How Nuggets' Offseason Stacks Up Against Western Conference Rivals

It is no secret that the Denver Nuggets have had an underwhelming 2026 offseason. Coming off a first-round playoff exit, they are currently in a worse position than they were when the season ended, and unless they can figure out a few moves to turn things around before training camp, their 2026-27 campaign could be wildly disappointing.

The Nuggets still have significant depth concerns, with only two backup guards on standard contracts in Tyus Jones and Julian Strawther, while a plethora of forwards and big men overload their current roster. And, even then, their forward depth does not stick out as a strength.

The only new additions to Denver's roster this offseason are Marvin Bagley III, Alpha Diallo, and rookies Trevon Brazile and Bryce Hopkins (who is still unsigned). If the Nuggets aren't careful about how they finish this offseason, they could fall far behind in the improving Western Conference.

Nuggets' biggest threats

San Antonio Spurs center Victor Wembanyama and Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic — Jan 4, 2025; San Antonio, Texas, USA; San Antonio Spurs center Victor Wembanyama (1) and Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic (15) battle for position during an inbound pass in the second half at Frost Bank Center. | USA TODAY Sports via Reuters Connect

Here is a quick look at how some of Denver's West rivals have fared this offseason.

San Antonio Spurs: Coming off a Finals appearance, the Spurs had one goal in mind this offseason, which was to retain their core. Obviously, they did just that and are in an equally favorable position heading into next season to come out of the West.

The only bad news for Denver is that the Spurs drafted Jayden Quaintance and Tarris Reed Jr., giving them even more depth behind Victor Wembanyama and further improving the NBA's best young core.

OKC Thunder: The Thunder actually took some roster hits this offseason, losing Lu Dort, Isaiah Joe, and Aaron Wiggins, but it should not impact them too much. They re-signed Isaiah Hartenstein to retain their core four, while drafting well by adding Aday Mara and Bennett Stirtz.

The Thunder will be just as much of a threat as always, although the Nuggets can hope their depth is not as strong as usual with their key losses.

Los Angeles Lakers: This might've been the offseason where the Lakers surpass the Nuggets. Sure, they are losing LeBron James, but they reloaded big time. Their biggest acquisition was standout center Walker Kessler, but they also added valuable role players in Quentin Grimes, Collin Sexton, Sandro Mamukelashvili, Matisse Thybulle, Kevon Looney, and rookie Cameron Carr.

UPDATED LAKERS DEPTH CHART
PG: Luka Doncic, Collin Sexton, Jaden Hardy, Bronny James
SG: Austin Reaves, Cameron Carr, Matisse Thybulle
SF: Quentin Grimes, Jake LaRavia, Ziarie Williams
PF: Sandro Mamukelashvili, Jarred Vanderbilt, Adou Thiero
C: Walker Kessler, Kevon Looney… pic.twitter.com/4F9b9nD25g
— Lakers Lead (@LakersLead) July 20, 2026

The Nuggets have had Los Angeles' number over the past several seasons, but they are now trending in the right direction as they build around Luka Doncic in a post-LeBron era.

Minnesota Timberwolves: Of course, the team that sent the Nuggets home in the first round in this year's playoffs had a busy summer. The Timberwolves' offseason was headlined by dumping Julius Randle and bringing in LaMelo Ball, putting together a new-look core. They also lost Naz Reid and have yet to truly fill that void of losing their two standout power forwards.

As much as it will be exciting to see how Ball and Edwards coexist, there is no guarantee that the Timberwolves actually improved this offseason. They will still be a huge threat to the Nuggets, especially since they just seem to have Denver figured out, but time will tell.

Houston Rockets: Without making any huge moves, the Rockets had a productive offseason. Notably, they signed two expected Nuggets targets in Marcus Smart and Bogdan Bogdanovic to bolster their guard depth, and did so without losing any significant contributors.

The Rockets only improved this summer, and they could be a legitimate threat to the Nuggets and the rest of the NBA next season.

How should the Nuggets feel?

Mar 22, 2026; Denver, Colorado, USA; Denver Nuggets guard Peyton Watson (8) smiles before the game against the Portland Trail Blazers at Ball Arena. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Simply put, the Nuggets have had the worst offseason of any of these teams. They are quickly falling behind in a stacked West, and until they fill their final roster spots and prove that they did not take a massive fall this summer, fans should be a bit worried.

With three-time MVP Nikola Jokic at the helm, the Nuggets should be competing for championships every season. As it stands, it is hard to envision them being competitive with the league's top teams.

Granted, they have at least retained their core, which has the potential to put together a title run. However, they still need to bring back Peyton Watson and sign an extra ball-handler before their offseason can be viewed as complete.

Some of the Nuggets' biggest rivals are undoubtedly putting some pressure on the front office to make some moves to finish the offseason, although their plans seem to be on hold until they figure out their restricted free agency situation.

Sign up for our free Denver Nuggets On SI newsletter, and get breaking Nuggets news delivered to your inbox daily!

Add us as a preferred source on Google