Three Reasons the Nuggets Will Bounce Back in the 2026-27 Season

The Denver Nuggets have arguably been the most accomplished team in the Western Conference over the past eight seasons. The Nuggets have won 46 or more games in eight consecutive seasons, headlined by a championship in 2023 with three-time MVP Nikola Jokic leading the charge.

However, with high expectations comes major disappointment when they fall short. Since winning it all in 2023, the Nuggets have failed to reach the Western Conference Finals in three straight playoff runs, and most recently, suffered a grueling first-round exit. The Nuggets desperately need to bounce back to title contention next season, and there are a few reasons to be confident in their ability to do so.

A healthier Nikola Jokic

Dec 29, 2025; Miami, Florida, USA; Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic (15) shoots a free throw against the Miami Heat during the first quarter at Kaseya Center. | Sam Navarro-Imagn Images

Of course, everyone knows what Jokic is capable of. This season, he became the first player since Larry Bird to finish in the top two in MVP voting in six straight seasons, further cementing himself as an all-time great. However, he kind of had a down year.

From the start of the season through December, Jokic was as dominant as ever. He was on a historic pace, averaging 29.9 points, 12.4 rebounds, 11.1 assists, and 1.4 steals through 31 games, while shooting 60.4% from the field and 44.0% from three-point range. Statistically, Jokic was on his way to the most dominant season in NBA history.

However, he suffered a knee injury on December 29 that sidelined him for the next month. After returning from the 16-game absence, Jokic's efficiency dropped, and he was not as dominant as before. This was Jokic's first significant injury absence of his career, and it certainly affected him.

If Jokic can stay as healthy as usual next season, the Nuggets will automatically be in a much better position. Of course, that goes for the entire roster, as Denver dealt with a handful of significant injury blows this season, with Aaron Gordon, Cam Johnson, Christian Braun, and Peyton Watson all missing time.

The right offseason mindset

Denver Nuggets guard Jamal Murray and forward Aaron Gordon — Apr 20, 2024; Denver, Colorado, USA; Denver Nuggets guard Jamal Murray (27) and forward Aaron Gordon (50) react during the fourth quarter against the Los Angeles Lakers in game one of the first round for the 2024 NBA playoffs at Ball Arena. | Andrew Wevers-Imagn Images

In his end-of-season presser, Nuggets executive Josh Kroenke said that "everything is on the table, outside of trading Nikola [Jokic]." While he also assured that running it back is a possibility, this is the right mindset for the Nuggets' front office.

After falling short for three straight years, there should be no untouchables on the roster outside of their three-time MVP. Sure, it could help to hang onto co-stars like Jamal Murray and Aaron Gordon, but keeping their options open will help them improve this offseason.

Not to say the Nuggets need to make a drastic change to their roster this summer, but there are certainly necessary tweaks. After finishing with the 21st-ranked defense in each of the past two seasons, the Nuggets desperately need help on that side of the ball, and they will not find it internally.

By keeping everything on the table, the Nuggets should be able to make the proper roster adjustments to actually help the team improve next season.

Finding their identity

Apr 25, 2026; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Denver Nuggets head coach David Adelman reacts to a call in the second quarter against the Minnesota Timberwolves at Target Center. | Matt Blewett-Imagn Images

While it was largely due to their roster construction, the Nuggets held the NBA's best offense this season. Much of the credit goes to stars like Jokic and Murray, but head coach David Adelman deserves his flowers.

In his first season as an NBA head coach, Adelman led the Nuggets to a 54-28 record with the league's top offense, despite dealing with a slew of injuries. The Nuggets had a healthy starting lineup for just 23 games, and a healthy bench for about a dozen of those. While Adelman and the Nuggets fell well short in the playoffs, they deserve some credit for their effort in the regular season.

Adelman did not have much of a chance to develop a real identity for this team due to all of their injuries, so giving him more time to find a rhythm with this group should work out well in the long run. Sure, Adelman is not the most loved coach in the Nuggets' community, but the front office is making the right decision by giving him another chance.

Overall, the Nuggets should have an improved title chance in the 2026-27 season, although what they do this offseason will certainly dictate their outlook.

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