The offseason is finally over. With the start of training camp just two days away, that means it's time for the annual Denver Nuggets media day to kick off the start of the new year. It's been a busy offseason, but the Nuggets front office has been quiet about some of the moves and decisions that have been made. As such, there are a few questions that fans should hope to be asked for the team to answer in anticipation of the 2026-27 season.
1. Are Aaron Gordon and Christian Braun healthy? Is there a plan for rest?
The Denver Nuggets starters missed 136 combined games last year, but Braun and Gordon accounted for 84 of them. We've already heard from AG himself that he feels good and is "ready to go." And after a nearly five-month layoff, Braun should be good to go, too. But the fans want to hear it emphatically from both players on media day.
And we're all curious to know if the Nuggets have a plan to give AG rest on back-to-backs or limit his minutes where possible to keep him as healthy as possible for when the playoffs approach. Gordon is the team's best interior defender, who showed last year that if the Nuggets face the Spurs, he'll slow down Victor Wembanyama. But he needs to be healthy and on the court to do that.
2. What is the team's plan for the backup point guard role?
We know that the Nuggets wanted to address the lack of ball handlers that plagued them in the first round of the playoffs against the Minnesota Timberwolves. They re-signed Tyus Jones to shore up that specific need, but as I've been saying all offseason, the Nuggets can't be serious about him being their answer.
They've signed 17-year veteran and six-time All-Star DeMar DeRozan, who I have been emphatic about testing out as the backup to Jamal Murray. He's an underrated passer who's got a high-level basketball IQ that will help him to be a great distributor, like he was during his time with the San Antonio Spurs. But will the Nuggets use DeRozan to spell Murray? Or is it really just going to be Tyus Jones for 10-12 minutes a game? Or someone else?
3. How big a role will the Nuggets give Alpha Diallo?
Of course, the Nuggets needed to address the defensive woes that plagued them last year, too. The team traded away their best defender, Peyton Watson, to save money against the salary cap. But they signed one of the best defenders available by thinking outside the box and bringing Alpha Diallo in from the EuroLeague. He is the reigning Best Defender of the EuroLeague, and he profiles as a Watson defensive replacement, especially on the perimeter.
I've been very high on Diallo to get a lot of floor time this season simply because of his defensive prowess. But his offensive upside is also built for the Nuggets' offense as a slasher without the ball who can finish exceptionally well at the rim. How much court time will the Nuggets try to give the 29-year-old rookie this season? Hopefully a fair amount. He's athletic, plays hard, and could be an exceptional role player.
4. Will ducking the second apron become a priority by the trade deadline?
It would seem that getting under the NBA's second apron penalty threshold would be a priority for the Nuggets. Doing so would allow them to keep their 2034 draft pick from being frozen, which would allow them to use it as a trade piece in future seasons. However, they could always fool everyone and just let the pick stay frozen to use in seven years, too. But some clarity would be nice.
As it stands, the Nuggets are still the only team above the second apron, and it would make sense that another move would be coming for the Nuggets to get back under the mark.
5. Will Dave Joerger have a hand in shaping the defense?
Back to the defense. The Nuggets added new assistant Dave Joerger as a more experienced voice for head coach David Adelman to lean on, but will he get the keys to run his defensive schemes? Joerger has a history of improving defenses. The Nuggets' only defensive upgrade with Diallo is a wash because of the Watson trade, so something has to be done differently with the personnel the Nuggets currently have.
That's where Joerger should come in. Without a defensive overhaul and starting from scratch, new schemes and adjustments are the only options left. Adelman didn't adjust to anything the Timberwolves did last year, which could be why Joerger was brought in.
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