What Nuggets' 2026 Draft Picks Mean for Free Agency

The Denver Nuggets walked out of the 2026 NBA Draft with two new rookies, selecting Arkansas Razorbacks forward Trevon Brazile with the 35th pick and St. John's Red Storm forward Bryce Hopkins with the 49th pick. The Nuggets had three clear roster holes to fill, yet they only managed to address their need for forward depth.

Still, this was a good draft for them, and Brazile, especially, should be able to make an impact in Denver. Now, though, they will need to turn to free agency to address their other roster needs.

Who do they retain now?

Mar 24, 2026; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Denver Nuggets guard Bruce Brown (11) against the Phoenix Suns at Mortgage Matchup Center. | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

The Nuggets have six notable free agents this offseason: Tim Hardaway Jr. (UFA), Bruce Brown (UFA), Peyton Watson (RFA), Jalen Pickett (TO), Tyus Jones (UFA), and Spencer Jones (RFA).

Will their draft results impact their plans for these guys? Despite an attempt to trade up in the draft for a guard, the Nuggets were only able to acquire two forwards.

"It was a heavy point guard draft. Sure... There were a lot of guys we liked. But, they just didn't fall to our area," Nuggets GM Jon Wallace said after the draft. "We tried to make some moves to get up. It just didn't work. We're not the only team that wants elite point guards."

Now, they still have a desperate need for guard depth, which means we should see them bring back at least two of their four free agent guards.

Hardaway Jr., Brown, Pickett, and Tyus Jones could all be returning to Denver next season at the right price, although with three of them hitting unrestricted free agency, it will be a bit tougher for the Nuggets to retain them. Pickett is the most likely candidate to return on a $2.4 million team option, but it would not surprise anyone if they also re-sign Brown, who has found a great home in Denver.

Bruce Brown is one of the most versatile players in the league.

Here is a breakdown of how much time he spends guarding each position pic.twitter.com/nsWCCytdiC
— BBall Index (@The_BBall_Index) January 12, 2026

Hardaway Jr. is the least likely of the four to return to Denver, since his play last season might have elevated him out of veteran minimum territory. As for Tyus Jones, the Nuggets will be desperate for a backup ball-handler this offseason, and if they cannot find one elsewhere, they will likely try to bring him back.

The statuses of Watson and Spencer Jones were probably not impacted by Denver's draft results, unless the Nuggets no longer see a need for a long-term Jones contract with the addition of Brazile and Hopkins. However, Jones proved to be a valuable piece for the Nuggets, and we will likely see them re-sign him regardless.

Extrernal options

Mar 27, 2026; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA; Chicago Bulls guard Collin Sexton (2) dribbles down the court against the Oklahoma City Thunder during the second half at Paycom Center. | Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images

The free agency market this offseason is pretty bleak, with not many viable options for the Nuggets to find a backup ball-handler. Guys like Collin Sexton and Anfernee Simons might be out of the Nuggets' price range, while others might not give them the production they are hoping for.

If the Nuggets are willing to pay up a bit more for someone like Sexton, then he would be a great fit as their backup point guard. He averaged 15.4 points and 3.3 assists per game last season on 40.1% shooting from deep, although that is why he might be too expensive for them.

Cheaper guard options on the open market this summer include Gabe Vincent, Aaron Holiday, Gary Payton II, Cam Thomas, Jevon Carter, and Brandon Williams. Looking at their options, they might just be better off retaining Tyus Jones and Jalen Pickett.

The backup center situation

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

Another dire roster need for the Nuggets this offseason will be their backup center. With the franchise expected to part ways with Jonas Valanciunas, the backup center duties will fall on DaRon Holmes II if they do not make any other additions.

The Nuggets had the opportunity to address this need in the draft, but they traded the draft rights to UConn's Tarris Reed Jr. to the San Antonio Spurs. Now, they will need to look toward free agency.

Granted, I think Holmes should get his shot as Denver's backup center, but even if he is their second-string big man behind Nikola Jokic, they will still need someone else in their center room.

Some of the more expensive options in free agency are Mitchell Robinson, Zach Collins, and Robert Williams III, and it is hard to imagine the Nuggets spending too much on Jokic's backup. We will likely see them target a cheaper option in Nick Richards, Dwight Powell, Jaxson Hayes, or Thomas Bryant.

Denver's free agency priority will likely be to add a backup ball-handler, but we should see them bolster their center rotation as well after not addressing either need in the draft.

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