The Nuggets’ offseason has already taken on a different shape than the one fans probably pictured after that first-round playoff exit. Denver still has work left to do, with likely two more signings ahead, but the exits have piled up fast enough to make the picture pretty clear: this roster is thinner now than it was when the summer began.
Some losses are going to matter far more than others. Peyton Watson sits at the top of that list, and not just because he was the most recent departure.
The 23-year-old wing was a restricted free agent, and there was at least some early hope Denver would keep him. Instead, the Nuggets had to send him out in a sign-and-trade to the Cleveland Cavaliers.
That one stings. Watson had become Denver’s most versatile defender and was starting to grow into a real offensive piece, too.
Last season, he put up 14.6 points, 4.9 rebounds, 2.1 assists, and 2.0 stocks per game while shooting 49.1/41.1. The Nuggets were patient with the former first-round pick, and that patience finally paid off in his fourth season.
Then, just as he looked like he was turning the corner, Denver let him go. Replacing that kind of two-way value is not going to be simple.
Tim Hardaway Jr. is another departure the Nuggets will feel, even if the damage looks a little different. His loss is less about defense and more about what he brought to the offense every night.
Hardaway Jr. finished third in Sixth Man of the Year voting last season, averaging 13.5 points, 2.6 rebounds, and 1.4 assists while hitting 40.7% from three. He was exactly the kind of bench jolt Denver needed, and he played a major role in helping the Nuggets become the league’s top three-point shooting team.
He left in free agency for more money with the Miami Heat, and that part was out of Denver’s hands. The Nuggets are hoping fourth-year guard Julian Strawther can help cover that gap.
Bruce Brown is still sitting in free agency, and while a return is still possible, it increasingly feels like Denver is leaning another way. If that ends up being the case, the Nuggets could miss him more than people expect.
Brown may not be the biggest name on the board, but after losing Russell Westbrook in the 2025 offseason, Denver needed Brown’s brand of energy back in the mix - a guard who plays hard, competes defensively, and usually makes the right decision on offense. Last season, he averaged 7.9 points, 3.9 rebounds, 2.1 assists, and 1.0 steal while shooting 47.5% from the field and 38.5% from deep.
He still has value off the bench, and the Nuggets’ guard depth could make his absence more noticeable if he doesn’t return.
Jonas Valanciunas is gone too, though this one was easier to see coming. Denver waived the 33-year-old center to save about $8 million, and he has since signed with Zalgiris Kaunas of the Lithuanian Basketball League and the EuroLeague.
His role had already faded late in the season, and he barely played in the playoffs, so the move did not come as a shock. The Nuggets also moved quickly to bring in Marvin Bagley III, which softens the blow and gives them another body in the frontcourt.
Of the departures, this one should matter the least if the new-look big-man group holds up.
Then there’s Jalen Pickett, whose departure was more about roster choices than headline value. Denver passed on his $2.4 million team option, and he ended up landing a two-way deal with the L.A.
Clippers. Pickett, 26, averaged 5.2 points, 2.3 rebounds, and 2.3 assists last season while shooting 38.6% from three.
He was not a major rotation driver, but given how much the Nuggets needed backcourt depth, it was still a little surprising to see them move on. Even so, his exit should not move the needle much for Denver’s rotation.
The bigger story is the accumulation. Watson hurts the most.
Hardaway Jr. matters. Brown could matter more than some think if he leaves.
Valanciunas and Pickett are easier to absorb. But together, the departures leave Denver in a tougher spot heading into 2026-27 than the one it occupied a few weeks ago.
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