The start of the NBA season is rapidly approaching, and the preseason will be here before we know it. For the Denver Nuggets, the preseason should resemble something like a science experiment on the court. They already know who the starting five will be, and for the most part, the first three off the bench are already settled. But beyond that, it's anyone's guess what combination of players gels together to make up the Nuggets' second unit.
The starting five is set in stone. Nikola Jokic, Aaron Gordon, Cameron Johnson, Christian Braun, and Jamal Murray. They'll be followed by the new veteran addition, sixth man DeMar DeRozan; the new backup center for the non-Jokic minutes, Marvin Bagley; and after him, one of the biggest bright spots of the 2025-26 season, Spencer Jones. But the questions begin after that, and head coach David Adelman shouldn't be afraid to get his mad scientist coat on to see who's next.
The Nuggets need to test out the depth of the bench
Over the past couple of years, the Nuggets have typically run a shorter rotation. But this year, they've got no real depth behind the first eight. Julian Strawther seems to be the odds-on favorite to take a leap forward this year, but his defense needs to improve. Rookie free-agent defensive specialist Alpha Diallo could be a game-changer on defense, especially at the point of attack and on the perimeter. But he's only played in Europe, and his offense is a question mark.
Most Nuggets pundits have been pounding the table about the need for a backup ball-handler, but the Nuggets only have Tyus Jones to back up Murray. Can Strawther step up and handle the ball? Or should the Nuggets hand the role over to DeRozan, who's more than capable of performing the distributor role? The only way to find out is to give them all a round-robin test in the preseason.
What about the Nuggets' recent two-way acquisition, Cam Whitmore? He could be the most athletic Nugget on the team. But can the former first-round pick leapfrog everyone on a standard contract, like Spencer Jones did last year? The preseason is a great place to find out.
Not to mention the logjam behind Bagley and Spencer that consists of former first-round picks Zeke Nnaji and DaRon Holmes, plus the second-round rookie Trevon Brazile. Give them a run in the preseason to find out. They'll be needed at some point this season when AG sits for rest.
Adelman needs to experiment in case a disaster hits again
The Nuggets have no one proven past the top eight, and that means Adelman needs to experiment in the preseason rather than getting the starting five more run together. They'll be fine.
But as we all saw last year, injuries can pile up quickly, and the Nuggets could be stuck relying on the thin depth more than they'd like. But as long as Adelman gives them all a test during the preseason, he'll have a better idea of how to put the puzzle together once the season gets rolling.
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