GAME NIGHT: Who Are the BIGGEST LOSERS Of the NBA Offseason?! | Denver Nuggets GOT WORSE?!

August 24, 2026

AI Summary

5 min read

"$22 million is the number that all of us would be comfortable paying," said a Denver Nuggets analyst of Peyton Watson's market value. Instead, the Nuggets let Watson walk to Cleveland for a single unprotected first-round pick — a move that crystallized how the new collective bargaining agreement is reshaping roster construction, sometimes for the worse. On this episode of Locked On NBA Game Night, hosts Danny Cunningham and Swipe turned their attention to the teams that had the worst offseasons, finding a common culprit: the financial constraints of the NBA's second apron and the self-inflicted wounds that follow.

The Denver Nuggets: A Case Study in Unforced Errors

The Denver Nuggets were the episode's primary focus, and the diagnosis was grim. The hosts argued that the team enters the upcoming season worse than last year, despite still employing Nikola Jokić, the best player in the world. The root cause is a combination of the punitive CBA and a series of questionable front-office decisions.

Continue reading the full summary in the app — free to try.

Read Full Summary →

Free • No credit card required

Listen to Audio Summary Open in App

Never miss an episode of The Daily

Get every new episode summarized in your inbox — free, ~5 minutes to read.

No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.

What you'll learn

1 (01:15) **Show Intro & Worst Offseason Framework** - Danny and Swipe introduce the premise: not every NBA team had a good summer, and tonight they’ll highlight the biggest losers of the offseason.
2 (03:24) **Denver Nuggets: Financial Mismanagement & Roster Decay** - The Nuggets are the first team spotlighted for a summer that made them objectively worse despite retaining Nikola Jokic.
3 (10:31) **Unforced Errors & Jokic’s Future** - The hosts argue Denver’s problems are self-inflicted and could push their superstar toward an exit.
4 (17:50) **Golden State Warriors: Wasting Steph Curry’s Final Years** - The Warriors are named as a team that did virtually nothing to improve around an aging but still elite Steph Curry.
5 (24:56) **Steph’s Motivation & The Warriors’ Identity** - The hosts debate whether Steph’s remaining competitive drive changes how Golden State’s offseason should be judged.
6 (27:24) **New Orleans Pelicans: Directionless Roster** - The Pelicans are called out for running back a 26-win team with no clear vision.
7 (31:22) **Boston Celtics & Milwaukee Bucks: Missed Opportunities** - Two playoff teams are briefly assessed for underwhelming offseasons driven by CBA constraints.

+ Full timestamped outline available in the app

Guests on this episode

Danny Cunningham

Show Notes

On this edition of Locked On NBA Game Night, Danny Cunningham (Locked On Cavs) and Swipa (Locked On Nuggets) break down which teams across the NBA have had the worst summers. The guys begin by talking about the Denver Nuggets, who recently lost Peyton Watson in a sign-and-trade to the Cleveland Cavaliers. Next, the conversation shifts to the Golden State Warriors, who failed to add any proven talent around Stephen Curry this summer. Finally, the guys discuss the New Orleans Pelicans, Milwaukee Bucks and Boston Celtics.

Image Credit: Jesse Johnson-Imagn Images

Support Us By Supporting Our Sponsors!

Indeed
Listeners of this show get a $75 Sponsored Job Credit to help give your job the premium placement it deserves at http://Indeed.com/podcast.

Odoo
Great organizations win because operations matter. And that’s why you should get Odoo. Try for free today at https://Odoo.com/lockedon.

FanDuel
Today's episode is brought to you by FanDuel. Join all the action at https://FANDUEL.COM to play Daily Dingers and make your free pick on who’s hitting a homer this MLB season.

FANDUEL DISCLAIMER: 21+ in select states. First online real money wager only. Bonus issued as nonwithdrawable free bets that expires in 14 days. Restrictions apply. See terms at sportsbook.fanduel.com. Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER or visit FanDuel.com/RG (CO, IA, MD, MI, NJ, PA, IL, VA, WV), 1-800-NEXT-STEP or text NEXTSTEP to 53342 (AZ), 1-888-789-7777 or visit ccpg.org/chat (CT), 1-800-9-WITH-IT (IN), 1-800-522-4700 (WY, KS) or visit ksgamblinghelp.com (KS), 1-877-770-STOP (LA), 1-877-8-HOPENY or text HOPENY (467369) (NY), TN REDLINE 1-800-889-9789 (TN)

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.