The Denver Nuggets have spent much of the offseason trying to patch together the edges of the roster, but the backcourt is still the spot that looks most exposed.
Denver has already added frontcourt help with Marvin Bagley III and Trevon Brazile, and it addressed the wing rotation by bringing in Alpha Diallo and re-signing Spencer Jones. But the guard room is thinning out fast, and that’s where the concern keeps growing.
The Nuggets still have two standard contracts available, though one is likely earmarked for restricted free agent Peyton Watson. That leaves one more spot, and it really needs to go to a guard.
Now another option is gone. After Denver declined Jalen Pickett’s team option, the 26-year-old guard reportedly agreed to a two-way deal with the L.A.
Clippers, according to HoopsHype’s Michael Scotto. That move shuts the door on any Denver reunion.
Pickett spent the past three seasons with the Nuggets and shot 39% from 3-point range. He was the 32nd pick in the 2023 NBA Draft.
The loss matters because the Nuggets’ other guard pieces are not exactly stacking up. Bruce Brown is doubtful to return this summer, and while Denver did re-sign Tyus Jones, that alone does not replace Pickett, Brown, and Tim Hardaway Jr. all at once. The result is a guard rotation that suddenly feels very thin.
Jones helps, but he looks more like a steady third-string point guard than the answer to Denver’s bigger depth problem. He can handle the ball, set up teammates, and keep mistakes down.
Beyond that, the Nuggets are leaning heavily on Julian Strawther, who has flashed scoring ability in limited bursts. He’ll be asked to do more now, especially with Hardaway Jr. out of the picture.
That’s a lot to ask from a bench group that may currently be Jones and Strawther at the top of the guard depth chart. The question is whether that’s enough for a team with championship ambitions. Right now, it doesn’t look like it.
Denver does still have two open two-way slots. One is expected to go to rookie forward Bryce Hopkins, who remains unsigned more than a month after the draft. The other could be used to add another backcourt body.
For now, the free-agent market offers a few names worth watching: Bradley Beal, Cameron Thomas, Gabe Vincent, Aaron Holiday, and Brandon Williams. But the most meaningful outcomes for Denver would probably be a return for Bruce Brown or Russell Westbrook.
Westbrook, in particular, fits the bill as the kind of high-energy backup point guard the Nuggets need. A reunion feels unlikely after the way his 2024-25 stint ended, but he remains the type of player who could change the shape of the bench in a hurry.
Until Denver makes another move, the backcourt shortage will keep hanging over the roster. Jones, Strawther, and Simpson as the only backup guards is a thin setup for a team trying to survive the Western Conference grind, and the Nuggets’ front office surely knows it.
In Other News...
Nuggets Add Another Wing As Denver's Offseason Debate Heats Up
The Nuggets kept adding to their offseason board this week, bringing in veteran wing Lonnie Walker IV on a one-year, $3.3 million deal as they continue to reshape the back end of the roster. Denver now has 14 players, and Walker arrives with recent experience overseas after spending time in the Israeli Basketball Premier League and EuroLeague following his last NBA action in the 2024-25 season.
Walker joins a busy stretch of roster churn that has already included signings of Alpha Diallo and Marvin Bagley, plus the draft additions of Trevon Brazile and Bryce Hopkins. The Nuggets also retained Spencer Jones and Tyus Jones, leaving the bigger conversation centered on how all of these pieces fit as Denver weighs depth, flexibility and the best way to support its core moving forward. [Read more 🡒]
Nuggets Take A Needed Swing At Their Backcourt Problem
The Nuggets have been looking for another answer in the backcourt, and they found one in Lonnie Walker IV. Denver agreed to a one-year, $3.3 million deal with the guard, who is coming back to the NBA after a stint overseas with Maccabi Tel Aviv. A former first-round pick, Walker spent last season with the Philadelphia 76ers before heading abroad.
For Denver, the move is less about splash and more about necessity. Backcourt depth has been an obvious need as the new season approaches, and Walker gives the Nuggets another experienced option to sort through as they try to fortify a rotation that could use more reliable guard minutes. Whether he becomes more than that will depend on how quickly he settles back in, but the fit makes sense for a team trying to patch a clear hole. [Read more 🡒]
Lonnie Walker Move Just Gave The Nuggets Needed Flexibility
The Nuggets added a little more breathing room this week by bringing in Lonnie Walker IV on an Exhibit 10 training camp deal, a move that gives him a chance to fight for a roster spot without forcing Denver into anything long term. For a team always balancing depth, flexibility and money, it is the kind of low-risk addition that can matter once camp starts and the competition tightens up on the wing.
Denver still has 13 players on the roster, and the signing does not increase its luxury tax obligations, which keeps the front office from having to make a bigger financial commitment just to see what Walker can offer. If the Nuggets need another body on the perimeter, or if other wing options thin out, this gives them a built-in look at a proven NBA athlete without closing off future moves. [Read more 🡒]