Denver Nuggets' Rookie Trio Shines in Recent G League Victory

Two Nuggets' rookies, who could add depth to Denver's bench, performed well in a Thursday night matchup against the Iowa Wolves.

Oct 23, 2025; San Francisco, California, USA; Denver Nuggets forward DaRon Holmes II (14) warms up before the game against the Golden State Warriors at Chase Center. | Bob Kupbens-Imagn Images

The Denver Nuggets are one of the best teams in the NBA, and could be on a collision course for another entertaining playoff series against the Oklahoma City Thunder.

After falling in seven games at the hands of OKC in the second round of the 2025 NBA Playoffs, Denver appears to be a formidable opponent for any team once again in 2025-26.

Led by MVP candidate Nikola Jokic as well as co-stars Jamal Murray and Aaron Gordon, the Nuggets have a chance to challenge the Thunder and make another run at the NBA Finals. One area the team could use some help, though, is on its bench.

While Denver has a handful of solid role players, the Nuggets don't boast the same depth other teams, like Oklahoma City, have on the roster. David Adelman and company may have a solution to that problem in the works, though.

On Thursday, two Nuggets' rookies shined for the Grand Rapids Gold, Denver's G League affiliate, in a win against the Iowa Wolves. DaRon Holmes II was Grand Rapids' leading scorer, while Tamar Bates chipped in 15 points.

Coleman Hawkins also had a solid all-around game as the Gold took down the Wolves 134-124.

Holmes tallied 25 points, 6 rebounds, 6 assists and a block, shooting 9-of-14 from the field and 5-of-7 from 3-point range in the win.

Holmes was the No. 22 overall pick in the 2024 NBA Draft, but missed the entire 2024-25 season after tearing his achilles during his Summer League debut. After a year off, though, Holmes appears to be recovering well.

If the 6-foot-9, 225-pound forward is able to continue finding his rhythm, Holmes could become a helpful role player for the Nuggets bench this year, or in the coming seasons. As of Dec. 4, Holmes has appeared in 2 games for Denver this season, going 1-of-1 from beyond the arc and recording a foul in his 4 minutes on an NBA court.

Bates, in addition to his scoring output, logged 5 rebounds, 3 assists and 3 steals against Iowa. In 19 minutes off the bench, Hawkins shot 4-for-4 from the field, finishing with 8 points, 5 rebounds, 3 assists, 2 steals and a block and a +13 in the box score.

Hawkins and Bates both went undrafted in the 2025 class, but could work their way onto NBA rosters if they continue to perform well in the G League.

---

Want to join the discussion? Like Draft Digest on Facebook and follow us on Twitter to stay up to date on all the latest NBA Draft news. You can also meet the team behind the coverage.