Sometimes basketball is complex. The strategy required, the Xs and Os, the artistic play design all combine to create a beautifully intricate game. It continues to evolve even 100-plus years after its invention in 1891.
Sometimes, though, we think so much that we forget... that it's helpful to have players who are really tall on a basketball team. The Nuggets adding Jonas Valančiūnas this offseason is a great sign that they understand the benefits of "tall." Head coach David Adelman is embracing tall this year, and said at media day that Valančiūnas and Nikola Jokic will play together on occasion, according to Bennett Durando of the Denver Post.
David Adelman says Nikola Jokic and Jonas Valanciunas will play together sometimes. Nuggets are entering their double-big era.
— Bennett Durando (@BennettDurando) September 29, 2025
Double-big in Denver? Count me in.
Jokic and Jonas could be a fascinating frontcourt
Nikola Jokic can raise the floor of anyone around him — that much we know. But we don't really know what it would look like with Jokic playing alongside another offensive-minded big like Jonas Valančiūnas. Pretty dang cool, is my guess.
Valančiūnas shot the 3-pointer pretty poorly last season (21 percent) but he's been serviceable from deep (on low volume, albeit) during his career so I expect that will bounce back in 2025-26. But for the most part, I foresee Jokic running the offense from the high post and Jonas posting up down low. If Jokic goes to the hoop, and Jonas' man helps off, it's the easiest lob of all time from one giant to another.
Regardless of how much we actually see the double-big lineup this year, it's heartening to hear the Nuggets' new coach talk about his willingness to roll out different lineup combinations and experiment until he finds units that click. The amount of optimism about Adelman and this year's Nuggets continues to grow.
Calculating the biggest lineup the Nuggets can play
Okay, of course the Nuggets could play a lineup of all forwards and centers, but that doesn't mean they should. I think the best "tall ball" lineup this team could play would consist of Jamal Murray, Cam Johnson, Aaron Gordon, Nikola Jokic, and Jonas Valančiūnas. Murray is 6-foot-3, and the rest of the lineup is 6-foot-8 or above. They're also all good, so that helps considerably. We've seen teams try to play jumbo ball in the past but it hasn't always worked, in large part beause the combination of players doesn't make any sense.
But this kind of does make sense. Be tall, Nuggets. Be so, so tall.