Jake Coyne

Head of NBA Research, @StatsPerform | NBA Data Analysis | Opinions represent only myself

[Jake Coyne @TheStatSquatch]

Tonight was Nikola Jokic’s 78th career game leading BOTH teams in points, rebounds and assists.

That’s the most such games by any player since the 1976 NBA-ABA merger, 10 more than the next closest player (LeBron James - 68).

[Adam Mares @Adam_Mares]

We've got @TheStatSquatch on today's show!
Must watch episode, starts NOW.

✅ Overview of Denver's cap sheet
✅ What would getting under the tax look like?
✅ What will it take to keep Pwat?
✅ Is a gap year necessary?

https://t.co/bGIHiqUC00

[Jake Coyne @TheStatSquatch]

Over the last two years the Nuggets:

Spent 3 second round picks to dump Reggie Jackson (expiring $5M)

Spent 3 second round picks to draft Daron Holmes (non-rotation player)

A role player for Denver wouldn’t make up the difference in this series. But the margins are important.

[Kirk Goldsberry @kirkgoldsberry]

On February 4, 2026, the Chicago Bulls traded guard Ayo Dosunmu and forward Julian Phillips to the Minnesota Timberwolves in exchange for Rob Dillingham, Leonard Miller, and four second-round draft picks

[Jake Coyne @TheStatSquatch]

This season, the Nuggets had 10 different players shoot 38% or better from three-point range (min. 100 attempts).

No other team in NBA history has had 8+ players do that in the same season.

[Jake Coyne @TheStatSquatch]

@ErinBurr27 2013-14, 2014-15, 2015-16, 2016-17, 2018-19, 2022-23

[Jake Coyne @TheStatSquatch]

There have been two different sets of teammates in NBA history to make 220+ threes each on 40% or better shooting in the same season:

Klay Thompson & Steph Curry (six times)

Jamal Murray & Tim Hardaway Jr. (2025-26)

[OptaSTATS @OptaSTATS]

There have been over 1.4 million total 10-game spans by players in NBA history, including playoffs.

In none of them did a player have as many points, rebounds and assists as Nikola Jokić during the @nuggets' current 10-game winning streak (252 points, 145 rebounds, 127 assists).

[Jake Coyne @TheStatSquatch]

Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray are the first teammates in NBA history to put up 1500+ points and 500+ assists in the same season.

Murray (1787 PTS, 501 AST) reached the assist mark tonight to join Jokic (1647 PTS, 640 AST).

[Jake Coyne @TheStatSquatch]

Tonight was the 400th time that Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray played in a game together and won (including playoffs).

The 400 wins are the most by any duo in the NBA since they became teammates in the 2016-17 season.

[Jake Coyne @TheStatSquatch]

Tonight was the 5th time this season that Tim Hardaway Jr. came off the bench and made 7+ threes, tied for the most such games in a season in NBA history.

Two of the previous three players to do so won the NBA’s 6th Man of the Year award (‘16-17 E. Gordon, ‘24-25 P. Pritchard).

[Jake Coyne @TheStatSquatch]

Nikola Jokic in his last three games:

48 REB
39 AST
13 STL
4 BLK

No other NBA player in the last 40 years has reached those numbers in a four-game span - while Jokic did so in three games.

[Jake Coyne @TheStatSquatch]

@critiquenik I don’t have it in front of me at the moment but it should be a bit below $6 million for Spencer. I’m not sure we see him reach the starter criteria, though.

[Jake Coyne @TheStatSquatch]

With Denver signing Jones to a rest-of-season deal, into their 14th roster spot, the Nuggets should have space to sign a 15th player to a rest-of-season deal anytime between now and the end of the regular season - should they choose to do so - and remain below the tax line.

[Shams Charania @ShamsCharania]

The Denver Nuggets are converting two-way Spencer Jones to a standard NBA contract for the remainder of the season, sources tell ESPN. Jones will become a restricted free agent in June. He has started 34 of 46 games for the Nuggets, averaging 6 points and 41.4% shooting from 3.

[Jake Coyne @TheStatSquatch]

@prmorphine @KeithSmithNBA @NBABlackburn I was just using an example of one route they could take. As Keith pointed out, they can sign two minimums anytime now and be likely under the tax (assuming about $400K in incentives hit)

[Jake Coyne @TheStatSquatch]

@Bucketsince88 Yes, getting picks does not trigger any hard cap. I’d say this is unlikely, though, considering teams know Denver doesn’t want to go into the second apron

[Jake Coyne @TheStatSquatch]

Denver is unlikely to acquire any players in an outgoing Watson sign-and-trade, as doing so would hard cap them at the second tax apron - a number they are already pushing up against in 2026-27.

The most likely scenarios are Watson leaving for nothing or re-signing.

[NBACentral @TheDunkCentral]

Peyton Watson could be “gettable” this summer due to Denver’s tax situation, per @kpelton

“Restricted free agency is trickier for a team such as the Lakers that can't afford to wait out the matching period, but Denver Nuggets forward Peyton Watson -- an L.A.-area native who played at UCLA -- might be gettable via sign-and-trade because of Denver's tax situation.”

(Via https://t.co/SNZXsNfiqP)

[Jake Coyne @TheStatSquatch]

@UncleRollie_ Still seems like an unlikely option compared to him walking or re-signing, I’d say. I think teams know Denver isn’t going to go deep into the second apron to re-sign him, so they’d probably call Denver’s bluff

[Jake Coyne @TheStatSquatch]

@UncleRollie_ What’s the motivation for a team to give Denver picks if Denver isn’t taking on any salary?

[Jake Coyne @TheStatSquatch]

@MiroslavCuk @ShamsCharania It’ll end up being between $9.5M and $10.0M of cap saved

[Jake Coyne @TheStatSquatch]

@DanielWinston3 @MiroslavCuk They can do it now if they’re also only going to give Jones a minimum deal. If they want to give Jones more via the MLE they’ll need to wait a bit

[Jake Coyne @TheStatSquatch]

The Nuggets are $1.8 million below the luxury tax line.

One approach they could take:

Sign Jones to a $1.2 million deal (for 2025-26) now using the MLE, then on March 1 they could sign a bought out player to a minimum deal and stay about $35K under the tax.

[Chris Haynes @ChrisBHaynes]

Denver Nuggets will convert swingman Spencer Jones from a two-way contract to a standard contract, league sources tell me. The second-year player has had a standout campaign.

[Jake Coyne @TheStatSquatch]

@NBABlackburn The prorated minimum decreases by about $13K each day between now and the end of season. There’s a number of ways they could go about adding two players but I think the most likely is giving Spencer some MLE money for a small raise + longer contract and then a minimum buyout guy