Denver Nuggets End-of-Season Awards: MVP, DPOY, Most Improved

The Denver Nuggets still have a whole slate of playoff action left ahead to unfold in the weeks ahead to ultimately determine what their championship fate for this season's efforts might be.

But, as the Nuggets are waiting for their first round series to kick off against the Minnesota Timberwolves, now makes for the perfect time to take a step back and hand out some team awards for who some of the biggest standouts were around Denver's roster from start to finish of the season.

While Denver might not come away with any hardware this season outside of a couple of All-NBA nods, a few names on the roster are still worthy of some recognition for propelling the Nuggets to their third-seeded finish in the West and pushing forward for what was a pretty turbulent campaign all things considered.

With that in mind, let's hand out some end-of-season awards for the Nuggets roster, determining who the team's MVP, Rookie of the Year, Sixth Man, Defensive Player of the Year, and Most Improved Player might be:

MVP: Nikola Jokic

Apr 12, 2026; San Antonio, Texas, USA; Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic (15) awaits the start of a game against the San Antonio Spurs at Frost Bank Center. Mandatory Credit: Scott Wachter-Imagn Images | Scott Wachter-Imagn Images

He may not win the league MVP for his heroic efforts this season, but there's no question Nikola Jokic was once again the engine that drove the Nuggets to their top-three finish in the conference, and ultimately who still keeps Denver's title hopes alive and well.

There's even an argument to be made that Jokic had his best individual season yet, even while he might now win the league MVP award.

He led the league in total rebounds and assists, which no player in NBA history has done before, averaged nearly 28 points per game to rank top 10 in the league in terms of scoring average, and unsurprisingly led the league in both PER (32.3), BPM (14.2).

He did miss nearly a month of his season due to a hyperextended knee, which, had he not gone down with it, could be the favorite to claim his fourth-career league MVP. But at the very least, there's no doubt Jokic is far and away the Nuggets' own MVP of the season.

Rookie of the Year: DaRon Holmes

Jan 17, 2026; Denver, Colorado, USA; Denver Nuggets forward Daron Holmes II (14) before the game against the Washington Wizards at Ball Arena. Mandatory Credit: Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images | Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images

It's slim pickings when deciding who the Nuggets' best rookie of the season was, considering only DaRon Holmes and two-way signee Curtis Jones were the only first-year players to get minutes for Denver.

Still, in his limited minutes on the floor, Holmes did show decent upside as an athletic and versatile forward following the brutal season-ending ACL injury from 2025's training camp, cutting his first season short before it even got rolling.

Being in and out of the G League and playing just 25 regular season games at an average of less than 10 minutes, limited just how much he could really show on a team that was gunning for a top seed in the West. But there might be a steadier role available for him next season, depending on how the rotation eventually shakes out.

Sixth Man of the Year: Tim Hardaway Jr.

Mar 24, 2026; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Denver Nuggets guard Tim Hardaway Jr. (10) against the Phoenix Suns at Mortgage Matchup Center. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

Another example of a player who should be right within the mix of the league's own award, Tim Hardaway Jr. was an electric presence in the Nuggets' second unit who might've just been their most impactful offseason addition of last summer.

His consistency from deep marked the best three-point shooting season of his career (40.7% 3PT), helped the Nuggets offense flow and space even better than it did before, and has been the catalyst towards Denver's second unit getting their much-needed lift that last season proved was necessary.

It remains to be seen if the Nuggets can retain Hardaway Jr. this offseason as he hits the free agent market, considering he sits on one of the best valued contracts in the NBA at less than $3 million. But there's no question that Denver would certainly welcome their veteran guard back if the price is right.

Defensive Player of the Year: Spencer Jones

Mar 24, 2026; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Denver Nuggets forward Spencer Jones (21) against the Phoenix Suns at Mortgage Matchup Center. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

The Nuggets' defense and their overall success on that end of the floor have been up and down all season long. But the pleasant surprise of Spencer Jones deserves some recognition as a huge factor that's helped lift the overall floor of their defensive consistency.

Coming from a two-way signing to eventually becoming a spot starter and consistent bench piece towards the end of their campaign, Jones' stock has risen tremendously as a multi-positional defender, to the point where he's now one of the Nuggets’ more important pieces on that side entirely.

Most Improved: Jamal Murray

Mar 25, 2026; Denver, Colorado, USA; Denver Nuggets guard Jamal Murray (27) reacts after a play in the fourth quarter against the Dallas Mavericks at Ball Arena. Mandatory Credit: Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images | Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images

Peyton Watson certainly makes an appealing case as the Nuggets' most improved name on the roster this season. And had he avoided his hamstring flare-up to keep him more available throughout the year, he might have actually won the honors.

But it's really hard to overlook just how impactful Jamal Murray's leap was for the Nuggets' success throughout the year, as he found his way to become not just a first-time All-Star selection, but likely a first-time All-NBA guard.

His scoring and aggressiveness to another step forward, his availability throughout the year was crucial to keep the Nuggets and their injury-riddled lineup afloat, and for as long as he's playing at this level, gives Denver a fighting chance for their second championship of the decade.

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