Before starting, this is not possible currently or going onto next season.

The Denver Nuggets made this move to reduce financial strain and rebuild their asset base. After acquiring Cam Johnson in 2025, their payroll became quite high; trading his $23 million salary for Barnes’s expiring deal allowed them to avoid luxury tax penalties and preserve flexibility with future draft picks. Since Denver had already given up significant assets to get Johnson, getting a first-round pick from the Spurs provided extra value while freeing up cap space to retain key young players like Peyton Watson this summer.

San Antonio made the trade to speed up their plan of surrounding Victor Wembanyama with prime age shooters. Barnes offered veteran stability, while Johnson brought a younger player capable of high volume shooting at 39 percent, fitting the Spurs’ long-term strategy. With an abundance of draft capital, using a protected first round pick to acquire a high end starter under team control through 2027 was a low risk decision.