The Nuggets are back in the building, and media day arrives with a handful of questions that have been hanging over the offseason. Training camp is just two days away, and after a quiet stretch from the front office, Denver still has some unfinished business to explain before the 2026-27 season gets rolling.
The first thing people want to know is simple: are Aaron Gordon and Christian Braun really good to go?
Denver’s starters missed 136 combined games last season, and Gordon and Braun were responsible for 84 of them. Gordon has already said he feels good and is "ready to go."
Braun, after nearly five months away, should be ready as well. Still, fans will want to hear that directly on media day, especially with the bigger question attached: does Denver have a real plan to manage Gordon’s workload?
Back-to-backs, minute limits, anything that helps keep him on the floor when the playoffs get close? Gordon remains the team’s best interior defender, and last year he proved he can slow down Victor Wembanyama if the Nuggets end up facing the Spurs.
But that only matters if he’s healthy enough to play.
Another major issue is the backup point guard spot. The Nuggets clearly wanted more ball handling after that problem showed up against the Minnesota Timberwolves in the first round of the playoffs.
Tyus Jones was brought back to help solve it, but that alone doesn’t feel like the full answer. Denver also added 17-year veteran and six-time All-Star DeMar DeRozan, and there’s a strong case for trying him behind Jamal Murray.
DeRozan has the passing feel and basketball IQ to distribute the ball, just as he did with the San Antonio Spurs. The question now is whether the Nuggets actually use him that way, or whether Jones is expected to handle most of those minutes.
It could even be somebody else entirely.
There’s also real curiosity around Alpha Diallo. Denver needed to get better defensively after a season in which that end of the floor caused problems, and the front office made a money-saving move by trading away Peyton Watson, its best defender.
Diallo was brought in from the EuroLeague as a creative answer, and he arrives with a strong defensive résumé as the reigning Best Defender of the EuroLeague. He looks like the closest thing to a Watson replacement, especially on the perimeter.
Offensively, he fits too, as a slasher who doesn’t need the ball and can finish well at the rim. The big question is how much of a role Denver is willing to give the 29-year-old rookie.
The tools are there for him to become a useful piece, and maybe more than that.
The front office decisions don’t stop with the roster. By the trade deadline, the Nuggets may have to decide whether getting under the NBA’s second apron becomes a top priority.
Dropping below that line would keep their 2034 draft pick from being frozen, which would preserve it as a trade asset down the road. For now, Denver is still the only team above the second apron, so another move would make sense.
Or the Nuggets could leave things as they are and let the pick stay frozen for use seven years from now. Either way, that situation needs some clarity.
And then there’s the coaching staff. Denver brought in Dave Joerger as an experienced assistant for David Adelman, and the obvious question is how much influence he’ll have on the defense.
Joerger has a track record of helping defenses improve, and that matters because Diallo alone doesn’t fully offset what was lost when Watson was traded. Something else has to change, and with this group, that probably means new schemes and sharper adjustments rather than a full reset.
Adelman didn’t adjust to what the Timberwolves threw at the Nuggets last year, and that may be exactly why Joerger is here.
In Other News...
Christian Braun Could Unlock A Different Nuggets Offense This Season
Christian Braun entered Nuggets media day sounding like a player who knows exactly where the next leap has to come from. After ankle injuries hampered both his defense and his three-point shooting last season, Braun pointed to shooting as the biggest area he wants to sharpen this offseason, a clear sign that Denver views his development as more than just a side storyline.
Braun also said he feels healthy and ready to go for the new season, which matters for a Nuggets team that needs more reliable spacing around its core. If his shot comes along the way he wants it to, Denver could end up with a different kind of offense this year, one with another wing defender who can also force defenses to make tougher choices. [Read more 🡒]
Jokic Just Gave Nuggets Fans A New Reason To Worry
Nikola Jokic has never acted like a superstar who wants the spotlight, but this offseason has made it clear the attention is wearing on him more than usual. He has been loyal to the Nuggets, yet the constant pull of his fame is starting to change how he navigates everyday life, and that is the kind of shift Denver fans tend to notice because it says as much about the grind of stardom as it does about the player himself.
For the Nuggets, the bigger concern is what comes next. Rival teams are already keeping an eye on Jokics contract timeline ahead of next summer, when he could sign an extension or potentially head toward free agency, and analysts are already mapping out the kind of historic deal that could be waiting if he stays put in Denver. The only real question now is how long the Nuggets can keep a player of his stature comfortable enough to make staying the obvious choice. [Read more 🡒]
Jokic Just Eased One Nuggets Fear While Keeping Another Alive
Nikola Jokic gave the Nuggets something close to peace of mind when he said he plans to sign a contract extension with Denver next year, even as he heads into this season on an expiring deal. The two-time MVP made clear the delay is a business choice, not a sign of tension, and it aligns with the confidence coming from the front office, where executive vice president Ben Tenzer has spoken positively about the relationship.
Still, the story does not fully go away just because Jokic has eased one fear. The Nuggets can feel better knowing where his intent appears to be, but the calendar still leaves room for the unexpected, with circumstances potentially changing before he has the chance to put a new contract in place in July 2027. For a franchise built around him, that means the relief is real, but it is not yet final. [Read more 🡒]