Once the Nuggets signed Cam Whitmore last week, it was official. The Nuggets had truly upgraded the roster athletically this summer. Sure, it's not a dramatic overhaul, but for every subtraction on the roster aside from Peyton Watson, who was traded to the Cleveland Cavaliers for draft capital, the Nuggets seemingly came out more athletic. One of the ways they can take advantage of the newfound athleticism is by utilizing Nikola Jokic's ability to fire pinpoint-accurate passes for easy finishes at the rim.
Jokic excels at many facets of the game. But with one of the least athletic lineups in the NBA last season, Jokic still found a way to co-lead the NBA in rim assists at 4.9 per game, alongside Cade Cunningham of the Detroit Pistons. A rim assist is a pass that leads to a dunk, a layup, an alley-oop, or a finish at the rim. We've seen Jokic thrive with the right players next to him.
Christian Braun and Russell Westbrook were excellent at attacking the rim without the ball in 2024-25. And now, with more cutters and slashers than last year, that assist number should expand upward and become a focal point of the offense right alongside the three-point shot.
The new Nuggets additions could be great on the second unit
The newest Nugget addition, two-way player Cam Whitmore, excels at using his explosiveness to create a gap on his first step on a cut and then uses his strength and athleticism to finish with a dunk or easy layup. He's a career 53.1% from two-point range, largely because of his finishing ability at the rim. Sprinkle in some Jokic magic, and that number is sure to go up.
Backup center Marvin Bagley III could also see plenty of time playing alongside Jokic as relief for Aaron Gordon. And when he does, he can use the strength and length in his 6-foot-10 frame to flush home a lob. Bagley shot 64.1% from two last season, and he's got an excellent touch around the rim if Jokic hits him down low.
Nuggets rookie defensive specialist Alpha Diallo is also a strong finisher at the rim. Last season in the EuroLeague, Diallo shot 66.7% at the rim. He uses his explosive first step to get past the defender on backdoor cuts and his strength to power in for a quick finish.
There's no reason for the Nuggets not to take advantage of the easiest, highest-percentage shot in basketball. They have the best passer in the NBA. Layups and finishes at the rim are an integral part of the game, and the Nuggets are well set up to take advantage of it in 2026-27.
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