2019 mid-level exception (MLE) and veteran minimum options

LeverRed · Post #1 » by **LeverRed** » Sat Jun 29, 2019 11:45 pm

I believe that Looney would be a good fit for our team and a good tough center to bring in beside or behind joker , He is a good tough player from what I’ve seen and has the deep playoff experience that is mandatory while making championship run. It sounds like he could be had for a mid-level exception of maybe 4.5 to 5.5 million a year

Coeur · Post #2 » by **Coeur** » Sat Jun 29, 2019 11:48 pm

I would think he would get more than that.

He could def be an option. I’m convinced they will sign a big because that will be the only position that will be had at good value this year. Looney or wcs could be great value.

You want a sg or a sf- no chance at good value there. But centers there will be a lot better values than plumlee15

LeverRed · Post #3 » by **LeverRed** » Sat Jun 29, 2019 11:58 pm

You’re right about the money though he’s probably going to get about 9 1/2 million

Post #4 » by **THE J0KER** » Sun Jun 30, 2019 1:51 am

LeverRed wrote:I believe that Looney would be a good fit for our team and a good tough center to bring in beside or behind joker , He is a good tough player from what I’ve seen and has the deep playoff experience that is mandatory while making championship run. It sounds like he could be had for a mid-level exception of maybe 4.5 to 5.5 million a year

Welcome to this forum LeverRed!

We have several threads here related to current off-season or related to roster rotations options. So, it is not recommended to open a new thread about every Free Agent suggestion, especially if it is just a suggestion, not reaction on something which Nuggets FO works in the progress.

But instead of locking this thread or redirect all posts to some other already existing off-season thread, I decided just to rename this thread to be a place about all MLE FA discussions. With team prolonged Millsap deal for another 30M season, and no news that team trying to do anything with Barton nor Plumlee, MLE level players from FA market would be probably the only rational "new Nuggets player" this summer.

So, you started it with Looney. I like the guy, but we have already a dominant center which will play around 35mpg, and Plumlee, Bol Bol, and Welsh fighting for remaining minutes. We are also stacked with many useful guards, so I would prefer some useful MLE forward. The problem with MLE players is that we don't know who belongs to that group (under 5.2M per year salary). Are veterans Rudy Gay or Trevor Ariza value enough downgraded to belong to this group? Problem with best 2019 option is that some more attractive places like LA will be hungry for such type of players after paying all these max contracts.

Post #5 » by **THE J0KER** » Sun Jun 30, 2019 2:05 am

BTW here is the full list of 2019 Free Agents sorted by last season Win Share. In Gray are players over MLE price for sure:

Spoiler:

Post #6 » by **NuggetsWY** » Sun Jun 30, 2019 3:44 am

It seems likely the Warriors will match any offer Looney gets - it's what I'd do if I were running that team. Outside of Green, Durrant, Curry, Thompson, he'd be my 1st priority.

I just don't see the Nuggets signing a free agent - unless it's a veteran's minimum contract. They could use the MLE or a TPE but that would likely result in too much salary for next year. They'll watch this year a little closer than they've done in the past (or so it would seem) because they don't want to be over the limit this year. If they can seriously compete next year, they might have to go over the cap and they don't want to be a repeater any sooner than they have to.

Coeur · Post #7 » by **Coeur** » Sun Jun 30, 2019 2:17 pm

Not sure that any contributor could be had at that price now. Everything will likely be done through trades.

• 6th man/shooter (Bogdan)
• wing scorer (Wiggins)
• starting pf (Gordon)
• stretch 4 (Bjelica)
• 5/4 combo (WCS)

The only guys even coming close to filling one of these? WCS or that backup c role maybee or:

Tomas Satoransky is the fa I’d like to be a sixth man. But even he might be double the mle?

Manolito · Post #8 » by **Manolito** » Sun Jun 30, 2019 5:50 pm

Looney? With Millsap, Vanderbilt, Lyles (potentially), Jokic, Plumlee & Bol Bol you still want another PF/C guy?

My vote is for a 3D hands down. Ariza would be my preferred one

Sent from my Aquaris M5 using RealGM mobile app

Coeur · Post #9 » by **Coeur** » Sun Jun 30, 2019 10:01 pm

Manolito wrote:Looney? With Millsap, Vanderbilt, Lyles (potentially), Jokic, Plumlee & Bol Bol you still want another PF/C guy?

My vote is for a 3D hands down. Ariza would be my preferred one

Sent from my Aquaris M5 using RealGM mobile app

I think it’s nobody sees any place for a wing to play so we are thinking value deal on a center so that plumlee wasn’t still worth 15 mill a year.

Robin Lopez might be the best value possible if offered and courted early and hard.

Post #10 » by **THE J0KER** » Mon Jul 1, 2019 1:38 pm

Many MLE level players left on the FA market, but since we choose qualifier offer option for Lyles, we already have 13+2 players, so if we want a new player we should trade. In the best case scenario, it would be Barton, which gives us enough space to sign instead MLE some useful SF FA like Danny Green or RFA Kelly Oubre Jr.

Coeur · Post #11 » by **Coeur** » Tue Jul 2, 2019 5:50 pm

I’m shocked how close to MLE Seth Curry ended up. That 4 year 32 mill deal was great.

Coeur · Post #12 » by **Coeur** » Tue Jul 2, 2019 7:02 pm

Jake Layman 6-9 shooter from the blazers. He is restricted, Nugs should force the blazers hand. He’d easily be a moveable piece in a trade at 6 mill ish. And there’s a chance he could be a huge role player for the Nugs. I’d like a guy like this a lot to pair w mpj and Vanderbilt

Post #13 » by **THE J0KER** » Tue Jul 2, 2019 11:28 pm

Read on Twitter

32y old proven forward veteran with decent 12-4-2 TS%61% numbers last season (Lyles are 8-4-1 TS%50%), with missing just 5 games.

Unlike Utah, we obviously didn't try to get him.

Post #14 » by **THE J0KER** » Wed Jul 3, 2019 6:05 am

Read on Twitter

Two former Nuggets just signed one-year deals for a small salary. They are not a good fit for the Nuggets system, I put it here more to demonstrate who grab them. Two teams which make the biggest work this offseason still working hard to improve their rosters. Grade A+ for these two front offices this summer!

Mudiay deal is especially interesting and can be a double improvement for Jazz because if it works, Utah can trade Dante Exum for useful power forward, a position they need more, especially if Mudiay will be enough good as backup-PG. Jazz obviously learned their lesson from last summer when they are so passive because of big happiness from the previous season.

U hova · Post #15 » by **U hova** » Wed Jul 3, 2019 3:33 pm

We're not missing Jeff Green... I don't understand how that guy is still in the league.

Post #16 » by **The Rebel** » Wed Jul 3, 2019 6:28 pm

Mudiay is a terrible fit on this team and was of no interest. I personally cannot understand how Chandler got another contract, he has been washed for 2 years already.

Also Jeff green is a decent bench PF, but he is not any kind of difference maker, which is why he is always floating from team to team.

Powder Blue · Post #17 » by **Powder Blue** » Wed Jul 3, 2019 6:35 pm

Not seeing an MLE signing by the Nuggets, maybe use that room for Cancar if he's worth the hype he gets this time of year.

Post #18 » by **NuggetsWY** » Wed Jul 3, 2019 7:09 pm

U hova wrote:We're not missing Jeff Green... I don't understand how that guy is still in the league.

His reputation - but ... yeah, I get ya on that one.

Coeur · Post #19 » by **Coeur** » Wed Jul 3, 2019 11:11 pm

NuggetsWY wrote:
U hova wrote:We're not missing Jeff Green... I don't understand how that guy is still in the league.

His reputation - but ... yeah, I get ya on that one.

Jake Layman?

Post #20 » by **NuggetsWY** » Wed Jul 3, 2019 11:57 pm

Coeur wrote:
NuggetsWY wrote:
U hova wrote:We're not missing Jeff Green... I don't understand how that guy is still in the league.

His reputation - but ... yeah, I get ya on that one.

Jake Layman?

Nope, not for me. I see him as a small step back from Hernangomez.