The Denver Nuggets, champions just a few years back, are in the absolute worst financial position in their franchise history, and it’s making for one wild offseason. With two roster spots still open, they just made a high-stakes move, signing former first-round pick Cam Whitmore to a two-way NBA deal after he was recently waived by the Cleveland Cavaliers. This is a gamble, plain and simple, for a team that can barely make a splash.
The Money Mess That’s Got Denver Cornered
Can you even believe the financial hole the Nuggets dug themselves into? Sporting News is reporting that this summer has been a nightmare for them, with no cap space to do much of anything. Logan Struck from SI laid it all out: “The Denver Nuggets were in a tough financial position before the offseason got underway, and by re-signing Spencer Jones to a two-year, $12 million deal, they slid into the second apron with a projected luxury tax penalty of $68 million, the highest in franchise history.” Sixty-eight million dollars in luxury tax! That’s just brutal. They have literally been able to make only small signings because of this financial crunch. This explains why they are even looking at two-way deals to fill out the roster.
Cam Whitmore: On The Brink After Three NBA Seasons
So, who is Cam Whitmore, and why is this such a big deal for him? ESPN’s Shams Charania confirmed the signing, and this is Whitmore’s fourth NBA season already. He was the 20th pick in the 2023 NBA Draft, a former first-rounder, remember? HoopsHype’s Michael Scotto told us the Cleveland Cavaliers just waived him, and before that, he had stints with the Rockets and Wizards. This kid is young, sure, but his career is legitimately “at stake” if he has another bad season. He averaged 10.5 points and 3.3 rebounds over 119 career games, shooting 45% from the field and 35% from three-point range in 17.3 minutes across those three seasons. The talent is there, he can score, but the defense? That’s “not all there for him.” Whitmore was on a $15 million rookie deal before getting waived, so this two-way deal is a massive step down. He’s already in Denver, joining the team for workouts, which tells you he’s ready to prove something.
On a two-way deal, it’s always hard to say exactly how much time he’ll get on the main roster, but for Whitmore, he just absolutely “has to make the most of it” for his career. The Nuggets are desperate, and getting a guy “playing with his career on the line could be a very good move.” It’s a low-risk, potentially high-reward play for a team that needs some serious good luck and maybe a reclamation project to hit big. This kid’s got a fresh start in a tough situation for the team, and you can bet he’s going to be fighting for every single minute.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by The Sporting News.
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