It's no secret that the Denver Nuggets needed a defensive change this offseason. On the surface, it doesn't look like they've really done that much, but the addition of rookie free agent Alpha Diallo could be exactly what the doctor ordered for the Nuggets to get out of their defensive slump.
For the past two years, the Nuggets have had a bottom-third defensive rating, finishing 21st each season. But they've actually gotten worse. 2024-25 saw a defensive rating of 115.1, while 2025-26 saw a regression and a 116.0 rating. And in the first round of the playoffs against the Minnesota Timberwolves, the Nuggets had no answer for the Wolves guards, who were able to get to the paint at will.
Enter Diallo, the defensive specialist
The Nuggets thought outside the box to look for defensive help. While the free agent market in the NBA had largely dried up of good perimeter defenders, the Nuggets went out and got the best defender in Europe. The 29-year-old rookie Diallo won the EuroLeague Defensive Player of the Year as a lockdown defensive perimeter player. Diallo excels in on-ball and man-to-man defense, and he led all forwards in the EuroLeague in allowing the fewest points per possession.
That's exactly the kind of defense that should get Diallo a lot of playing time this upcoming season. Diallo has the ability to guard the 1 through 4 positions and fight through screens, plus his ability to defend against the pick-and-roll is elite.
Who else does this for the Nuggets? They could have shut down enough drives from the Timberwolves with Diallo to make a difference. There was simply no answer, so much so that Ayo Dosunmu looked like prime Kobe getting past the Nuggets on his way to a 43-point game off the Wolves bench!
That's why it makes sense that Diallo could be in for a much larger role once the season gets going. It's not like there are any defensive stoppers keeping him from seeing more minutes if he's able to prove himself early.
Diallo's offense should be just fine with Nikola Jokic
Diallo's offense leaves something to be desired, but if he just breaks to the hoop and catches some easy Nikola Jokic leads for layups, Diallo will be fine. He can't shoot well, or he'd probably already have made his NBA debut. But he's going to come in as a role player, and the league's best offense from last season should be able to pick up any slack.
At the moment, the Nuggets don't really have a lot of guard depth. At the two-guard spot, it's just Christian Braun and Julian Strawther. Diallo should be drawing plenty of minutes, especially when the matchups call for it. And he could be exactly what the Nuggets needed to finally turn the corner on perimeter defense.
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