The Resilient Nuggets Keep Winning-But Can They Hold Up Without Another Big?
No matter how this season ends, one thing’s for sure: the 2025-26 Denver Nuggets campaign is already unforgettable. And if January’s chaos is any preview, the rest of the ride might be just as wild.
Let’s start with the obvious-this has been one of the strangest months in recent Nuggets history. Losing three-time MVP Nikola Jokić to injury is a gut punch in itself.
But when that’s followed by injuries to three other starters and then backup big man Jonas Valančiūnas goes down the next night? Suddenly, Denver found itself in a situation no team wants to be in: centerless, and scrambling.
Most teams would’ve folded. Many in the national media certainly expected them to. But somehow, this Nuggets team just keeps finding ways to win.
It hasn’t been pretty. It hasn’t been easy.
But it’s been gritty, gutsy basketball. Even as the injury report reads like a starting lineup, Denver’s been patching together wins with a mix of G League call-ups, role players stepping up, and Jamal Murray playing like a man possessed.
There’s been a glimmer of hope on the health front-Aaron Gordon and Valančiūnas both made brief returns. But just as quickly, they were sidelined again.
At one point, head coach David Adelman was sending out a rotation that looked more like the Grand Rapids Gold than the defending champs. And yet, even against elite competition like Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Bucks, the Nuggets found a way to win.
Try to make sense of it, and you’ll just end up with a headache. This team is defying logic.
Eventually, the hope is that Jokić, Cameron Johnson, and Christian Braun will return-likely in that order. And when they do, there’s a belief that Denver can finally get back to full strength and make a run at another Western Conference crown.
But getting healthy is one thing. Staying healthy?
That’s the real challenge.
Take Braun, for example. What was initially diagnosed as a sprained ankle has turned out to be much more serious.
His return timeline is murky at best. Gordon’s hamstring is going to be an issue all season.
Murray is clearly banged up, playing through a laundry list of nagging injuries that won’t go away until the offseason. And there’s no telling how Jokić, Johnson, or Valančiūnas will hold up once they’re back in the lineup.
Still, this stretch hasn’t been all doom and gloom. In fact, it’s revealed a lot about this team’s depth-and its heart.
Peyton Watson, Jalen Pickett, and Spencer Jones have all stepped up in a big way. That trio wasn’t expected to carry a heavy load this season, but they’ve been thrown into the fire and responded with poise and production. Their emergence gives Denver a deeper rotation than many thought possible, and they’ve been crucial during the team’s “no-center” era.
Then there’s Murray. We already knew he was a postseason killer, but what he’s done over the last month has cemented his status as a true All-Star. He’s not just a guy who flips the switch in May-he’s been the engine keeping this team afloat, night after night, often against teams with more firepower available.
Tim Hardaway Jr. has been another steady hand. He’s delivering on most nights, providing the kind of veteran scoring punch that’s been essential during this injury-riddled stretch.
But not every player has seized the moment. DaRon Holmes hasn’t yet earned the full trust of the coaching staff.
Julian Strawther’s high-energy style can be electric in spurts, but he’s not consistent enough to be a nightly contributor. And Zeke Nnaji?
He’s had moments, sure, but he just hasn’t proven to be a difference-maker.
One thing has become crystal clear: you can never have too many bigs.
That brings us to the looming trade deadline. February 5th is circled on every front office calendar, and for Denver, it’s not just a date-it’s a lifeline.
The Nuggets need another big man. Not a project, not a developmental piece.
A reliable, playoff-ready backup power forward or center. Think Mason Plumlee-type-someone who can give you 12-15 solid minutes in a postseason game without the wheels falling off.
When Jokić, Valančiūnas, and Gordon are all healthy, Denver’s frontcourt is more than solid. But that’s a big if.
And after a month of getting outmuscled on the boards and giving up far too many second-chance points, the need for another big body is undeniable. Jokić alone can flip that script-he’s the league’s top rebounder for a reason-but he can’t do it all, especially coming off an injury.
And let’s be honest, there’s a cloud hanging over Ball Arena. Every time one of those bigs hits the floor, there’s a collective holding of breath.
Gordon’s hamstring isn’t going away. Jokić will likely be on a minutes restriction when he returns.
Valančiūnas is coming back from a calf strain, the kind of injury that can linger-or worse, lead to something more serious like an Achilles issue.
All three need to be monitored, rested, and protected. But to do that, Denver needs someone else to shoulder the load.
Right now, that player isn’t on the roster. Nnaji and Holmes haven’t shown enough.
Jones is a willing battler, but he’s simply undersized for the role.
That makes adding a reliable big not just a luxury-it’s a necessity.
So what can Denver offer? Holmes has flashed enough potential to be a trade chip, though not in the low post.
Nnaji’s contract makes him a tough sell, and Strawther’s inconsistency doesn’t help his value either. But the Nuggets do have a 2031 first-round pick they could be persuaded to part with if the right deal presents itself.
Would that be enough? Hard to say. But they’ve got to try.
Because as we head into the final stretch of the regular season, Denver’s window is still open-but it won’t stay that way forever. The defending champs have shown they can survive just about anything. But if they want to thrive come playoff time, they’ll need one more piece.
The clock’s ticking. And in the NBA, sometimes you’ve got to go big-or go home.