2026-27 Nuggets Roster: Contracts, Starting Lineup, Depth Chart

The Denver Nuggets' offseason, while not totally complete, has hit a bit of a standstill along with the rest of the league.

Until the Nuggets are able to resolve their Peyton Watson situation and fill out their roster to at least 14 players, it's hard to really consider this summer for Denver as anything more than a work in progress. In due time, that'll change, but that could take a few weeks to truly iron out.

So as we're waiting for the Nuggets to push forward in their offseason moves and prepare for next season, now feels like a good time to glance at what the team's roster— and their cap situation— is looking like heading into next season.

Let's break it all down:

Contracts

Here's a look at what each player is set to make on their respective contracts for the 2026-27 season alone, along with when their current deal is scheduled to expire.

Player	26-27 Salary (% of Cap)	When Contract Expires
Nikola Jokic, C	$59.3M (35.8%)	2027 (PO)
Jamal Murray, PG	$50.1M (30.4%)	2029 (UFA)
Aaron Gordon, PF	$31.9M (19.4%)	2028 (PO)
Cameron Johnson, SF	$23.0M (14.0%)	2027 (UFA)
Christian Braun, SG	$21.5M (13.1%)	2032 (UFA)
Zeke Nnaji, C	$7.4M (4.5%)	2027 (PO)
Spencer Jones, SF	$6.0M (3.6%)	2028 (UFA)
Julian Strawther, SF	$4.8M (2.9%)	2027 (RFA)
DaRon Holmes, PF	$3.3M (2.0%)	2027 (TO)
Marvin Bagley, C	$2.4M (1.5%)	2027 (UFA)
Tyus Jones, PG	$2.4M (1.5%)	2027 (UFA)
Trevon Brazile, PF	$1.3M (0.8%)	2030 (TO)
K.J. Simpson, PG	Two-Way	2027 (UFA)
Alpha Diallo, SG	$1.3M (0.8%)	2027 (RFA)

Starting Lineup

Apr 20, 2026; Denver, Colorado, USA; Denver Nuggets guard Jamal Murray (27), center Nikola Jokic (15) and forward Aaron Gordon (32) in the fourth quarter against the Minnesota Timberwolves during game two of the first round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs at Ball Arena. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The Nuggets, while they have done a few roster moves around the edges, look like they'll be trending towards the five-man starting lineup that they had at the end of last season, barring any unforeseen changes.

PG - Jamal Murray: After a career-best season in 2025-26, Murray will be looking to keep that momentum heading into this year for what would be his second All-Star and All-NBA appearance. Based on the Nuggets' guard depth, he'll certainly get the heavy minutes his way for that opportunity.

SG - Christian Braun: Last season didn't go as Braun anticipated. He had a bit of a letdown in terms of his production fresh off of signing his $125 million extension before the season started. Now that he's got a clean slate to work from, maybe this year will look a little more like his third season that got him his contract in the first place.

SF - Cameron Johnson: Aftr facing trade speculation throughout the offseason, Johnson, to this point, is still set to return to Denver next season on an expiring deal. There is time for that status to change, and perhaps Johnson even loses his starting spot if Peyton Watson re-signs. For now, though, we'll slot him into here.

PF - Aaron Gordon: Coming off an injury-riddled previous season, Gordon will be hoping he can bounce back from his ups and downs to put together a healthy, much-improved season in 2026-27. If he can find his groove back as the two-way force he is when fully available, the Nuggets' title chances will see a huge boost because of it.

C - Nikola Jokic: No questions as to who's starting here. Jokic is coming off his fifth-straight All-NBA First-Team selection and another MVP race where he was either first and second in the league in total votes. Based on past precedent, we should expect more of the same from the Joker in 2026-27, especially as he'll be looking to cash in on a new contract next summer.

Depth Chart

Apr 25, 2026; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Denver Nuggets head coach David Adelman calls a time out against the Minnesota Timberwolves in the fourth quarter at Target Center. Mandatory Credit: Matt Blewett-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The Nuggets' depth chart is far from official–– especially considering their roster isn't filled out with 14 players just yet.

But based on the intel we know, and the players we expect to be on the roster come opening night, here's a rough estimate of how the depth chart might pan out for Denver.

PG	SG	SF	PF	C
Jamal Murray	Christian Braun	Cameron Johnson	Aaron Gordon	Nikola Jokic
Tyus Jones	Peyton Watson*	Spencer Jones	DaRon Holmes	Marvin Bagley
KJ Simpson (TW)	Alpha Diallo	Julian Strawther	Trevon Brazile	Zeke Nnaji

Note: We're including Peyton Watson into these projections. To this point, signs seem to hint towards his return on a new contract or via the qualifying offer being more likely than a sign-and-trade.

The starting lineup, as you can notice, won't be seeing any significant shifts from how they ended last season. Where the big changes lie is within the bench, as multiple pieces from last year's roster have left, and the Nuggets have since replaced them.

Alpha Diallo is in the mix, Marvin Bagley got signed on, and Trevon Brazile is the newest rookie to join onboard. On the other hand, Tim Hardaway Jr. is with the Miami Heat, Jonas Valanciunas is out of the league and overseas, and Jalen Pickett and Bruce Brown remain unsigned.

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