Denver Nuggets

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

Yes. The Nuggets are $9.8M over the first apron for 2026-27, with $2.9M of room before the second.

This includes a projected signing that is not yet official, so these figures are an estimate.

Apron payroll

$218.8M

Unlikely bonuses

$5.6M

First apron

$209.0M (-$9.8M)

Second apron

$221.7M ($2.9M)

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 $221.7M would cost far more, so that $2.9M buffer is the number their front office watches. Their apron payroll counts $5.6M in unlikely bonuses, incentive money a player probably won't earn that counts against the aprons but not the cap or tax.

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? →What are unlikely bonuses? →