DerMarr Johnson, who said he wanted to return to the Nuggets because of his "love" for the organization, wouldn't identify the teams he said offered him multiyear contracts for more than the minimum. But he figures he'll make up for any lost dollars when he is an unrestricted free agent after this season.

"It didn't frustrate me at all (getting the minimum) because I could have gotten paid more than the minimum, but I would have had to sign for a longer time, and that's not what I wanted to do. I'm confident that I can play myself into a big deal."