The Denver Nuggets open their 2026-27 preseason on Sunday night against the Utah Jazz, and with a reshaped roster taking the floor for the first time this year, a few names deserve extra attention right away.
Christian Braun is one of the biggest ones. After an injury-plagued, uneven season last year, his standing has slipped from where it was at this point a year ago.
He had trouble scoring efficiently, didn’t bring the same edge on the perimeter defensively, and the reaction to his $125 million extension turned sour before the first season of that deal even began. That makes this a clear bounceback spot, and the first preseason game should offer an early read on whether he looks more explosive, whether the jumper is falling from outside and around the rim, and how often David Adelman leans on him.
Another player worth tracking is Alpha Diallo, who is set to make his first NBA appearance after spending the past several years overseas with the EuroLeague in Greece and Monaco. The 29-year-old rookie brings size at 6-foot-7, 201 pounds, plus a 6-foot-10 wingspan, and he arrives after winning the EuroLeague’s Best Defender award last season. Denver could use him as one of its more important defenders, so Sunday should tell a lot about his minutes, his role, and how quickly that defensive profile translates.
DaRon Holmes is also in the spotlight for a different reason. His second season in Denver carries real weight after his first two years were limited by the Achilles injury he suffered in 2024.
He has a path to a bigger role if he can prove he can shoot and defend multiple spots, and he may already get extra run against Utah. Spencer Jones is dealing with a lingering hamstring injury that could keep him out, which would open the door for Holmes to spend more time at the four.
With Peyton Watson now gone to the Cleveland Cavaliers, the Nuggets need young players like Holmes to show something, and this preseason opener is a chance for him to do exactly that.
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For Watson, the appeal of landing with the Cavaliers seems to go beyond opportunity alone. He has made it clear he views Cleveland as the best basketball and culture fit for where he wants to go next, and that matters for a team trying to push past its previous Eastern Conference Finals finish. The Cavs are banking on his scoring and defensive potential to help them get there, and Watson sounds like he expects to grow right along with them. [Read more 🡒]
Julian Strawther Suddenly Has A Huge Nuggets Opportunity
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Strawther already showed he could help in a limited role last season, averaging 7.2 points in 15 minutes a night, and the path to more responsibility is suddenly much cleaner. The Nuggets need wing production off the bench, and Strawther is in position to absorb those minutes and prove he can be a dependable piece rather than just another option on a reshuffled second unit. [Read more 🡒]