The Denver Nuggets may have had a quiet offseason, but around the league, not everyone is ready to push them aside.
That much was clear from an anonymous rival Western Conference GM, who told Spotrac’s Keith Smith that Denver is still a team opponents have to respect, even after a first-round playoff exit and another subdued summer.
“Way too many people are writing them off,” the rival Western Conference GM told Spotrac's Keith Smith. “They still have (Nikola) Jokic, (Jamal) Murray, (Aaron) Gordon and good role players. If they can get (Christian) Braun back on track, and keep (Peyton) Watson, that’s still a really, really dangerous team."
That view cuts against the broader buzz around Denver, which has not made a major roster leap since winning the NBA Finals in 2023. The Nuggets have fallen short of getting back to the top, and last season’s first-round exit marked only the second time that has happened in the Nikola Jokic era.
Still, history gives Denver some reason for belief. The last time the Nuggets were bounced in the first round, they responded by winning the championship the next season. Whether this group can follow the same path is the big question.
What makes Denver tough to dismiss is the core it keeps bringing back. The Nuggets are one of only two NBA teams to win 50 or more games in each of the last four seasons, and they have done it with the same foundation they’re carrying into next year. Jokic, Murray and Gordon remain the backbone, and that trio keeps the team in the title picture as long as the supporting cast does its part.
And as long as Jokic is around, the conversation never really ends. The three-time MVP has locked himself in as one of the league’s defining players, and he continues to put up numbers that make it hard to imagine Denver being out of the mix for long. Last season, he averaged 27.7 points, 12.9 rebounds and 10.7 assists per game, with a month-long injury absence being the only real interruption.
Jokic, 31, is still in his prime, and the Nuggets have to maximize that stretch. He has made only two trips to the Western Conference Finals, and one of them ended with an NBA Finals title. But every postseason, the same truth applies: nobody wants to run into him.
For Denver, the remaining offseason focus appears to be keeping the group intact. Peyton Watson’s restricted free agency has slowed things down, and re-signing the 23-year-old wing looks like the key move left to finish the job. His role may come off the bench, but his two-way versatility matters to how the Nuggets function.
The GM’s comments also pointed to Christian Braun as another important piece Denver needs to get back on track. The Nuggets want to preserve their core, and Watson is the final piece in that effort. There is still another possible move to make, likely bringing in another ball-handler for the bench, but Watson remains the priority.
Denver may not have done much to change the outside conversation this offseason, but the league still knows better than to count out a team with Jokic at the center of it. Health will matter, the roster still needs to come together, and the Nuggets have work to do before they can truly be talked about like a title favorite again. But they are not going away.
In Other News...
Nuggets Just Made Their Spencer Jones Bet Look Even Smarter
Spencer Jones rise from useful piece to meaningful rotation player gave the Nuggets a real decision this summer, and they chose to keep betting on the 6-foot-10 forward. Denver matched Oklahoma Citys offer sheet to retain the restricted free agent on a two-year, $12 million extension, a move that reflects how much the organization values his defense, hustle and willingness to space the floor.
Jones carved out a significant role last season, starting 37 games and giving the Nuggets the kind of low-maintenance production contenders need around their stars. The financial details made this more than a simple housekeeping move, but Denver still came down firmly on the side of continuity, with Jones expected to remain a key part of the rotation going forward. [Read more 🡒]
Nuggets Still Have One Roster Problem They Can't Ignore
The Nuggets still have some housekeeping left before training camp becomes the real story, and it centers on a roster spot that has not been filled and a backcourt question that keeps hanging around. Peyton Watsons free agency situation remains unresolved, but the bigger practical issue is the one every contender has to sort out before opening night: who handles the ball when Jamal Murray sits?
For now, Denver does not have much margin there. Tyus Jones is the only true point guard behind Murray, which leaves the team thin in a spot where steadiness matters. The front office is at least looking at veteran-minimum guard options and trade possibilities to add depth, and names like Aaron Holiday, Killian Hayes and Russell Westbrook are part of the conversation as the Nuggets try to make sure the second unit is not a nightly problem. [Read more 🡒]
Cavaliers Could Reshape Their Wing Rotation With One Risky Move
The Cavaliers have been circling the wing market with a pretty specific type of player in mind, and Denver forward Peyton Watson fits the profile as well as anyone. Cleveland is reportedly interested in working out a sign-and-trade for the restricted free agent, which would give the Nuggets a chance to at least control the return rather than simply watching the market set the price.
Watsons camp is believed to be aiming well above the offers that have come his way, which is part of what makes this a tricky negotiation for both sides. Cleveland has also been linked to a framework involving Max Strus and draft compensation, but the real question is whether the sides can bridge the gap without either team backing away from a move that could reshape its wing rotation. [Read more 🡒]