Denver Nuggets

Are the Denver Nuggets over the apron in 2026-27?

Season2026-272027-28 2028-29 2029-30 2030-31

Yes. The Nuggets are $6.1M over the first apron for 2026-27 (projected), with $6.9M of room before the second.

Apron payroll

$215.1M

First apron

$209.0M (-$6.1M)

Second apron

$222.0M ($6.9M)

Over the first apron they lose sign-and-trade acquisitions, the full mid-level (only the smaller taxpayer MLE remains), the bi-annual exception, and must match salaries within 110% in trades.

Crossing the second apron at $222.0M would cost far more, so that $6.9M buffer is the number their front office watches.

The rule behind this

The first apron is a spending line a few million above the luxury tax. Crossing it costs a team roster-building tools rather than just money: no acquiring players via sign-and-trade, no full mid-level exception (only the smaller taxpayer MLE), no bi-annual exception, no signing buyout players who earned more than the MLE, and trades must return salary within 110% of what goes out.

What is the first apron? →What is the second apron? →What is the taxpayer mid-level exception? →

More Nuggets questions

Do the Denver Nuggets have cap space in 2026-27?Are the Denver Nuggets in the luxury tax in 2026-27?Do the Denver Nuggets have the mid-level exception in 2026-27?Can the Denver Nuggets sign a max free agent in 2026-27?Who are the Denver Nuggets free agents in 2026-27?What draft picks do the Denver Nuggets have?

Numbers come straight from the live Nuggets cap sheet, recomputed whenever the data updates.