Nuggets Reportedly Decline DaRon Holmes II's $5.55 Million Option

Nuggets fans, this one stings a little. The big man Denver traded up to grab in 2024 may be playing out his final season in a Nuggets uniform.

Our Take: It is the right call for the payroll, but it is a tough look for that draft night trade. Denver needs every bit of flexibility to build around Jokic, and an unused roster spot does not help.

The Nuggets are declining DaRon Holmes II's $5.55 million fourth-year team option for 2027-28, Aryan of The Consensus reported Saturday, citing league sources. Denver Sports' Jake Shapiro and WhyNBA both passed along the report. The team has not announced it, and the deadline is Monday, Nov. 2, per Hoops Rumors.

Holmes went No. 22 in 2024 after Denver sent three second-round picks to Phoenix to move up. He tore his right Achilles in his first Summer League game and missed his rookie season. WhyNBA reports he has played 27 career games and has six minutes across two games this season. Rookie Trevon Brazile has moved ahead of him in the frontcourt rotation.

The money angle matters. Ryan Blackburn, who tracks the Nuggets' cap, said Denver now projects about $20.8 million under the 2027-28 luxury tax with only seven players on the books, per WhyNBA.

What to watch: Holmes stays on the roster and is paid in full this season. His expiring deal could become trade salary filler. Watch for the official word by Monday, and see whether coach David Adelman finds him any minutes before then.

Sources: WhyNBA, Denver Sports, Hoops Rumors