The Nuggets opened this week by officially matching the two-year, $11.75MM offer sheet that restricted free agent Spencer Jones signed with the Thunder, ensuring that he’ll return to the team on a $6MM salary for 2026/27.

The move pushed the Nuggets’ team salary past the second apron threshold ($221.7MM), making them the only one of the NBA’s 30 franchises operating in second-apron territory one month into the ’26/27 league year. With 13 players on standard contracts and no deal in place yet for Denver’s other RFA, Peyton Watson, the team is carrying roughly $223.7MM in apron salary.

Last week, when we discussed Oklahoma City and New York deciding to operate below the second apron, I questioned that choice, arguing that a team with the ability to bring back all the key players from a championship-level roster shouldn’t worry much about being in the second apron, since the roster moves it prohibits generally aren’t all that necessary anyway.

However, the second apron is more problematic for the Nuggets for a few reasons.