From: Aaron Ontiveroz (Denver Post/Getty Images)
The Denver Nuggets were crowned NBA champions on Monday night. Denver dominated the playoffs, beating the Timberwolves in 5, the Suns in 6, sweeping the Lakers, and taking down the Heat in five games. Nikola Jokic was phenomenal all postseason, and Jamal Murray was an excellent Batman to Jokic's Robin. The other three starters all had their moments in the postseason, and Denver's short, switchable bench brought the energy night in and night out. While it is great to celebrate this year's success, we could be seeing the start of a dynasty in Denver.
The CBA:
In April, the NBA and NBPA agreed on a seven year deal for a new CBA. While CBA's are long and extensive, the major news around the new CBA is the second apron. The second apron is $17.5 million dollars above the luxury tax number, and it serves as the NBA's version of a hard cap. The second apron is going to severely hamper teams that go into the luxury tax. According to ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski, "those teams will lose several key team building mechanisms, including the taxpayer mid-level exception, utilizing cash in trades, moving first-round picks in drafts that are seven years away, signing free agent players in the buyout market and taking on more money than is being sent out in trades." The major restrictions around teams trying to acquire talent in that second apron is going to reshape how front offices think. Executives are going to be hesitant on handing out max contracts and will shift to looking for a lone superstar to build around. Teams like the Warriors, Clippers, Bucks, and Celtics are all either going to have to look to retool their roster or brace the consequences of the luxury tax. Golden State and LAC are already in the second apron, and with contract extensions looming, Milwaukee and Boston are headed that way.
From: Ron Chenoy (USA TODAY Sports)
The Nuggets Core:
Denver slowly put together and locked up their championship core. The Nuggets also smartly backloaded every contract to give them more wiggle room around the increasing cap. Below is a list of everyone under contract for the foreseeable future:
Nikola Jokic: 5 years, $272 Million ($54.4 Million AAV)
Jamal Murray: 2 years, $69.8 Million ($34.9 Million AAV)
Michael Porter Jr.: 4 years, $148.4 Million ($37.1 Million AAV)
Aaron Gordon: 2 years, $44.9 Million, includes a player option for 2025-26 for $23.2 Million ($22.45 Million AAV)
Kentavious Caldwell Pope: 1 year, $14.7 Million, includes a player option for $15.4 Million
Christian Braun: Rookie Deal
Not to mention Denver could convince Bruce Brown to exercise his player option this offseason, and has young guns like Peyton Watson waiting in the wings to produce.
From: Garrett Ellwood (NBAE, Getty Images)
What Does This Mean For A Dynasty?
The Nuggets have every contributor under contract besides Bruce Brown for at least one more year, and most for at least two years. Denver is under the second apron of the luxury tax, which allows them to continue to improve their roster in a multitude of ways. The Nuggets can keep their core in tact, while shuffling veterans on minimum contracts. The similarities to the Tim Duncan-Tony Parker Spurs are uncanny. Jokic and Murray's two-man game is almost unstoppable, as they have countless counters and ways to get into the action at any spot on the floor. It's clear they have chemistry together and love to play alongside one another. The role players like Gordon and KCP have bought in, and MPJ looks comfortable again after a rocky year in 2021-2022. Christian Braun has brought a winning mentality to the team as a rookie, not something you see very often. The Nuggets are going to be tough to dethrone, and have the potential to win multiple rings with this core.