A healthy Nuggets roster runs it back, banking on Nikola Jokic and experience to keep pace

Denver Nuggets

Last season: 54-28, lost to Minnesota in first round of playoffs.

COACH: David Adelman (2nd season as full-time coach, 57-28).

SEASON OPENER: Oct. 22 at Oklahoma City.

DEPARTURES: G/F Tim Hardaway Jr., C Jonas Valanciunas, G Bruce Brown, G/F Peyton Watson.

ADDITIONS: F/C Marvin Bagley III, G/F DeMar DeRozan, G Alpha Diallo, G Ryan Nembhard, F Cam Whitmore, G Lonnie Walker IV.

What to expect

The Nuggets are once again running it back and hoping for better health come playoff time. Last season, Aaron Gordon and Peyton Watson — now with the Cleveland Cavaliers — dealt with injuries as the Nuggets were eliminated by the Timberwolves. Gordon said he changed his routine so calf/hamstring issues of the past don’t hamper him in the future. Go ahead and pencil this in: A well-rounded statistics year from Nikola Jokic, the three-time NBA MVP who averaged a triple double (27.7 points, 12.9 rebounds, 10.7 assists) a season ago. Jokic and point guard Jamal Murray have the pick-and-roll down to a science. The Nuggets need a big year out of Spencer Jones after Watson’s departure.

Strengths and weaknesses

The good: Easy, Jokic. His 198 triple-doubles in the regular season are second-most since the NBA started tracking the stat. He could surpass Russell Westbrook (209) this season. Jokic had 34 triple-doubles in 2025-26, which was as many as the next three players on the list — Josh Giddey (13), Jalen Johnson (13) and Luka Doncic (eight) — combined.

The not-so-good: Depth. The Nuggets don’t have much wiggle room, either, being above the second apron, a strict financial threshold to curb high-spending teams. Denver’s going to need minutes and points out of Julian Strawther, Walker, Zeke Nnaji, DaRon Holmes II, Trevon Brazile and Diallo, among others.

Players to watch

DeRozan, who arrived on a one-year deal worth the veteran minimum of $3.9 million and brings valuable experience. DeRozan is entering his 18th season and could thrive in an offense that’s built around Jokic’s ability to spread the floor. Cameron Johnson is coming off a season in which he shot 43% from 3-point range. Christian Braun is healed from an ankle injury that hampered him last season.

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