Timberwolves fans should be dying laughing at the Nuggets' rumored offseason plan

After the Minnesota Timberwolves took down the Denver Nuggets in six games, it was fair to expect some major roster changes in Denver. Since winning a championship in 2023, the Nuggets haven't made it past the second-round, and losing to the Anthony Edwards-less Wolves in Game 6 was embarrassing. Plus, Minnesota exposed Denver's lack of athleticism and defense.

Even though Nikola Jokic remains an elite player, it's clear the Nuggets are far away from title contention. While it was always fair to expect some changes for the Nuggets, Bennett Durando of the Denver Post noted that saving money will be important to the franchise. 

"In order to peel back the layers and truly understand how the Nuggets might proceed from here, you have to follow the money. That will dictate team officials’ offseason decisions as much as — if not more than — the fact that the Nuggets fell flat in the playoffs," Durando wrote. 

For Timberwolves fans, this report is wonderful (and hilarious) news. Focusing on cutting costs will make it significantly harder for the Nuggets to close the gap between them and Minnesota. After the playoffs, it was already undeniable that the Wolves are a superior team to the Nuggets, and now Denver's ownership is ensuring this won't change. 

The Nuggets' desire to save money will cost them a chance of competing for a championship

In the second-apron era, every team needs to be cautious of spending to some extent. However, the Nuggets have long been one of the more frugal front offices. Durando noted that the Nuggets' ownership might focus on getting below or at least close to below the luxury tax, not just the second-apron.

To put this into perspective, the Nuggets' current payroll (with 10 players) is $213.8 million, a number that puts them $8.2 million below the second-apron. With the luxury tax set at $201 million, the Nuggets have a lot of work to do in order to cut their payroll by a significant amount.

As such, this will likely result in one of Jamal Murray, Aaron Gordon, or Cameron Johnson being traded, with Murray and Gordon being the most expensive contracts. It will be challenging (perhaps even impossible) for the Nuggets to both save money and improve their roster. 

This could set up Gordon or Johnson being moved in a salary dump type of move. In the case of Murray, this could mean that the Nuggets get suboptimal value for the All-Star guard. 

And then there's the need to re-sign budding young wing Peyton Watson, who is a restricted free agent. He should have a robust market, and it's unlikely the Nuggets will be willing to pay top dollar for him unless they make some significant cost-cutting moves elsewhere. 

In the first-round, the Timberwolves proved that the Nuggets' championship window is closing, and they must upgrade their roster. However, Denver's ownership might slam this window shut for good instead of improving the roster. For Timberwolves fans, this is great news, though.

For Timberwolves fans, this is great news.

Minnesota got a harsh reminder that the San Antonio Spurs and Oklahoma City Thunder are the class of the Western Conference. With both teams still on the younger side, the Wolves face an uphill battle as they hope to win a championship. 

If the Nuggets were to focus on upgrading their roster regardless of cost, then the Wolves could face yet another significant challenge. Thankfully, though, it looks like the Nuggets are okay taking a step back. 

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