The Denver Nuggets have unfortunately learned all about the crucial need for depth in the event of injuries. This was most apparent in the 2021 playoffs when the Nuggets’ backcourt consisted of two undrafted rookies (Markus Howard and Facundo Compazzo), and two players who were without a job in the middle of the season (Shaq Harrison and Austin Rivers).
While they miraculously managed to still beat the Portland Trail Blazers in six games, Denver was quickly swept in the second round and saw a similar problem in 2022 with Michael Porter Jr. missing most of the season and Jamal Murray still out.
While much of the Nuggets’ struggles in the past two years have been a result of bad injury luck, there is always an opportunity to be better prepared for when injuries do happen. The Nuggets have both Porter and Murray coming back from major surgeries last year, and it would be unreasonable to expect them to play their usual high-minute starting roles right away.
Did the Nuggets do enough in the offseason to be prepared for 82 games of basketball?