The Denver Nuggets can lean on Nikola Jokic and the rest of their starting group all they want, but this season is going to ask more of the players behind them. That’s where Julian Strawther comes in.
With Peyton Watson, Tim Hardaway Jr., and Bruce Brown gone from the bench mix, Denver needs fresh production in a hurry. DeMar DeRozan and Marvin Bagley are expected to matter, but Strawther is the underrated name who could swing the whole picture if he takes the next step.
The opportunity is real. Strawther, 24, is moving into a much bigger role after Hardaway Jr. left, and Denver’s outlook gets a lot brighter if he can fill that void.
Hardaway Jr. was third in Sixth Man of the Year voting last season and played a major part in the Nuggets’ 54-win run. If Strawther can give them anything close to that kind of value, the bench suddenly looks a lot more dangerous.
That wasn’t always the case. Before DeRozan arrived, Denver’s second unit looked like a major concern. Now DeRozan should help absorb some of the pressure, which makes life easier for Strawther as he settles into a larger workload.
Last season, Strawther put up 7.2 points, 2.0 rebounds, and 1.1 assists per game while shooting 46.7% from the field and 38.7% from 3-point range. Those numbers won’t turn heads on their own, but the door is wide open for more minutes and more responsibility. If his development keeps moving the way it has, Denver could get a version of Strawther that resembles the impact Hardaway Jr. brought a year ago.
His shooting has already climbed since his rookie season, and the trend line points to a big fourth year if that progress continues. There’s also the contract-year factor hanging over everything. The Nuggets will be watching closely as they decide what Strawther means to their future, and a strong season in a sixth-man type role would go a long way toward shaping that view.
If no extension gets done before the start of the 2026-27 regular season, Strawther would head toward restricted free agency next summer. That makes this year feel especially important. For Strawther, and for Denver, the stakes are obvious.
The Nuggets also don’t have much margin in the backcourt. Their guard room is made up of Jamal Murray, Christian Braun, Tyus Jones, and Strawther, with two-way guards KJ Simpson and Cam Whitmore potentially in line for minutes.
Lonnie Walker IV is still waiting to find out whether he’ll make the final roster. It’s a thin group, and nobody in Denver is pretending otherwise.
That’s exactly why Strawther matters so much. If he breaks out, a major question disappears fast. Suddenly, the Nuggets have a better answer in the backcourt and a much stronger case that their bench can hold up.
Denver can absolutely talk itself into championship expectations this season. A real jump from Strawther would make that path a whole lot cleaner.
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DeMar DeRozan Gives Nuggets Bench A New Tradeoff To Watch
Denvers decision to sign DeMar DeRozan in place of Bruce Brown brings a different kind of calculation to the bench mix. Brown was valued for his rugged role-player presence before heading to the New York Knicks in free agency, while DeRozan arrives with six All-Star nods and a much broader offensive rsum, giving the Nuggets a more versatile scorer to lean on when the second unit needs someone to settle things down.
The tradeoff, of course, is that the fit is not just about points and shot creation. The numbers suggest both players have been far from defensive standouts, and while Denver can live with some overlap if DeRozan helps lift the offense, the bench still has to hold its own on the other end. For a team thinking about another deep run, that is the part worth watching as the season unfolds. [Read more 🡒]
Nuggets Suddenly Have A DeRozan Twist Fans Didn't See Coming
DeMar DeRozans arrival gives Denver another layer of intrigue as the Nuggets continue shaping a roster built to chase another title. After being waived by Sacramento, the veteran wing landed in Denver on a one-year, minimum-salary contract, a low-risk add for a team that already leans on proven stars and values experience in tight playoff settings.
DeRozan has also brought a different kind of presence off the floor, speaking openly about his focus on mental health and his desire to support young boys and men dealing with emotional challenges. And while the basketball fit will draw the most attention now, the larger Nuggets picture keeps expanding, with the organizations parent company also laying plans for a major Ball Arena renovation that is slated to begin next summer. [Read more 🡒]
Nuggets Face One Big Question About Escaping Their Cap Crunch
The long-term picture around Denver has gotten murkier, at least in ESPNs latest three-year outlook. The Nuggets slid to 18th after being placed ninth in the previous update, a drop tied to roster turnover and the kind of salary-cap pressure that has become impossible to ignore around a contender trying to keep its core intact.
For Denver, the issue is not just where the team stands now but how it can create enough breathing room to keep building. The Nuggets are operating above the NBAs second-apron threshold, which limits flexibility in a hurry, even as possible cap changes and the use of draft assets could open a better path by the 2027-28 season. [Read more 🡒]