Denver Gazette beat writer Vinny Benedetto takes you around the NBA and inside the Nuggets locker room:

NBA Insider

The Nuggets roster construction is clearer after a couple of signings over the weekend.

The additions of rookie Trevon Brazile and Alpha Diallo — technically a rookie, though he’s 29 — bring the Nuggets to 12 players on standard contracts. That doesn’t count restricted free agents Peyton Watson and Spencer Jones, second-round pick Bryce Hopkins or unrestricted free agent Bruce Brown.

Denver’s already on the verge of moving into the second apron with at least a couple of roster spots to fill. The Nuggets started and spent much of last season with 14 players on standard contracts and could do the same this year as a cost-saving measure. Here’s how the position groups look after a couple of weeks of free agency:

Guards

This is the shallowest position on Denver’s depth chart.

Jamal Murray and Tyus Jones are the only players on standard contracts, while KJ Simpson is already on a two-way contract for next season. Maybe Bruce Brown is back on a minimum contract to fill out the guard depth. If not, it’s the one area where Denver needs another body. Outside of a trade, minimum contracts are the only way Denver can add guards to address the shortage.

Wings

The wing is where Denver has the least amount of certainty. Christian Braun and Cam Johnson are still under contract after starting at shooting guard and small forward, respectively, when healthy last season. They’re also the most likely trade candidates if the Nuggets want to shed salary. Watson’s and Jones’ futures in Denver will be dictated by the market for restricted free agents and other teams’ level of interest. Denver wants to keep Watson around, and the asking price for the 23-year-old on the sign-and-trade is reportedly quite high. Diallo and Hopkins will be the end-of-bench options if Watson and Jones are back in Denver.

Bigs

The Nuggets added their backup big, Marvin Bagley III, before waiving Jonas Valanciunas last week. Bagley is the best bet to back up Nikola Jokic. Aaron Gordon’s set to start alongside Jokic once again. Beyond that, there are a few guys who could play either the four or the five — Zeke Nnaji, DaRon Holmes II and Brazile. Bagley is a smaller but more athletic option than Valanciunas, while Nnaji, Holmes and Brazile are unproven when it comes to being NBA rotation players. One of Denver’s two remaining two-way contracts should go to another player capable of playing center.

What I’m Thinking

• The NBA really needs to wrap up the investigation into Aspiration and the Clippers’ potential circumvention of the salary cap.

The story surrounding an agreement with Kawhi Leonard broke nearly a year ago. Now, a trade that would send Leonard back to the Raptors is on hold until the investigation, done by an outside law firm, is completed. That’s really not fair to the Raptors. If Toronto needs to pivot to a different plan, it should have as much time as possible. If the potential punishments for Leonard and the Clippers are so severe that it would change the likelihood of the trade going through, should Leonard have been playing over the course of the investigation?

• Toronto’s not the only team being held hostage this offseason. The six teams in the LeBron James sweepstakes have no option but to sit and wait for the 41-year-old to make up his mind. It really shouldn’t take this long. James knows the situations in Cleveland, Miami, Golden State, Philadelphia, Minnesota and Denver and what each team is willing to offer by this point.  
• Victor Wembanyama did an honorable thing by leaving some money on the table, but it continues a trend that puts other superstars in a tough spot.

Like Jalen Brunson did a few years ago, Wembanyama accepted less than the market rate for a player of his caliber. Instead of a five-year extension worth closer to $300 million, Wembanyama inked a deal worth $250 million. It gives San Antonio more flexibility to build around the franchise cornerstone in the coming years, but it’s not good for the other superstars if the expectation becomes players take less than what they’re worth to do ownership and front office favors.

Nikola Jokic shouldn’t be expected to leave any money on the table whenever he decides to sign his next extension. NBA ownership groups have enough money to pay their premier talents the maximum allowed by the salary cap.

What They’re Saying

There was no shortage of positives in the Nuggets’ 101-82 win over the Timberwolves on Saturday in Las Vegas.

“Bryce (Hopkins) had another good game. Erik (Stevenson) was shooting it. KJ (Simpson) controlled the game today — really good,” J.J. Barea said after picking up his first win as Denver’s Summer League coach on Saturday. “We had a special sub (Osayi Osifo). I think O was great for this game. I don’t know how many minutes he played, but he had the best seven or six minutes of somebody in Summer League.”

What I’m Following

• If the Nuggets wanted to add an assistant with head-coaching experience to David Adelman’s staff, they have one fewer option. Frank Vogel agreed to join Steve Kerr’s staff in Golden State on Sunday.
• In one of the more surprising moves of the offseason, Milwaukee brought back Gary Trent Jr. on a four-year contract worth $64 million. Trent averaged 8.1 points on 39% shooting from the field and 36% shooting from 3.
• Jordan McLaughlin agreed to a one-year deal with the Spurs.
• Bob McAdoo was named the winner of this year’s Tex Winter Assistant Coach Lifetime Impact Award at Summer League. After a Hall of Fame playing career, McAdoo joined the Heat in 1995 and spent 19 seasons on Miami’s bench, helping the franchise win three championships.