well as those with player and team options for 2022-23.
Postponed promise is a good way to describe the Denver Nuggets‘ season. Not having guard Jamal Murray and forward Michael Porter Jr. for the year after investing max contracts in both of them meant there were modest expectations heading into 2021-22. Still, all-NBA center Nikola Jokic had a second-straight MVP-caliber season, and Denver finished sixth in the West.
Head coach Mike Malone and the Nuggets’ front office will have some decisions to make as they help facilitate a return to the Western Conference Finals. With their three best players locked up, as well as veteran Will Barton and rookie Bones Hyland in the fold, depth is a priority to supplement the injured talent coming back next year.
Check out Boardroom’s full breakdown of imminent Nuggets free agents, as well as a snapshot of the team’s salary cap outlook as things currently stand.
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2022 Nuggets Free Agents
Contract and salary figures via Spotrac unless otherwise noted. Restricted free agent status designates that a player’s current team reserves the right to match any rival team’s contract offer sheet in order to prevent that player’s departure.
1. PG Facundo Compazzo (restricted)
- Age: 22
- Expiring Contract: 2 years, $6,400,000
- 2021-22 Salary: $3,200,000
2. SF Vlatko Cancar (restricted)
- Age: 25
- Expiring contract: 3 years, $4,198,912
- 2021-22 Salary: $1,782,621
3. C Demarcus Cousins (unrestricted)
- Age: 32
- Expiring Contract: 1 year, $683,196
- 2021-22 Salary: $683,196
4. SG Bryn Forbes (unrestricted)
- Age: 28
- Expiring Contract: 1 year, $4,500,000
- 2021-22 Salary: $4,500,000
5. PG Markus Howard (restricted — two-way contract)
- Age: 23
- Expiring Contract: 1 year, $462,629 (via HoopsHype)
- 2021-22 Salary: $462,629
6. SG Davon Reed (restricted — two-way contract)
- Age: 27
- Expiring Contract: 1 year, $532,398 (via HoopsHype)
- 2021-22 Salary: $532,398
7. SG Austin Rivers (unrestricted)
- Age: 30
- Expiring Contract: 1 year, $2,401,537
- 2021-22 Salary: $2,401,537
Denver Nuggets Contract Options for 2022-23
1. PF JaMychal Green (player option)
- Active contract: 2 years, $16,400,000
- 2021-22 Salary: $8,200,000
- 2022-23 Option: $8,200,000
2. PF Jeff Green (player option)
- Active contract: 2 years, $9,000,000
- 2021-22 Salary: $4,500,000
- 2022-23 Option: $4,500,000
Nuggets 2022 Salary Cap Numbers
All dollar figures and cap estimates via Spotrac as of April 27. Reflects a “soft” salary cap of $112.414 million, a luxury tax threshold of $136.606 million, and a $143.002 million luxury tax apron for hard-capped teams.
- Active contracts: $136,068,320
- Dead cap money: $3,338,356
- Total salary cap usage: $136,068,210
- Estimated 2021-22 luxury tax bill: $0 ($451,138 under luxury tax threshold)
- Salary on the books for 2022-23: $189,092,491
Click here to read Boardroom’s full breakdown of NBA salary cap spending by team this season.
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