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Odds Each Denver Nuggets’ Player Returns Next Season

By Ryan Blackburn

Apr 8, 2016; Denver, CO, USA; San Antonio Spurs guard Patty Mills (8) defends against Denver Nuggets guard Emmanuel Mudiay (0) in the third quarter at the Pepsi Center. Mandatory Credit: Isaiah J. Downing-USA TODAY Sports
Apr 8, 2016; Denver, CO, USA; San Antonio Spurs guard Patty Mills (8) defends against Denver Nuggets guard Emmanuel Mudiay (0) in the third quarter at the Pepsi Center. Mandatory Credit: Isaiah J. Downing-USA TODAY Sports /
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 The Denver Nuggets are looking to take the next step in their rebuild. Who will be around to see it?

Apr 8, 2016; Denver, CO, USA; San Antonio Spurs center Tim Duncan (21) guards Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic (15) in the first quarter at the Pepsi Center. Mandatory Credit: Isaiah J. Downing-USA TODAY Sports
Apr 8, 2016; Denver, CO, USA; San Antonio Spurs center Tim Duncan (21) guards Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic (15) in the first quarter at the Pepsi Center. Mandatory Credit: Isaiah J. Downing-USA TODAY Sports /

Emmanuel Mudiay and Nikola Jokic look like safe bets to remain with the Denver Nuggets, but can anyone else say the same?

In the 2015-16 season, both rookies brought their talents to the Rocky Mountain State. One originally hailed from the Democratic Republic of Congo, the other from Serbia. After their rookie seasons, both have given the organization countless reasons to be excited for the future.

Mudiay arrived with sky-high expectations as the seventh overall pick in the 2015 NBA Draft, the highest overall selection since Carmelo Anthony in 2003. While inconsistent, Mudiay flashed potential All-Star capability at times and finished the season much stronger than he began it.

Jokic had low expectations coming in as the 41st overall selection in 2014. Although he was the Adriatic League MVP during the 2014-15 season, nobody expected him to have such a meteoric rise in the NBA. His skill set as a center features elite passing ability, soft touch and an outside shot, all with a developing body that hasn’t stopped growing.

Related Story: 25 Best Players to Play for the Denver Nuggets

As he continues to get stronger and faster (and possibly learning to play power forward this summer), the Nuggets organization will look for Jokic to take the next step to become a franchise cornerstone. He displayed the potential to be a top level NBA player, and the rebuild would be much easier if a top tier player developed internally.

The question is, can anyone else on the roster be guaranteed a spot to return? As a rebuilding organization, there are other members of the young core that will likely be back, but the same can’t be said for anyone older than 25. I can envision a scenario where every member of the roster other than Mudiay or Jokic is off the roster at the start of next season.

Three first-round picks and more than $18 million in cap space don’t help the situation either. Two players are set to become free agents (D.J. Augustin, and Mike Miller), while Darrell Arthur is on a player option and three others are on non-guaranteed contracts (Joffrey Lauvergne, Jakarr Sampson, Axel Toupane).

The remaining nine players are guaranteed, but are anything but guaranteed a roster spot in 2016-17. With that in mind, let’s go through the roster, excluding Mudiay and Jokic, to play the odds on who will be around next season.

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