The Denver Nuggets brought in DeMar DeRozan to help carry scoring, not to lock anybody down. That much is clear. What’s less obvious is that the move that could matter most for Denver this offseason might be the one that flew a little further under the radar: Alpha Diallo.
The Nuggets’ defense was a problem all last season, and it got worse when the playoffs arrived. In the first round against the Minnesota Timberwolves, Denver was without Aaron Gordon and Peyton Watson because of injuries, and the lack of resistance showed. DeRozan can help cover the offensive burden that the Nuggets’ bench never really solved, but Diallo has the chance to address the other side of the floor - the part that kept slipping away.
Denver’s defensive slide has been hard to ignore. The team dropped from eighth in defensive ranking in 2023-24 to 21st in 2025-26, and Sam Vecenie recently pointed out on the Game Theory Podcast just how thin the group looks behind the obvious names.
"They have three guys that I think are like anything resembling average to slightly plus defenders. And it's just gonna be really tricky for them," Vecenie said of Aaron Gordon, Christian Braun, and Spencer Jones.
Diallo wasn’t part of that list, but maybe he should have been. The 6-foot-7 wing was named the 2025-26 EuroLeague Best Defender, and he looks like the kind of player who can help fill the void Watson left behind. Yes, the level of competition is different, but defense is the trait most likely to carry over.
There’s real evidence behind the reputation. Last season, Diallo allowed 0.884 points per possession, best among EuroLeague forwards, and he ranked in the top 20 in pick-and-roll defense. In January, EuroLeague general managers voted him the league’s best defender.
He also brings versatility. Diallo can take on the opponent’s best scorer from 1 through 4, and he’s a strong on-ball defender. That kind of option is going to get him minutes, especially on a roster that needs bodies who can actually get stops.
Nothing about Diallo is guaranteed. The NBA game is faster and more physical, and there’s always an adjustment.
But for a Nuggets team that has spent the last few seasons sliding the wrong way defensively, he looks like one of the safest bets on the roster to help change that. And that’s why he may end up being Denver’s most important offseason addition.
In Other News...
Nuggets Fans Will Love Spencer Jones Mindset Behind His New Deal
Spencer Jones is approaching his new Nuggets deal with the kind of perspective that tends to resonate in a market that appreciates role players who know exactly who they are. The restricted free agent signed a two-year, $12 million contract in Denver, and instead of talking about luxury upgrades or lifestyle inflation, he framed the money as a chance to build something that lasts well beyond basketball.
Jones said that after taxes and fees, the annual salary leaves him with a little more than $3 million to work with, and his plan is to think like an investor first and a spender second. He spoke about putting a significant portion of it toward venture opportunities and savings, with the bigger goal being financial freedom and long-term wealth rather than a short-term change in how he lives. [Read more 🡒]
Nuggets Bench Suddenly Has One Loss Fans Should Worry About Most
The Nuggets spent the offseason reshaping the back end of the roster, and not all of the changes have carried the same weight. Jonas Valanciunas was let go to clear salary cap space, with Marvin Bagley coming in to fill the opening, while Bones Hyland and Tim Hardaway Jr. also moved on as Denver trimmed and reworked its depth chart. For a team that has lived on balance and flexibility, the bench turnover is the kind of thing that can look manageable at first glance.
Peyton Watson is the departure that stands out most for Denvers rotation, especially after his move to Cleveland in exchange for a first-round pick. The Nuggets did add DeMar DeRozan, but they have not made a substantial move to replace what Watson brought to the second unit, leaving a familiar question hanging over the roster construction. If the front office believes the answers are already in house, the season will have to prove it. [Read more 🡒]
Nuggets May Finally Be Ready To Ditch A Desperate Lineup
The Nuggets spent much of last season chasing a fix for the minutes Nikola Jokic spent on the bench, and it pushed David Adelman into a small-ball look that never really felt like a choice so much as a survival tactic. Denver has since tried to address that problem by bringing in Marvin Bagley III and drafting rookie Trevon Brazile, with the hope that the second unit can play with more size and athleticism instead of constantly improvising around the margins.
There is still sorting out to do, of course, with rotation spots and roles for players such as Spencer Jones, Alpha Diallo and DeMar DeRozan still taking shape. But the bigger question for Denver is whether the new pieces finally give Adelman enough flexibility to move away from the desperate lineups that were required when the offense and defense both went flat without Jokic, and whether the bench can now look more like a normal NBA group. [Read more 🡒]