The Nuggets are heading into the 2026-27 season with a bench that looks different and, for now, a little unsettled. New faces are in the mix, familiar ones are moving into new jobs, and Denver still has some figuring out to do with its second unit.
At the center of that shuffle is Julian Strawther, who suddenly has a much bigger lane in front of him. With Sixth Man of the Year finalist Tim Hardaway Jr. gone in free agency this offseason, Strawther is the player Denver is leaning on to help replace that shot-making punch off the bench.
Through his first three seasons, his role never quite settled. Year four looks different.
After practice on Friday, Strawther was direct about what the Nuggets expect from him now.
"All I've heard all summer is just finding ways to replicate Tim's production," Strawther said. "The things he was able to do for us-obviously he had an amazing year, Sixth Man of the Year finalist. We're obviously missing that, and we've got to fill that void, but understanding that my skill set is the one that matches the most with his and my willingness to shoot because at the end of the day, you need a guy a little bit unconscious, a little bit crazy in the head to go out there and launch threes as soon as they come off."
That’s the assignment in a nutshell. Hardaway Jr. brought value because he was ready to check in, fire away, and do it without hesitation.
Strawther sees the overlap in their games, but he also understands the mental edge that comes with that kind of role. If he can embrace it, Denver’s bench gets a lot more dangerous.
The good news for the Nuggets is that Strawther says the confidence is coming. He described his game as more settled now, and that matters with a season looming that could shape both his place in Denver and the team’s bigger goals.
"I think right now, my confidence in my game on both ends of the floor," Strawther said, about what he has improved on from last season. "I feel more natural on the floor.
I feel comfortable out there. I feel like I know where I'm effective.
What things help the team, and what things hurt the team. Just trying to hone in on those things and just be an efficient and effective player every night."
The early preseason signs have backed that up. In Denver’s first two preseason games, Strawther has played 38 total minutes and put up 29 points, seven rebounds, and four assists while shooting 10-20 from the field and 4-10 from beyond the arc. That kind of production gives the Nuggets something more than a one-note bench scorer; it hints at a player who can do more than stand in the corner and wait.
For Denver, that’s the appeal. Strawther isn’t just being asked to mimic Hardaway Jr.’s volume. He’s showing he can widen the menu a bit, and that could make him a better fit in a second unit that needs answers.
The Nuggets need him to take that step, and so far the 24-year-old guard looks ready for the responsibility.
In Other News...
Nuggets Are Betting This Controversial Move Wont Hurt As Much
Denvers front office made a classic win-now, future-minded pivot by moving Peyton Watson to Cleveland in a deal that brought back a 2031 first-round pick and a second-round pick. For a team trying to keep its edge while navigating salary cap constraints, it was the kind of move that can make sense on paper and still leave plenty of room for second-guessing, especially when a young contributor is part of the outgoing package.
The Nuggets are already trying to stitch together Watsons minutes with a patchwork of replacements on both ends, leaning on Alpha Diallo for defense and looking to DeMar DeRozan and Julian Strawther for offense. How smoothly that blend holds up will say a lot about whether Denver can protect its present without paying too steep a price in the process. [Read more 🡒]
Nuggets Have Little Time Left To Fix One Big Starting Lineup Issue
The Nuggets have split their first two preseason games, and the final stretch of exhibitions now feels more like an on-court tuning session than a dress rehearsal. Denver still has the Chicago Bulls, L.A. Clippers and Los Angeles Lakers left on the schedule, and head coach David Adelman has made it clear the club wants its main group on the floor together as much as possible before the games start counting for real. He also acknowledged the obvious preseason tradeoff, with the need for chemistry sitting right alongside the usual concern about keeping everyone healthy.
For Denver, the bigger issue is not whether the talent is there, but whether the lineup has had enough time to become second nature. The starting five of Jamal Murray, Christian Braun, Cameron Johnson, Aaron Gordon and Nikola Jokic has been on the floor together only 23 times, and that lack of continuity is the kind of thing the Nuggets would prefer to chip away at now rather than in midseason pressure. Adelman said the starters will play against the Bulls and then sit out one of the two Los Angeles games, leaving a narrow window for one more meaningful rehearsal before opening night. [Read more 🡒]
Ryan Nembhard Is Forcing His Way Into Denvers Guard Conversation
Ryan Nembhard has done enough early in camp to make the Nuggets take a longer look at their backcourt depth. Signed to a two-way contract just a couple of days into training camp, the guard has carried that opportunity into the preseason, where he has looked comfortable enough running the offense to keep himself in the conversation as Denver sorts out its reserve options.
Head coach David Adelman has already singled out Nembhard for the edge and competitiveness he has brought to practice, a notable sign for a player trying to carve out a role at the back of the guard rotation. He is still facing an uphill climb to break into meaningful minutes ahead of the Nuggets more established guards, but he has at least made himself look like a reliable third-string option the staff can trust if the need comes up. [Read more 🡒]