Teams across the NBA are becoming more wary of the dreaded second apron that restricts the advantages of high-spending teams. In light of extravagant salaries and with a major injury to franchise star Jayson Tatum, the Boston Celtics have been forced to break up their roster that won an NBA championship just one season ago. The days of spending immense amounts of money on a team are seemingly in the past.
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Denver Nuggets owner Josh Kroenke is aware of the possible future of his team, given its high player expenditures, and hinted at every Nuggets fan’s worst nightmare when he spoke with the media ahead of the 2025 NBA Draft.
Denver has suffered a few key losses to their 2023 championship roster, mainly due to the financial implications of the second apron. Kroenke understands that one injury could change the entire trajectory of the team.
“The wrong person gets injured, and very quickly you’re under a scenario that I never want to have to contemplate, and that’s trading [Nikola Jokic],” Kroenke said.
Kroenke’s comments set the internet ablaze. Just the thought of possibly trading three-time MVP Nikola Jokic seems like an act of blasphemy. To put that thought into words is like a cardinal sin.
Many experts don’t think this is as big of a situation as people are making it out to be. Former Golden State Warriors general manager Bob Myers offers a different perspective when it comes to analyzing Kroenke’s comments.
“Some of us, if you talk to the media, you make mistakes,” Myers said on ESPN’s First Take. “That’s one where you’d like to rewind the time.”
Myers is certain that Kroenke misspoke the true sentiment he meant to share. Jokic is not just one of the best players in the NBA but is arguably the greatest player ever to wear a Nuggets jersey. The last thing the organization wants to do is part ways with the face of its franchise.
NBA insider Brian Windhorst believes Kroenke’s comments were a direct correlation to the Celtics’ situation. “They’re looking at Boston, and they’re seeing that Boston is in the second apron with one of their star players injured,” Windhorst said. As a result, the Celtics parted ways with Jrue Holiday and Kristaps Porzingis for virtually nothing.
Stephen A. Smith agrees with Myers regarding Kroenke’s mistake. However, he believes Jokic playing elsewhere isn’t out of the realm of possibility. “[Nikola Jokic] is not going anywhere, but should he want to say? See that’s where it gets interesting,” Smith said.
The Nuggets have failed to make it out of the second round in consecutive seasons following their 2023 title run. Both instances saw them fight in a Game 7, which they ultimately couldn’t pull out. The Western Conference is only getting tougher, and their roster is, quite frankly, deteriorating each season.
The front office can’t let hypotheticals cloud their sense of judgment, but it’s important to have adequate preparation. The upcoming 2025-26 season may have much more significant implications on the Denver Nuggets than initially anticipated.
