Nikola Jokic’s name is already hanging over Denver’s future, and the conversation is bigger than the season ahead.
The Nuggets are trying to chase another run in a loaded Western Conference, but The Athletic’s John Hollinger says the real pressure point is what happens after the year ends. That’s when, as he put it, “three-time MVP Nikola Jokić will become an unrestricted free agent.”
Hollinger pointed to the tension between Jokic’s public stance and the roster concerns around him. “While the best Nugget ever has insisted that he wants to stay in Denver and sign a massive five-year deal worth a projected $360 million, there is justifiable paranoia in the Mile High City that the shortcomings of the rest of the roster may cause his eye to wander.”
He also noted that the rest of the league is waiting. “Certainly, 29 other teams are scheming for how they might lure him away come July.”
The roster, in Hollinger’s view, still carries a familiar flaw. Denver has a strong starting group around Jokic, but the second unit remains the shaky part.
He described it as “by far the weakest bench of any contender or quasi-contender,” and said the team still has a serious ceiling issue on offense because of a lack of 3-point shooting. He also said the defense can be loose against top teams and has, at times, been “comically bad transition defense.”
That concern gets sharper after the offseason departures of Tim Hardaway Jr. and Peyton Watson. Hollinger tied those losses to earlier mistakes that left the Nuggets short on draft picks and over the second-apron payroll threshold.
“Overreach on extensions to Christian Braun and Zeke Nnaji locked the franchise into two contracts it can’t trade, while a series of misses after the Braun-Watson draft in 2022 has drained the talent pipeline,” Hollinger said.
He also stressed that the core is moving deeper into its timeline. “All of that is more concerning because the core of Jokić, Jamal Murray and Aaron Gordon isn’t getting any younger (Murray, the youngest of the trio, turns 30 in February). Of the second-unit players, only DeMar DeRozan projects to be a positive, although Spencer Jones showed flashes as a 3-and-D wing,” Hollinger concluded.
Denver did add DeMar DeRozan, giving the Nuggets a veteran scorer to lean on. Even so, the questions around how Spencer Jones and Christian Braun handle larger roles are part of the bigger picture now, just as Jokic’s contract situation looms over everything else.
In Other News...
Christian Braun Is Putting A Real Nuggets Rotation Decision On The Table
Christian Braun entered preseason with a real chance to solidify his standing in the Nuggets rotation, but the early returns have made things more complicated. Through Denvers exhibition slate, Braun has struggled to find a rhythm, putting up just 4.3 points while shooting well below his usual standard and having trouble on the defensive end. For a team that leans on continuity and clear roles, even a short preseason slump can matter when the minutes at the wing are already a point of discussion.
Julian Strawther has given the staff more to consider on the offensive side, while Alpha Diallo has made a case with his defense, creating a bit of pressure on a spot Braun had seemed positioned to keep. None of that changes what Braun has meant to the Nuggets, but it does mean his hold on his current role is no longer completely settled. If the regular season begins the way preseason has gone, Denver may have to decide whether to ride through the rough patch or start adjusting the rotation sooner than expected. [Read more 🡒]
Nuggets Bench Battle Just Created A Tough Rotation Decision
Michael Malone is using the preseason to sort out the Nuggets secondary rotation, and the goal is fairly clear: build a dependable 10-man group that lets the starters and the bench operate cleanly. Tyus Jones, Marvin Bagley III, DeMar DeRozan, and Spencer Jones have already carved out defined roles, which has sharpened the focus on the last remaining spot and made every minute in camp matter a little more.
Alpha Diallo and Julian Strawther are the two names still pushing for that opening, and both have made a case in different ways. Diallo has brought defensive versatility, while Strawther has answered with three-point shooting, leaving Denver with a familiar preseason dilemma: deciding whether the final bench chair should go to the player who changes the game with stops or the one who stretches the floor. [Read more 🡒]
Nuggets May Have Found A New Edge Teams Wont Enjoy Facing
The Nuggets have started preseason with a familiar kind of advantage, and it is one opponents tend to notice quickly. Denver has gotten to the line at a much higher rate in its recent games, including 46 free throws against the Bulls and 42 against the Jazz, a sign that the rosters size and physical approach are already showing up the way coach David Adelman likes.
Bryce Hopkins has been part of that early edge, bringing a bruising style that helps put defenders in foul trouble. The next step is making the most of those trips, especially with bench players still working to clean up their free throw shooting. If Denver can keep forcing whistles and turn those chances into points, it could add another layer to an offense that already makes life hard for opposing teams. [Read more 🡒]