Denver is exploring all options.
The Denver Nuggets are heading into a big offseason with tough decisions to make, and forward Zeke Nnaji is right at the center of the conversation.
The 25-year-old was the 22nd overall pick in the 2020 NBA Draft out of Arizona, but his time in Denver has not gone the way anyone expected, and the front office may finally be ready to move on.
HoopsHype's Michael Scotto reported on Saturday that the Nuggets have been open to discussing a deal involving Nnaji.
"With the Denver Nuggets currently projected to be near the second apron, they've signaled a willingness to discuss forward Zeke Nnaji and the No. 26 pick as a trade package, league sources told HoopsHype."
Nnaji's Disappointing Run in Denver
The Nuggets handed Nnaji a four-year, $32 million extension in 2023, and the deal has turned into one of the worst moves the franchise has made in recent years.
Since signing that contract, Nnaji has been out of the rotation for the past three seasons and has failed to carve out a real role.
He averaged just 3.7 points and 2.6 rebounds per game this past season in about 12 minutes a night, and those numbers paint a picture of a player who simply has not earned his spot.
Nnaji is still owed $7.47 million for the 2026-27 season and holds a player option worth the same amount for the following year.
That is roughly $14.9 million tied up in a player who barely sees the court, and for a team trying to avoid the second apron, that much money on the bench is something Denver cannot keep ignoring.
Why Moving Nnaji Makes Sense
The Nuggets finished the 2025-26 season with a 54-28 record and earned the third seed in the Western Conference, but their first-round exit against the Minnesota Timberwolves in six games showed that this roster has real holes.
Nikola Jokic put up 27.7 points, 12.9 rebounds and 10.7 assists per game across 65 regular season appearances and finished second in MVP voting, but one player can only carry so much.
Denver's biggest priority this summer is re-signing restricted free agent Peyton Watson, who they need back on the defensive end.
Getting Nnaji's salary off the books would go a long way toward making that happen and freeing up flexibility to address the gaps that were exposed in the playoffs.
The No. 26 pick is a real asset in what looks like a deep draft class, and attaching it to Nnaji just to dump salary is a steep price, but the Nuggets may not have many other options at this point.
With Jokic expected to sign a four-year, $278 million extension and the championship window still cracked open, Denver needs to be smart about every dollar on their cap sheet.
Nnaji's deal has weighed this team down for too long, and moving on might be the only way to build around their best player the right way.
