The Nuggets already know two of the marquee stops on the 2026-27 calendar, and both should grab Denver fans right away: a Christmas Day trip to the Bay Area and a season opener against the Thunder.
First up is Thursday, Oct. 22, when Denver heads to Oklahoma City for an 8:30 P.M. MT start against the Thunder.
That matchup gives the Nuggets a tough opening test right out of the gate, and it will be an early chance to see whether the new free agents and rookies can help Nikola Jokic keep pace with one of the league’s best teams. It also sets up a first look at what new assistant coach Dave Joerger might bring to the table on the defensive side, with the hope being that he can help head coach David Adelman improve on Denver’s 21st-ranked defense from 2025-26.
The Thunder game also comes with a bit of schedule relief in a broader sense. Last season, Denver didn’t see Oklahoma City until Feb. 1, and that helped leave the Nuggets with one of the hardest closing stretches in the league. This time, they get that challenge out of the way early.
Then comes Christmas. After Santa’s done with the cookies and milk, the Nuggets will travel to face the Golden State Warriors and Steph Curry in the Christmas nightcap, another 8:30 P.M.
Mountain Time tip. That means Denver fans get a holiday doubleheader, since the Broncos will host their first-ever Christmas Day game against the Buffalo Bills at 2:30 P.M.
MT.
Denver’s Christmas Day history got a huge boost last year, when Jokic turned in one of the best games of his career against the Minnesota Timberwolves. He put up an NBA-record 18 of his 56 points in overtime, finished with 16 rebounds and 15 assists, and carried the Nuggets to a 142-138 win. It was a fitting holiday finale for Nuggets fans, and this year’s trip to the Bay gives them another high-profile stage.
In Other News...
Peyton Watson Just Became Part Of A Bigger Nuggets Decision
The Cavaliers pause on Jonathan Kuminga has shifted their attention toward a different young wing with Denver ties, and Peyton Watson suddenly sits in the middle of a decision that could matter well beyond Cleveland. The Nuggets restricted free agent has drawn interest as a potential sign-and-trade target, with Cleveland looking at him as a fit for a wing spot it wants to upgrade.
To get there, the Cavaliers are also working the math, including possible ways to clear cap room by shopping veteran Dennis Schrder. For Denver, that makes Watson more than just another name in the rumor cycle, because any meaningful movement now has to account for whether the Nuggets are willing to engage on a deal for a player they still control. [Read more 🡒]
Jokic And The Nuggets Get An Early Test Fans Will Obsess Over
The Nuggets will get their first real measuring stick of the new season on Oct. 22, when they open in Oklahoma City against the Thunder at Paycom Center. It is the kind of early matchup that immediately tells you something about where a team stands, and this one brings together the last two MVPs in Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Nikola Jokic while Denver tries to put last seasons first-round exit behind it.
For the Nuggets, the timing makes it even more intriguing because the roster they bring back looks largely familiar, with the core intact as they head into another title chase. One subplot still hanging around the margins is Peyton Watsons contract situation, but the bigger picture is the same one that will follow Denver from opening night on: whether this group can start sharper and avoid letting a strong regular-season base turn into another short postseason stay. [Read more 🡒]
Nuggets Face A Peyton Watson Standoff With Real Wing Depth Stakes
The Nuggets are still working through a delicate summer negotiation with Peyton Watson, and the broader issue goes beyond one contract number. Denver has put a deal in the range of $16-18 million per year on the table for the restricted free agent, a figure that signals how much the team values his length, defense and potential on the wing. For a roster that has spent years chasing enough reliable depth around its core, keeping Watson in the fold has taken on real roster-building significance.
There is still a path where the talks drag on and the sides never fully line up, which would leave Denver juggling both short-term rotation needs and long-term control of the player. Watson's market is not just hypothetical, either, with Cleveland emerging as a noteworthy suitor if the Nuggets decide to explore a sign-and-trade. For Denver, the stakes are obvious: either secure a young wing before the situation hardens, or risk watching a useful piece become part of a much messier decision down the road. [Read more 🡒]