As excited as everyone is for this season of Nuggets basketball, the new, revamped roster is still largely theoretical. On paper, everything looks good, but the magic elixir to make it all come together still relies on the young players developing, starting to reach their potential, and becoming meaningful, consistent parts of the rotation.
Part of the idea behind all of the added depth is that guys like Peyton Watson, Julian Strawther, Jalen Pickett, and DaRon Holmes II will be able to contribute immediately. It sounds great, but the Nuggets have been waiting years for this to happen, and it hasn’t fully come to fruition.
Watson, Pickett, and Strawther have shown flashes and looked great at times, but none have definitively proven that they can hang at the highest level. Watson has come the closest and played meaningful playoff minutes, but he has also been inconsistent and has constantly seen his minutes yanked around.
Put up or shut up time for young Nuggets
But the “young’ players are getting older quickly, and it’s time to find out if they’re up to the challenge or not. Watson is already due for a rookie extension, and Strawther and Pickett decisions will be coming next season.
The Nuggets would love to keep these players in tow, but if they aren’t ready to be part of the rotation, the team can’t afford to keep wasting money and roster spots. If they don’t impact games this season, the Nuggets’ bench will suddenly be old and thin once again.
They’ll be relying heavily on Bruce Brown, Tim Hardaway Jr., and Jonas Valanciunas. And if one or multiple of those players prove to be washed up, or can’t hang playing major minutes, this revamped Denver bench may end up right back in the same position they’ve been in for the past couple of years.
Nuggets need consistency from youth
Realistically, the Nuggets aren’t going to go 12-deep. Not every young player will break out, and not every veteran will be reliable every night. But they need to find a steady mix and find four or five guys they can count on.
If they finally get the leaps and stability they’ve been waiting for, the Nuggets should have one of the deepest teams and one of the best benches in the entire NBA. But if the young players don’t come along, and the vets can’t provide what they used to, the team may face some very familiar issues.