Denver Nuggets head coach David Adelman directs center Nikola Jokic (15) against the Minnesota Timberwolves in the fourth quarter at Target Center.
Bruce Kluckhohn-Imagn Images
The Denver Nuggets were widely panned after a questionable offseason, which saw them trade Peyton Watson to the Cleveland Cavaliers, lose Tim Hardaway Jr. to the Miami Heat, waive Jonas Valanciunas, and not re-sign Bruce Brown.
The Nuggets were forced to make those moves because of financial constraints, particularly with Watson, who was asking for a yearly salary of $25 million. DeMar DeRozan and Marvin Bagley III were the only notable additions to Denver.
According to The Denver Post's Bennett Durando, the Nuggets eyed a veteran guard when they were shopping Watson around to different teams, but the plan fizzled out.
“Kris Dunn was another potential player brought up in conversations with the (Los Angeles) Clippers, but Denver wouldn’t have agreed to a deal involving the 32-year-old guard without also getting draft capital back from Los Angeles, a source said,” wrote Durando.
“Pulling that off would’ve been difficult because for the Nuggets, taking back any salary in a sign-and-trade would hard-cap them at the second apron by rule, meaning they would need to send out another player in addition to Watson.”
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Eventually, Denver shipped the 23-year-old Watson to Cleveland in a sign-and-trade deal, which also involved the Clippers, the Charlotte Hornets, and the Washington Wizards. In return, the Nuggets received a 2031 first-round pick and a 2032 second-round pick from the Cavaliers.
Many felt that Denver got practically nothing, especially since Payton was coming off a breakout campaign, averaging career-highs of 14.6 points, 4.9 rebounds, and 1.1 blocks.
Dunn would have been a solid piece for Mile High City, backing up Jamal Murray and providing steady defense.
Durando noted that the Nuggets also targeted Jaime Jaquez Jr. of the Milwaukee Bucks in exchange for Watson.