The Denver Nuggets believe that they are contenders to win the championship this season. Nikola Jokic is still widely viewed as the best offensive player in the league. He needs some help, and Denver decided to trade one of their starters instead.
Peyton Watson was moved to Cleveland instead of signing him to an extension. Right now, the Nuggets are the only team in the second apron of the luxury tax. Yet, they have one big issue, and ESPN believes that issue is the lack of depth on the bench.
Bad Bench Depth Could Cost the Denver Nuggets
Ramona Shelbourne of ESPN believes that the bench could be what keeps Denver from being a true contender in the playoffs.
“The Nuggets’ bench was a strength during their championship run, but that depth has slowly withered away each successive season as financial constraints have limited Denver’s roster building,” Shelbourne writes.
Without Jokic on the floor, the Nuggets hemorrhage points. They had a -6.5 net rating with Jokic on the bench last season. When he was on the floor, they had a +10.8 net rating. That disparity is what could keep Denver from making a deep run in the playoffs.
The addition of DeMar DeRozan could help that bench be stronger. He was signed after DeRozan was bought out by the Kings. DeRozan, even at his age, is still one of the most durable players in the NBA. He also can still score the ball, as he averaged 18.4 points per game last year in Sacramento.
The Nuggets don’t have many options to upgrade the team with the financial situation they are in. Even when the trade deadline rolls around, Denver won’t be able to make moves because of the tax situation they find themselves in. If anything, they might have to try to dump players.
Denver is Feeling the Pressure to Contend
As Jokic continues to age, the Nuggets are facing more pressure to win at the highest level. Jokic still hasn’t signed a contract extension. He maintains that he will be signing next year so that he can earn more money. However, Nuggets fans are still worried about his happiness long-term.
Injuries have played a big part in the failure to make deep playoff runs for the Nuggets. Aaron Gordon is one of the most important players on the team, and he hasn’t had a healthy postseason run since Denver won the title in 2023. The DeRozan acquisition should help with that.
The Nuggets had the best offense in the NBA last season with Jokic still at the top of his game. Jamal Murray needs a bounce-back season, too. The top of the Western Conference is still owned by the Spurs and the Thunder. Having a roster that can compete with both of those teams is going to be tough.
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