The Nuggets already have something no one else in the league can match: altitude. Denver’s Mile High City branding isn’t just a nice touch on the uniform - it points to a built-in cardio edge that comes with training 5,280 feet above sea level. That kind of advantage should matter more, and the Nuggets ought to use it to turn games into a grind for everyone else.
That idea showed up again as some of the team worked out at Red Rocks while preparing for training camp, which opens on Sept. 29th. The workout did not look easy.
Players wore weighted vests to make the session even tougher, and veterans Cameron Johnson and Christian Braun were there. Braun, in particular, looked healthy while running the stairs.
A beautiful day at Red Rocks pic.twitter.com/rROebt2nlb
- Denver Nuggets (@nuggets) September 5, 2026
The bigger point for Denver is simple: when the chance is there, the Nuggets need to run. Braun is working back into the explosive running form that helped him lead the NBA in fast-break points in 2024-25.
That season, Denver was also the league’s top fast-break scoring team at 20.2 points per game. If Braun can get back to beating defenders down the floor and Nikola Jokic can keep hitting him with those John Elway-esque outlet passes, that’s a major step toward restoring the team’s edge.
The drop-off last season was obvious. Injuries played a part, but Denver fell from first to 13th in fast-break scoring in 2025-26, down to 15.2 points on the break.
The clutch numbers slipped too. A clutch game is defined as one within five points with five minutes or less left in the fourth quarter or overtime, and the Nuggets went 23-19 in those spots.
Even that was padded by a 5-0 run in the final 10 games, including some against tanking teams.
Denver doesn’t need a full identity overhaul to fix that. The Nuggets don’t have to speed up their overall pace to benefit from transition opportunities.
They just need to pounce when rebounds and steals create them. That was already part of the blueprint during the 2022-23 title run, when Denver ranked 23rd in pace but finished fifth in fast-break points.
With Jokic leading the way as the game’s best passer, the Nuggets should be looking to break whenever the floor opens up. That means after rebounds.
After steals. Anytime the break is there, take it.
The more they can turn those moments into easy points, the less they’ll have to live in the kind of close games that made things harder last season.
In Other News...
Nuggets Still Face One Roster Decision That Could Hurt Their Depth
The Nuggets have already made one notable move by signing DeMar DeRozan, but the roster picture is still not fully settled as the team heads toward the 2026-27 season. Denver has one standard contract spot left, and the decision around it carries more weight than it might on a deeper roster, especially with Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray still forming the core and the point guard depth already a concern.
The front office now has to weigh flexibility against filling out the back end of the rotation. Keeping the slot open would preserve maneuverability and help with luxury tax considerations, while a training camp deal for Lonnie Walker IV offers a possible path to another guard option if Denver decides it needs more help. For a team built to contend, even the last open spot can become a meaningful choice. [Read more 🡒]
Former Nuggets Champion Could Force A Tough Lakers Roster Decision
Bruce Brown is back in the market, and the interest is strong enough that it could force the Lakers into some uncomfortable roster math. The former Nuggets champion brings the kind of versatile, playoff-tested depth teams chase this time of year, and Los Angeles is reportedly weighing him as a fit behind Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves. For a Lakers group trying to keep its rotation flexible, Browns all-around game makes him an appealing piece to monitor.
The catch is that the Lakers cannot just add another veteran and move on as if nothing else changes. Creating room for Brown could mean parting with a current player, which is where the decision starts getting tricky for a team already balancing fit, depth and long-term planning. And with multiple playoff-caliber contenders in the mix, Los Angeles may have to act quickly if it wants to keep Brown from becoming someone elses useful late-summer addition. [Read more 🡒]
Nuggets Still Have One Roster Concern They Can't Ignore
Training camp is still ahead, but the Nuggets already have a pretty clear look at where their roster feels thin. Denver has 14 players on standard contracts and both two-way spots filled, so there is room to make at least one more move before the season starts. The biggest concern remains the backcourt, where Jamal Murray and Christian Braun sit atop the depth chart and the options behind them have not exactly inspired confidence.
Tyus Jones, Julian Strawther and KJ Simpson give Denver some support, but the Nuggets could use another proven guard to steady the group over a long season. Lonnie Walker IV is one name worth watching as a low-risk addition, especially with the team still sorting out how to replace the contributions Peyton Watson provided on his two-way deal. Braun is expected to take on a bigger role after a down year, but Denver may not want to lean too heavily on that hope alone. [Read more 🡒]