3 Critical Storylines to Focus on in Nuggets' Season Opener vs. Thunder

The 2026-27 season is finally here for the Denver Nuggets. After a long offseason in which they saw the loss of Peyton Watson, Tim Hardaway Jr., Bruce Brown, and more, the Nuggets are bringing a fresh look to the new season, kicking things off on the road against the Oklahoma City Thunder.

The Nuggets' expectations heading into this season are a bit lower than usual, but they are more than capable of competing for a championship. Of course, it is a long season, and the priority is to just get to the playoffs healthy, but here are a few storylines we can monitor as soon as opening night.

Can DeRozan save the bench?

Oct 11, 2026; Denver, Colorado, USA; Denver Nuggets guard/forward DeMar DeRozan (10) controls the ball in the second quarter against the Chicago Bulls at Ball Arena. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

After losing Watson and Hardaway Jr., hope was lost for the Nuggets' bench unit. However, they quickly added former six-time All-Star DeMar DeRozan, and the Hall of Fame candidate could be enough to save this lacking bench unit.

DeRozan, 37, has proven that he still has gas left in the tank. Last season with the Sacramento Kings, he averaged 18.4 points, 2.9 rebounds, and 4.1 assists per game, but he is heading into uncharted territory with the Nuggets. In Denver, he is set to come off the bench for the first time since his rookie season in 2009-10.

DeRozan is under some pressure to be a playmaker and scorer for the Nuggets' second unit, but the veteran is certainly capable of leading this offense. We will quickly see how he fits into this Denver system in the season opener against the Thunder, as this will already be the most meaningful game he has played in a few years.

How will the rotation shake out?

Oct 16, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA; Denver Nuggets forward Alpha Diallo (11) drives against Los Angeles Lakers guard Austin Reaves (15) in the fourth quarter at Crypto.com Arena. Mandatory Credit: Jon Endow-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Head coach David Adelman has made it clear that the Nuggets' rotation is still not figured out. He said it might take several games to truly hammer down the bench unit, but we will obviously get a good idea of what he has in mind on Thursday night.

We can expect the Nuggets to initially roll with a second unit of Tyus Jones, Alpha Diallo, DeRozan, Spencer Jones, and Marvin Bagley III, but Adelman has mentioned a potential "fake 11-man rotation," where the Nuggets switch things up in the second half. This could be where we see Cam Whitmore, Bryce Hopkins, or Trevon Brazile get some action.

It will be interesting to see what lineups Adelman experiments with on Thursday night, but after the Nuggets leave Oklahoma City, we should have a better idea of what their rotation for the rest of the season will look like.

A Christian Braun bounce back

Oct 14, 2026; Inglewood, California, USA; Denver Nuggets guard Christian Braun (0) moves the ball against Los Angeles Clippers guard Darius Garland (10) during the first half at Intuit Dome. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Christian Braun is coming off a disappointing season for the Nuggets. Immediately after signing a five-year, $125 million contract extension, Braun crumbled. In his defense, he played through injuries for most of the season, but it was obvious he was not himself.

Now, with that lucrative contract kicking in, the Nuggets need Braun to step up more than ever. If he can step up in this marquee matchup against the Thunder by hitting his shots, playing aggressively, and slowing down Shai Gilgeous-Alexander defensively, he will at least show the Nuggets he is capable of a bounce-back season.

The Nuggets are a much better team with Braun at his best, and hopefully they get an improved version of him this season, starting in Oklahoma City.

The Nuggets and Thunder are set to tip off at 7:30 p.m. PT in Oklahoma City on Thursday on ESPN.

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