Nuggets' Last-Minute Pre-Draft Workout Signals Potential Plans at No. 26

Leading up to the 2026 NBA Draft, there hasn't been a ton of noise surrounding who the Denver Nuggets could have interest in with their 26th pick in the first round–– and there's only been a few reported pre-draft workouts hosted with players who would add up as a selection in that range.

However, there is one intriguing prospect projected to go at the back end of the first round who the Nuggets have seemingly brought in for a workout in the final days before the draft takes place in New York: Arizona forward Koa Peat.

According to HoopsHype's pre-draft workout tracker, there's two players ranked within the top 35 prospects that the Nuggets have reportedly met with before Tuesday's first round: that's Koa Peat and St. John's forward Zuby Ejiofor.

Ejiofor, though, has been known to have a workout with the Nuggets for weeks now. I even wrote about him as a potential option for Denver at pick 26 on Monday.

But since then, Peat has been the latest name to have a pre-draft workout with just hours to go until Denver makes its decision at 26. And he might just be someone that the Nuggets also have their eye on in the first round.

Is Koa Peat in Play for the Nuggets at No. 26?

Now, a reported pre-draft workout, or any lack there-of, isn't always a surefire bet to gauge a team's interest in a certain prospect.

Many teams often select players in the draft they don't have in the building for a workout, have workouts conducted behind the scenes that don't ever get reported on, or even bring in prospects for a visit to confirm that he's not someone the team has interest in drafting.

Even when factoring all of that in, though, the Nuggets' potential interest in Peat is sensible to imagine.

He's got good physical tools with both size and length at 6-foot-7 with a 6-foot-11 wingspan that projects him to be a potential impact player defensively, has upside as a rebounder and playmaker in the frontcourt, while also possessing strong traits as a threat to bring rim pressure at the next level.

Mar 20, 2026; San Diego, CA, USA; Arizona Wildcats forward Koa Peat (10) reacts in the first half against the LIU Sharks during a first round game of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at Viejas Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Offensively, he's not totally refined as you would like from an NBA wing, especially not with his three-point shot––shooting 35% at Arizona on less than one attempt per game––but the threat he poses if able to expand that area of his game could be tantalizing for league executives to take a flier on him.

In Denver, he could be an intriguing developmental piece that could work into the second unit as a connector, and potentially work around his offensive flaws in a Nuggets system that ranked number-one in the NBA last year for offensive rating. If he can expand his shooting range and key in on his defensive potential, his fit becomes a bit more eye-catching.

So in the event that Peat's on the board once the Nuggets are on the clock at No. 26, don't be surprised if he's the name that Denver submits for their selection.

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