Nuggets offseason primer: More was expected, and much more needs to be done

As the defending champions returning most of the core of that title team, it was supposed to go better much better than this. Nevertheless, the Denver Nuggets’ 2023-24 NBA season ended Sunday with a Game 7 loss in their second-round series against the Minnesota Timberwolves.

It would be unfair to prematurely overanalyze the reasons for the defeat too much, given that the primary reason is obvious. Hobbled by elbow and calf injuries, superstar lead guard Jamal Murray was laboring throughout the postseason run. That’s a big deal considering the foundation of everything Denver does comes from his two-man game with three-time NBA Most Valuable Player Nikola Jokic.

That said, a title contender needs larger margins to work with than this. Specifically, the loss of Bruce Brown last offseason made for an extremely shallow bench all season, and as good as their front six players are, the problems began as soon as they went any deeper. Therefore, Denver will want to shore up this reserve unit for next season, while still operating within the constraints imposed by the costs of keeping the front six.

With this in mind, here’s a look at the Denver Nuggets’ roster and spending heading into the 2024 NBA offseason.