[The8thDeadlySinParticipant]

The Nuggets were a "feel good story" in the NBA at the end of the season with their play.. Well, they have seen those days come to an end.. Look at what they are gonna lose:

Kenyon Martin
JR Smith
Wilson Chandler
Aaron Aflallo
Nene – Contract worth 12 million next year but he as the ETA clause in his contract.. With the general lack of good big men, look for him to bail for greener pastures..
Gary Forbes
Melvin Ely

 Their current players, placed into a starting lineup look like this:

PG: Lawson
SG: Felton
SF: Gallo
PF: Birdman
C: Mozgov
6th: Harrington
7th: Kufos

Thats it… Well they have 1 first round pick around the 20s…

Poor Nuggets…..

[Scottoant93Participant]

It could be worse, They I doubt they lose all those players. I think Nene, Aflallo, maybe Kmart(if price is right) will be back. J.R. is certainly gone, and Chandler is 50/50(reports he wants to go back to knicks). Either way they still has some nice pieces in Lawson,Gallo, Felton, and am sure they will get some more players in FA

[Michael.S.Participant]

Yea, they won’t lose all of them…But, a handful? Yes.

[NYCrealdealParticipant]

the only player im confident will leave is J.R Smith. All the other main players i can see resigning but i can also see them leaving.

[BostonKingzParticipant]

The only guys I think the Nuggets should attempt to resign are Aflallo, Chandler, Nene and maybe K Mart. I think the nuggets will be okay though…

[butidonthavemoney]

I think Afflalo is staying put, and I’m willing to bet that they overpay Nene to stay as well. Smith is probably (and hopefully) out and Martin (as many have mentioned) could go either way. Chandler could be retained for a fair price and Forbes would be a cheap re-sign as well.

Lawson/Felton
Afflalo/Forbes
Gallinari/Chandler
Anderson/Harrington
Nene/Mozgov

They’re still 10 deep with great defenders and solid potential. They’re not in as much trouble as you suggested.

As for their pick, I think Jordan Williams or Nolan Smith would make a great Nugget next year. Williams would fit a need, as he can rebound well and has the potential to be a good scorer on or off the bench. Smith because his style of play has proven to be successful for similar scorers in Denver’s system. Plus he is a well-rounded player who can add a lot in terms of defense and shooting as a two-guard coming off the bench.

[SwatLakeCityParticipant]

 Out of the free agents that the Nuggets have this offseason, here is who I think will come back:

Arron Afflalo: I think he like being a Nugget. He’s young, and has a lot of room to grow as a player. He’s really acheived more than I thought he would going into this league as a late first round pick in 2007. Mad props to him. He certainly played his best with Denver and I don’t think those days are over for him.

Wilson Chandler: I think this "unprecedented" run that the Nuggets made after Melo was traded has certainly helped Chandler come to want to play for the Nuggets again. He too is young, and he has also proved he is a better player than I thought he would be. So basically the same as Afflalo, but I also think he liked the coaching style of George Karl and would like to learn more under him. I think he will want to learn and become a more defensive player than he was at New York, and George Karl will certainly help him do that.

Gary Forbes: This guy is not exactly a commodity to be had by many teams in this league. Forbes is young and had a season similar to Wesley Matthews did with Utah last year. This is no comparison, but I do think the Nuggets would like to keep him. He’s a guy that should be a resticted free agent (if the Nuggets want to keep him that is) If he end up being I think teams will be calling and probably signing him to an offer sheet. But I think the Nuggets will match it. The good thing is that when you have a lot of free agents like the Nuggets do, you usually have a lot of money left around. Some of that money could be used to matching an offer sheet for Gary Forbes. I think he’d like to be a Nugget next year.

Melvin Ely: Ely is a little old but I don’t think many teams will want him other than the Nuggets. He very well could stay a free agent once the offseason is over with. If he wants to continue his career his best shot may be to stay with the Nuggets.

If I am right those free agents will certainly help the Nuggets avoid the cellar. Here’s is their depth chart after those guys I mentioned have resigned.

PG: Ty Lawson/Raymond Felton

SG: Arron Afflalo

SF: Gallo/Wilson Chandler/Forbes

PF: Harrington

C: Mozgov/Birdman/Ely/Koufus

They will need to look for a backup SG, and PF in the offseason and the draft. Guys like Faried, Thompkins, Markeiff Morris, Jon Leuer, Jordan Williams, Travis Leslie, Klay Thompson, Jeremy Tyler, and Marshon Broosk are draft prospects that I hope Denver’s GM will look at when the Nuggets are on the clock come June 23rd. All of the one’s I listed will likely be available around the 22nd pick and any one of them would certainly help the Nuggets, and they all fill the needs that the Nuggets have.

[Charlie SheenParticipant]

Afflalo- returns

Martin- walks goes to a contender(Lakers or Spurs)

Smith- New York, Chicago or LA Lakers

Chandler- New York, LA Clippers or back to Denver for 1 year…..he really wants to go back to New York though

Nene- Miami he can get a solid 5yr/30mil and be in contention for a title for the next 5 years

Denver will probably let Mozgov walk and throw Marc Gasol at contract like 5yrs/60mil and Nick Young

[NYK2010Participant]

Couple things wrong here, Mozgov isn’t a free agent and the Nuggets have cap room to go after Gasol if they wanted.

I don’t think they’ll go with Nene and Gasol at PF/C though.

Mozgov if they give him playing time will help definately and he has a great cap friendly contract.

SMH at the Knicks trading him and Felton.

[nath09Participant]

For what these guys acheived after Melo left I think their coach has an indefinable influence on their record. (especially looking at New York with Melo) None of the guys that might leave are irreplaceable. They stay solid at the point, have some depth and only have to get a little lucky to fill out there roster with equal talent. I don’t see them dropping off unless their late season play was just "us versus Melo" which may eventually wear off.

[gopack10Participant]

The Nuggets will be fine.  If Nene uses exercises his ETO then they will only have $28.3 million (plus their 1st round draft pick) in salaries tied up for next year.  They will extend qualifying offers to both Chandler and Afflalo which means that they are both restricted and will more than likely be retained.  Afflalo will sign a long term deal but Wilson might just sign the qualifying tender and then become an unrestricted free agent next summer.  Either way he is on the Nuggets roster next year.

Even if Nene exercises that ETO he will probably sign a long term deal with Denver.  He likes being there and his wife is a Colorado native so I think they will sign him long term even if they overpay to do it.  J.R. Smith seems like the only one who is a lock to leave and maybe K-Mart just because he wants to win a championship and may do the Rasheed Wallace thing and sign with a contender.

Lawson/Felton

Afflalo

Gallo/Chandler

Harrington

Nene/Andersen/Mozgov

A PF and a backup SG are really all the Nuggets need.  They could get a big in the draft or they could take a project SG maybe a Travis Leslie.

[The8thDeadlySinParticipant]

I dont think that any of those guys return.

Martin has been on record saying that at this point in his career, he wants to win.. He doenst care to start or get paid, he just wants that ring…

Aflallo will be a hot player on the market.. Some team is going to offer him something stupid and while the Nuggets can answer any offer, I dont see it.. Even if they do, he wont sign for more than 1 more year.  He is gonna be worth more to a team like Chicago or Boston…

Chandler is going to get his offers… If Travis Outlaw can get a big chuck of money, Chandler can.. Same thing with Aflallo, the Nuggets can get him back but he wont sign long term..

JR Smith is gone with the wind.. Dont look for him to even think about the Nuggets.

Nene is going to get paid.. I know that Denver is where his wife is but the crazy thing about that is people move…. Think about this.. The Nuggets, even with Nene are lottery bound.. If he can get the same money but be on a winning team, he is gonna chose that over trying to rebuild…

Forbes and Ely are jokes…  Forbes is like 26 or something and Ely’s career is most likey over.

[bstokes25Participant]

 Afallo is coming back because denver was the first team to give him a real shot in nba 

Nene already said he wanted to coming back

jr smith is gone

Chandler is 60% he leave and 40% he stay

[apb540Participant]

Under the new CBA I doubt he would be given a 12 million dollar a year type contract.  5-6 per year for him is what a profitable league would look like…. 

[OhCanada-Participant]

Also dont rule out a trade for Felton. Denver may want to take a shot on a guy like Nolan Smith, Cory Joseph, or another PG with their late pick and use Felton as an asset to reaqcuire more depth. Especially if he states he is unhappy with his current role.

[OhCanada-Participant]

Wrong thread…

[NCarmean18Participant]

I am happy for the team because of the way the regular season ended.  But, unfortunatly, I only see us resigning Nene, Aaron Afflalo, and Gary Forbes.

I like Wilson Chandler, and think he is a darn good talent, but he just doesn’t want to play there.  It will be hard to lose K-Mart too, he’s been there for quite a while there.  He brings a good defensive presence to the team.  It sucks, we will not be as good next year.

Oh well though, right?  We didn’t end up like Cleveland fans did.  Without anything or anyone to cheer for.

[NYK2010Participant]

Only guy they’ll definately lose is J.R. Smith.

Chandler to the Knicks seems interesting but they are capped out so just the mid level exception, you’d think he would get more.

Kmart could come back who knows,

Nene I bet he returns, Aflallo he isn’t going anywhere.

Forbes no big loss same goes for Ely.

 

BTW the Lakers might not be able to sign anyone if there is a hardcap.

Also Lakers owner isn’t looking to spend more.

[scootover7Participant]

I’d like to see J.R. Smith come to the Chicago Bulls.  Denver did surprise me though after the Melo trade.  I thought they might be ok but I didn’t expect them to play the way they did.  Denver made a very smart deal for Melo. 

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