When the Denver Nuggets are whole, the starting five can look overwhelming. Last season, Jamal Murray, Christian Braun, Cameron Johnson, Aaron Gordon and Nikola Jokic shared the floor for only 23 games, but that group still put up a +12.9 net rating and went 18-5.
That kind of production comes with a catch: the sample was too small, and injuries kept the Nuggets from really seeing what that lineup could become. Braun, Johnson and Gordon all missed meaningful time, and Denver is entering this season with a simple goal in mind - better health.
If that happens, the ceiling is obvious. The Nuggets can still think championship.
Murray is the headliner after the best season of his nine-year run. He earned his first All-Star and All-NBA nods, and the expectations for 2026-27 are built on that breakthrough.
Still, a little regression feels likely. He can remain Denver’s No. 2 scorer, but matching last season’s 25.4 points per game and 43.5% shooting from three would be asking for a miracle.
His hottest month came in January, when Jokic was out with an injury, and Denver would obviously prefer not to need that version of Murray again.
Projected line: 23.5 points, 4 rebounds, 7 assists, 1.5 steals, 48% shooting, 41% from three and 89% at the line.
Braun’s last season was rough by any standard. He spent much of 2025-26 playing through injury, and the results showed up in his numbers, especially the 30.1% mark from beyond the arc.
He never quite looked right. Now the five-year, $125 million deal is in place, and the Nuggets need him to answer.
The expectation here is for a bounce-back year, even if it does not reach the level of his 2024-25 breakout.
Projected line: 15 points, 5 rebounds, 3.5 assists, 1.7 steals, 54% from the field, 37% from three and 80% from the free throw line.
Johnson’s first season in Denver had its own uneven stretch, but the shooting was real. Statistically, it was his worst year since 2021-22, yet he still hit 43% of his threes and, if you strip away his first 11 games, nearly 47%.
That kind of floor spacing fits perfectly next to Jokic and Murray, who kept finding him clean looks. A similar season is the expectation, though with a little more volume now that the awkward adjustment period is behind him.
Projected line: 13.5 points, 4 rebounds, 2.5 assists, 1.1 steals, 47% from the field, 42% from three and 86% at the line.
Gordon’s story is simpler: stay on the court. Health is the priority after he appeared in just 36 games last season, even though he was rolling when available.
If he can keep that level and avoid the injury interruptions, this could turn into the best season of his career. He remains the ideal frontcourt fit next to Jokic, and every year in this system seems to sharpen his game a little more.
At this point, there is no obvious weakness left.
Projected line: 17 points, 6.5 rebounds, 3.5 assists, 1.2 steals, 53.5% shooting, 39.5% from deep and 78% on free throws.
And then there is Jokic, who remains the constant. The three-time MVP should be as dominant as ever and is positioned to average a triple-double for the third straight season.
The difference this time could be efficiency. After missing about a month last season, he was clearly not fully right, and his numbers slipped with it.
Denver needs him healthy to open this season, and if that happens, the usual version of Jokic should be back in full force.
Projected line: 26.5 points, 12.5 rebounds, 10 assists, 2.1 steals, 59% from the field, 39% from three and 81% from the line.
In Other News...
Clippers Punishment Just Changed One Nikola Jokic Fear For Nuggets Fans
Nikola Jokics long-term future has been one of the few looming questions around the Nuggets, even after he has repeatedly signaled that he wants to stay in Denver. He has not signed an extension, and with free agency still a business decision in 2027, any team hoping to dream on a Jokic chase has had to at least keep one eye on the possibility.
The NBAs punishment of the Clippers for salary cap violations tied to Kawhi Leonard changes that calculus in a big way. With the league stripping Los Angeles of five first-round picks from 2029 through 2033 and suspending key executives, the franchises ability to build toward a star pursuit has taken a severe hit, and the idea of the Clippers as a future Jokic destination has effectively gone out the window. [Read more 🡒]
Nuggets Enter A Roster Crossroads With 4 Futures Suddenly In Doubt
Denvers roster picture is already starting to bend toward the next offseason, and a few familiar names are suddenly sitting in the middle of it. The Nuggets are looking at a stretch in which contract decisions, performance and a tightening salary-cap outlook could all collide, putting some of the depth pieces around the core under a brighter spotlight than usual as the franchise thinks ahead to the 2026-27 season.
The uncertainty is not just about whether those players fit, but whether the team can afford to keep carrying everyone if the on-court return does not justify the price. Between possible trades, release decisions and the realities of roster-building for a contender, this is the kind of crossroads that can reshape a bench quickly, and the next few months should say plenty about which direction Denver wants to take. [Read more 🡒]
Former Nuggets Title Piece Is Suddenly In Lakers Rumors
Dalton Knechts rough start has already pushed the Lakers into a familiar kind of roster math, and it has opened the door to another name Nuggets fans know well. Los Angeles is reportedly searching for a team willing to take on the young wings development project, with the bigger picture being how to better shape the roster around Luka Doncic in the future.
One of the cleaner ideas floating around league circles is a path that would clear salary and allow the Lakers to add help on the wing, with several moves tied together rather than a single swap. For Denver, the interesting part is the veteran free agent angle attached to the discussion, because it points back to a former title piece who could again be on the move as the Lakers try to solve both their short-term rotation and long-term cap sheet. [Read more 🡒]