NBA Insider Reveals Harsh Reality for Denver Nuggets, Nikola Jokic

The Nuggets have been good for a while, but now they have to be great.

Dec 28, 2023; Denver, Colorado, USA; Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic (15) and guard Jamal Murray (27) react on the bench during the fourth quarter against the Memphis Grizzlies at Ball Arena. / Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images

Even though they already won one, the Denver Nuggets are going to be under a lot of pressure to win an NBA Championship and it all has to do with money.

The Nuggets paid Nikola Jokic and Michael Porter Jr. in the last few years. They paid Jamal Murray this offseason and, according to NBA insider Brian Windhorst, Denver will also likely end up paying Aaron Gordon.

With those four big contracts on the teams' payroll, it's all or nothing time for the Nuggets.

"They were going to be a very expensive team," ESPN NBA insider Brian Windhorst said on NBA Today. "What they basically decided was not to pay Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, who's a multi-time champion and a key role player, and to pay Jamal Murray and probably Aaron Gordon. We're going to see Aaron Gordon, he is eligible for an extension in the next couple of weeks here. I would expect them to try to get that done."

"[The Nuggets] have run out of time with cheaper contracts. ... The pressure has now arrived." ✍️ @WindhorstESPN on if Nikola Jokić, Jamal Murray and the Nuggets' championship window has closed 👀 pic.twitter.com/WjVEFwR0bv

— NBA on ESPN (@ESPNNBA) September 19, 2024

With the departure of Kentavious Caldwell-Pope to the Orlando Magic, the Nuggets are all-in on this core with Jamal Murray, Nikola Jokic, Michael Porter Jr., and Aaron Gordon.

"They have reached sort of the maturation point of a champion. I believe six or seven consecutive years we have not seen a repeat champion and one of the reasons is because paying everybody and deciding you’re gonna pay is difficult and that's what the Nugget have run into. They've run out of time with cheaper contracts and the pressure has now arrived."

The Nuggets are still considered one of the favorites to win the NBA Championship, but their road will be a lot harder with the loss of sharpshooter Kentavious Caldwell-Pope.

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