By Jordan Long
The Denver Nuggets are set to begin their title defense tonight, hosting the L.A. Lakers. The Nuggets decided to sign Zeke Nnaji to a contract extension. It is 4-years, paying $32 million or $8 million annually.
Nnaji has been with the Denver Nuggets since the 2020-2021 season. In that time, he averaged 13.4 minutes, 5 points, and 2.6 rebounds per game. The Nuggets use him primarily as a backup center. Most of the time, Nnaji sees the court when games are blowouts.
Last season during the Nuggets championship run, Nnaji appeared in 53 games, averaging 13.7 minutes and scoring 5.2 points while adding 2.6 rebounds per game during the regular season. When it came to the Nuggets title run, Nnaji saw action in 5 games, averaging 2.4 minutes and 1 point per game. In other words, Nnaji didn’t have much of an impact during the postseason run.
The Nuggets could have waited until the end of the year to sign Nnaji to a new deal. He was scheduled to be a restricted free agent once the year was over, meaning if a team offered him a contract the Nuggets could match it. Instead, Denver didn’t want to risk it, giving him a new deal.
This new agreement includes a player option after the 2027 season which means he could opt out before the last year. If he stays, it runs out after the 2027-2028 season. The Nuggets know Nnaji is the future of the Denver Nuggets as the backup to Jokic. His game is only going to grow at the NBA level. Nnaji is 20 years old. Once this contract is up, he will be 27 years old, entering the prime of his career.
Now that Nnaji is signed long-term, he can focus on improving his game. His game can develop for him to become a force off the bench. The Nuggets should be a title contender this season and for years to come. Hopefully, Nnaji helps them win multiple titles during his new contract.
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