The Nuggets are surveying the NBA buyout market for players who could fill their 15th roster spot for the stretch run this season if they’re able to stay under the luxury tax, league sources have told The Denver Post since the trade deadline last week. Finding a playoff contributor who’s been bo ught out of his previous contract can be a stab in the dark. Who might make sense for Denver? Here are 10 players who are available or could become available that co-general managers Ben Tenzer and Jon Wallace could target. Lonzo Ball, G Ball did not turn out to be the cost-effective Ty Jerome replacement the Cavaliers were hoping for last offseason. Salary-dumped to Utah and waived by the Jazz last week, he’s already been one of the buzziest names on the market. In theory, his ball-handling and perimeter defense could fill needs for Denver if he’s in vintage form. In reality, even those strengths could be fading, based on his bitter cup of coffee in Cleveland, and he’s not going to help the Nuggets’ spacing when he’s off the ball. His medical history is also widely considered a red flag. He and Avalanche captain Gabe Landeskog are the only two active players in their respective leagues who’ve undergone a knee cartilage transplant — a rare procedure that doctors have described as a last-ditch attempt to save both players’ careers. Jevon Carter, G The Bulls waived Carter to make room for newcomers during their roster overhaul last week. The 30-year-old point guard wasn’t playing much in Chicago, but his best game of the season was in Denver, where he scored 15 points off the bench to hand the Nuggets a frustrating loss in November. Carter is undersized, but he pressures the ball enthusiastically. Orlando Magic guard Tyus Jones (2) drives against Oklahoma City Thunder guard Isaiah Joe, left, during the first half of an NBA game on Tuesday, Feb. 3, 2026, in Oklahoma City. (AP Photo/Nate Billings) Tyus Jones, G If the Nuggets want someone who at least gives them a chance to improve on defense, Jones is not that guy. But if ball-handling and play-making are priorities, he is one of the best assist-to-turnover guards of the last few years (123 to 14 this season). He moved around from Orlando to Charlotte to Dallas last week, and he’s been speculated to be a buyout candidate. The Mavs haven’t waived him yet, though. It’s possible that he plays out the season as their starting point guard. Chris Paul, G Since his abrupt divorce with the Clippers early this season, Paul has been sitting at home waiting to be traded or waived. Los Angeles finally moved him at the deadline, but Raptors general manager Bobby Webster has already said publicly that Paul will not report to Toronto and join the team. The Nuggets have already experimented with an aging future Hall of Famer who has strong opinions and an intense leadership style at their backup point guard position. (Russell Westbrook, by the way, could be another buyout candidate in Sacramento.) Perhaps their new front office is unlikely to return to that playbook, but this list can’t be completed without mentioning Paul. Khris Middleton, F Middleton was the matching salary in the unexpected quasi-blockbuster trade that sent Anthony Davis to Washington. If the Mavericks buy out Middleton’s $33 million expiring contract soon, the Nuggets are one of 27 teams that would be allowed to sign him. (Cleveland, Golden State and New York are prohibited by payrolls that exceed the first tax apron.) Obviously, the Milwaukee legend is not what he once was. But the idea of another ball-handling forward who can get his own shot in a controlled bench role might be appealing to the Nuggets. Wherever the 34-year-old lands, everybody wants to see him on a contender again. Grizzlies forward Kyle Anderson (5) shoots against Golden State Warriors center Al Horford (20) during the first half of an NBA game in San Francisco on Monday, Feb. 9, 2026. (AP Photo/Jed Jacobsohn) Kyle Anderson, F Another veteran forward option that sounds decent on paper, between his ball-handling and play-making chops, his IQ and his reputation for being able to guard every frontcourt position. And another player who might be in decline — it’s hard to tell because the Jazz understandably prioritized its youth movement over him this season. Utah recently traded “Slow Mo” to Memphis, where he’s speculated to become a buyout candidate. Chris Boucher, F Boucher barely played in Boston and became a salary cap casualty last week, traded to Utah to help the Celtics duck the luxury tax. He’s been linked to Denver during past free agency cycles and trade deadlines. He’s already been waived by Utah, but does he make as much as he used to for the Nuggets? In the past, he’s been able to knock down open 3s off the catch and protect the rim on defense. He doesn’t have much of a ball-in-hand skillset, though, and if the Nuggets are going to sacrifice that for someone with size, they’d probably rather find a younger, more athletic option. Haywood Highsmith, F Highsmith hasn’t played at all this season while struggling with the aftermath of an August 2025 meniscus surgery. The Nets waived him last week, leaving the 29-year-old wing looking for someone willing to take a flier on his health. He’s probably one of the best wing defenders available on the buyout market, which means the Lakers will probably be the first team to dial his number. Spencer Jones is already Denver’s 3-and-D diamond in the rough, but it never hurts to have too many of that type of player. Utah Jazz forward Kevin Love, center, battles for a rebound against Orlando Magic forwards Moritz Wagner, left, and Noah Penda (93) during the second half of an NBA game on Saturday, Feb. 7, 2026, in Orlando, Fla. (AP Photo/Phelan M. Ebenhack) Related Articles Keeler: Nuggets’ home-court advantage with Nikola Jokic, Jamal Murray feels like ancient history PHOTOS: Denver Nuggets host annual Special Olympics basketball clinic Nuggets’ Nikola Jokic not worried by skid after costly last-minute turnover against Cavs James Harden, Donovan Mitchell make clutch plays, Nuggets cough up late lead to Cavs Christian Braun on failed initial return from ankle injury: ‘I wasn’t ready’ Kevin Love, F Highsmith and Love were both on the Heat team that lost to Denver in the 2023 NBA Finals. It’s unclear how much Love has left in the tank — he’s been hanging out on the Jazz’s bench all season, mentoring their young — but if he gets waived and goes searching for another ring, Denver could be a natural destination. He and Nuggets coach David Adelman have crossed paths multiple times over the years. They worked together in Minnesota in the early 2010s when they were both new to the NBA, and they were on opposite sidelines during an Oregon high school state championship game in 2005 (Love as a burgeoning prospect, Adelman as an assistant coach). Georges Niang, F Niang was traded four times in the last calendar year, going from Cleveland to Atlanta to Boston to Utah to Memphis, where he was finally waived. He’s been a legit role player on good teams in his career, but his ability to contribute for the next two to four months is up in the air. Like Highsmith, Niang hasn’t played this season, in his case because of a foot injury. Want more Nuggets news? Sign up for the Nuggets Insider to get all our NBA analysis. ...read more read less