The Nuggets Quietly Solved a Problem That Haunted Them Last Season

The Denver Nuggets' 2025-26 season ended poorly, with a first-round playoff loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves. While the front office has hammered the idea of the team needing extra ball-handling, suggesting that was their biggest weakness last season, there was another problem they quietly solved.

The Nuggets' season really came crashing down once their forwards and centers were dealt numerous injuries, as Nikola Jokic, Aaron Gordon, Cameron Johnson, Peyton Watson, and Jonas Valanciunas all had to miss significant time. This offseason, though, they have quietly upgraded their frontcourt.

With the additions of Marvin Bagley III, Alpha Diallo, and rookies Trevon Brazile and Bryce Hopkins, the Nuggets' forward room could be surprisingly effective. Not to mention, second-year big man DaRon Holmes II could potentially progress as the franchise initially hoped.

The Nuggets' forward upgrades

Apr 8, 2026; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Dallas Mavericks forward Marvin Bagley III (35) against the Phoenix Suns at Mortgage Matchup Center. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

On paper, fans might not be too excited about what the Nuggets have done with the frontcourt, with the mindset always focused on catching bigger fish, but these are some notable upgrades. This offseason, the Nuggets have only lost Valanciunas, while bringing in Bagley, Brazile, and Hopkins. Sure, time will tell if the rookies pan out, but Summer League suggests they are on the right track.

In Denver's third Summer League game in Las Vegas, Brazile finished with 32 points and six rebounds on 6-12 shooting from beyond the arc. The 35th overall pick in the draft came in as a defensive-minded prospect with elite length and athleticism, but has already shown off what he brings offensively.

#35 overall pick Trevon Brazile had himself a GAME vs. Oklahoma City!

⚒️ 32 PTS (19 in 1H, game-high)
⚒️ 6-12 3PM
⚒️ 11-19 FGM
⚒️ DEN W@trevonbrazile2 and the @nuggets improve to 2-1 at NBA Summer League! pic.twitter.com/H3jx0Otf3j
— NBA (@NBA) July 15, 2026

Similarly, through three Summer League appearances, Hopkins has averaged 18.0 points, 6.0 rebounds, and 2.3 stocks per game on 52.5% shooting from the field. Both of Denver's second-round picks have shown out in Las Vegas, giving the franchise some hope of an improved young core and an upgraded forward room.

As for Bagley, the former second-overall pick could come in as a high-impact backup big man. Last year with the Washington Wizards and Dallas Mavericks, he averaged 10.5 points, 6.1 rebounds, 1.4 assists, and 1.2 stocks per game, while shooting 61.8% from the field and 46.2% from three-point range.

Diallo is certainly the biggest question mark coming into next season after spending several years in Europe and yet to make his NBA debut at 29 years old, but many expect him to come to Denver and make an impact. The reigning EuroLeague Best Defender award winner should give the defensive-needy Nuggets some optimism.

Alpha Diallo 🤔 pic.twitter.com/UJlKxEfDMc
— DNVR Nuggets (@DNVR_Nuggets) July 12, 2026

A couple of returners await

To make the Nuggets' forward room even better, they could still potentially bring back both Peyton Watson and Spencer Jones. Both restricted free agents could further bolster the Nuggets' depth, although it remains uncertain whether they will return.

With the signing of Diallo, the Nuggets might've signaled the end of Jones's tenure in Denver, while sign-and-trade talks for Watson continue to heat up.

With three open roster spots, the Nuggets are expected to bring back at least one of Watson or Jones, or at least turn to free agency to bring in another forward to fill out their bench. The Nuggets still desperately need guard depth, which should be their priority right now, but even after making forward upgrades, they still might not be done.

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