Denver Nuggets: 3 takeaways from the 2018 offseason

The Denver Nuggets made some exciting moves in the offseason, but how much will they improve?

After finishing the 2017-18 season with a 46-36 record, the Denver Nuggets knew that changes were needed in order to finally get over that hump into the playoffs.

The Nuggets’ first order of business was agreeing to re-sign shooting guard Will Barton to a four-year, $53 million deal, followed quickly by a five-year, $148 million extension for Nikola Jokic. Keeping the core together is a must when you are building a roster that is starting to win consistently.

The next order of business was to get rid of the deadweight on the roster. Wilson Chandler was traded to the Philadelphia 76ers, which opens up minutes for rookie Michael Porter Jr. Kenneth Faried fell out of favor in the rotation and barely saw playing time, while Darrell Arthur was another player on a sizable contract.

Getting rid of Faried and Arthur was a must not only because of the luxury tax implications, but also because the Nuggets have younger forwards itching for playing time in Trey Lyles, Tyler Lydon and Juan Hernongomez.

Opening up cap space is key to an NBA team’s future being wide open for success. The Nuggets signed Isaiah Thomas, who is coming off a hip injury that limited his playing time last season. Should Thomas return to All-Star form, the Nuggets will be getting a steal, even if it’s a one-year rental. The 2019 free agency class projects to be one of the deepest ones in recent year and the Nuggets will have prime cap space to improve should they see fit.

Bearing all this in mind, here are three takeaways from the Denver Nuggets’ 2018 offseason.