David Adelman Addresses How Nuggets Could Fill Final Roster Spot

At the NBA trade deadline, the Denver Nuggets sent Hunter Tyson and a second-round pick to the Brooklyn Nets in exchange for a second-round pick. Most notably, the Nuggets snuck under the luxury tax line with this move, but it also opened up an extra roster spot for them.

Now, with two open roster spots, the Nuggets are expected to fill one of them by converting two-way Spencer Jones to a standard deal. After that, though, how will they fill their final spot?

On Saturday, Nuggets head coach David Adelman addressed the team's upcoming decision about the final roster spot, giving his input on what could work best.

"The conversations we've had have been interesting," coach David Adelman said to The Denver Post's Bennett Durando. "Because you could look at it like, 'Well, we've had injuries at these spots. We should go get somebody that can take that spot if we got into a bad moment where someone couldn't come back, if we're in (the playoffs) at the end of the year.' ... And there's the other part of you that says, 'I don't know who'd we play if we made the playoffs.' And every team out West demands something different. Maybe you're looking at, we could use more ball-handling. Maybe you're looking at, we could use more size with the current injuries for the wing position."

Jan 29, 2026; Denver, Colorado, USA; Denver Nuggets head coach David Adelman during the second quarter against the Brooklyn Nets at Ball Arena. | Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images

What do the Nuggets need?

Even at the beginning of the season, there was one clear roster need for the Nuggets, which was a backup ball-handler. Of course, that hole has not changed after 54 games, but is there a bigger need now?

With Aaron Gordon and Peyton Watson both sidelined for several weeks, and all of the other long-term injuries they have dealt with, it would not be shocking if the Nuggets opted to bring in forward depth instead of a backup point guard.

Guys like Georges Niang and Haywood Highsmith, just to name a couple, are sitting on the open market and could both be legitimate difference-makers for the Nuggets while giving them some much-needed depth.

However, recent reports have linked the Nuggets to backup point guard Lonzo Ball, suggesting that they could be leaning toward the idea of bringing in a backup ball-handler.

"That said, one skillset the Nuggets have circled since training camp as an area they'd like to eventually improve is ball-handling, according to multiple league sources," Durando reported.

As the NBA buyout market takes shape, league sources told @ClutchPoints that two teams have emerged as serious suitors for Lonzo Ball:

Golden State Warriors
Denver Nuggets

Both teams are looking to add an experienced ball-handler in their backcourt.
— Brett Siegel (@BrettSiegelNBA) February 7, 2026

With the number of injuries they have dealt with this season, it is challenging to pinpoint one position that the Nuggets need most. Denver has not had a full-strength lineup since mid-November, and plenty has changed since then.

It will be interesting to see what the Nuggets do with their final roster spot, but it seems more likely that they will target a backup ball-handler.

What do the Nuggets need?

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