One Young Player Who Should Be Thrilled About the Nuggets' Offseason

The Denver Nuggets' offseason, to this point, is largely considered incomplete.

Until the Nuggets get a resolution on their restricted free agents Peyton Watson and Spencer Jones, and also fill out their roster to at least 14 players, it's hard to say Denver's truly done with their work to get this group ready for the 2026-27 campaign.

However, based on the way that the Nuggets' roster transformation has gone thus far––the addition of Marvin Bagley and Alpha Diallo, the departure of Tim Hardaway Jr., Jalen Pickett, Jonas Valanciunas, and possibly Bruce Brown––there's one young player in Denver's rotation who's bound to be feeling good about the way things have gone in the Mile High.

That's fourth-year wing Julian Strawther, who should be excited for multiple reasons, but primarily because of the increased workload that he seems bound to receive throughout next season.

Why Julian Strawther's Stock Is on the Rise

To this point, the Nuggets' starting lineup hasn't changed much from the way they ended last season. Trades in the coming weeks could change that, along with what transpires for Peyton Watson, but signs seem to hint towards Denver largely running it back with their starting five.

The bench, though, has seen some notable shifts. And at this point, it's hard to think that their second unit has really improved through the work done so far. They've lost several pieces that they haven't exactly replaced in perfect fashion, primarily their Sixth Man of the Year finalist, Hardaway Jr.

However, in the process of that gutting in the second unit, one player has remained onboard throughout those changes: that's Julian Strawther, who now seems to be slotted in as, at least with their current roster's setup, their best option to consider as their newest sixth man.

Apr 1, 2026; Salt Lake City, Utah, USA; Denver Nuggets guard Julian Strawther (3) tries to dribble past Utah Jazz guard Bez Mbeng (21) during the second half at Delta Center. Mandatory Credit: Chris Nicoll-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Strawther would be going from a back-end rotation player to a true focal point in that second unit, and perhaps their go-to scoring option within that group.

Right now, that bench squad looks like their best five-man lineup would look something like Jones-Diallo-Strawther-Holmes-Bagley. And if that holds heading into opening night, there's no question that Strawther takes the cake as the best name in that group on the offensive end.

It's a major shift from the role that Strawther was slotted into last season. When the Nuggets were fully healthy––which was really a rarity––Strawther could sometimes be subject to a DNP just because of how deep their nine-man rotation was.

As a result, Strawther saw his raw scoring stats take a slight dip from his sophomore campaign, where he averaged 7.2 points a night, but saw his efficiency improve, shooting 46.7% from the field and 38.7% from three.

This year, that decline in scoring might not be the case, with the second unit's changes allowing him to be a primary beneficiary.

Especially Being in a Contract Year, This Is What Strawther Needs

Seeing that spike in minutes and opportunity is also sure to be a welcomed sight from Strawther when considering the fact that he's in a contract year next season.

Every minute that comes Strawther'sis way will be vital in maximizing the value of his second contract, and he might have a good chance of having a career season in the process, depending on how the rest of Denver's offseason shakes out.

Will that second contract come from the Nuggets once next summer rolls around? It might be a little too early to tell, but based on how Denver's operated with their pair of restricted free agents this summer, it's far from a guarantee that this team would have the willingness, or even the flexibility, to pay out that upcoming deal.

Regardless, the Nuggets are probably eager to see what Strawther can do in his fourth campaign with the expanded opportunity, because depending on what the future holds for Watson and/or Jones, he might be one of their lasting hopes of having a respectable bench unit.

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