The biggest possible swing factor for the Nuggets next season is the play of “rookie” DaRon Holmes II. Holmes was drafted last year to give Denver some depth in the frontcourt, but he immediately tore his achilles in summer league and missed all of last season.
Now, Holmes is fully recovered and looked excellent in his summer league debut, putting up 15 points, 4 rebounds, and a block on 3/5 shooting from the three-point line. He showed a little bit of everything, playing solidly on both ends, both inside and outside.
It would be unfair to expect too much of a guy who has never even played in an NBA game and is coming off of one of the worst injuries a basketball player can suffer. At the same time, the opportunity couldn’t be more perfect for Holmes this season…if he’s able to seize it.
Holmes may be a better option than Valanciunas
Even with all of the Nuggets’ offseason additions, there’s still a hole in the frontcourt, and that’s not even factoring in the potential of losing Jonas Valanciunas. JV would likely get first crack at the backup center job, but he’s getting long in the tooth and isn’t so nimble these days. He’s got great size, but the movement isn’t really there.
Holmes, on the other hand, is a great mover, despite being smaller. He can fill the backup power forward role, and may even be able to give the team quality minutes at backup center. It’s not crazy to think that, a few months into the season, it may be clear that Holmes is just a better player than Valanciunas at this point in their respective careers.
The Nuggets’ newfound depth is mostly on the wings and is mostly made up of older players. If Holmes emerges as a legitimate player who can provide much-needed youthful energy, there will be a massive role for him off the bench, especially in the regular season.
If Valanciunas leaves, all eyes will be on Holmes
Then there’s the chance that the Valanciuans saga goes completely sideways. He may never even play a game for the Nuggets, and if that’s the case, the team’s hole in the frontcourt would be massive.
They can still try to add a veteran center, but unless it’s Al Horford, there aren’t a lot of good options. Holmes may quickly be thrust into a huge role where he’s expected to back up Nikola Jokic on a nightly basis.
If he’s capable of filling that role consistently, it would be an enormous boon for the Nuggets, granting them a cheap, young role player off the bench who would fill multiple holes for a team vying to win a championship. So far, it’s only been one summer league game, but the early returns couldn’t be much better.