Julian Strawther and DaRon Holmes are not draft busts yet. We've seen Strawther play well enough to give up on him because of a rough start to his third season, and DaRon Holmes — though it feels like we've been awaiting his arrival for so long — is only in year two, and year one of being healthy. Patience remains key with both of these guys.
Plus, neither Strawther or Holmes was a lottery pick. Strawther went No. 29 in 2023, and Holmes went No. 22 overall last year. The best player picked after Strawther is probably Toumani Camara (and he went No. 52) and the best player taken after Holmes is likely Kyshawn George (No. 24). I don't even believe that players picked outside the top 20 can be "busts."
With all that being said, these are the kinds of picks that are necessary to hit on for a team like the Nuggets while trying to become a regular contender.
Look at the Thunder; are Ajay Mitchell, Aaron Wiggins, Jaylin Williams, and the rest of the late-draft gems or UDFA's they've picked up that much better prospects than Strawther or Holmes? Or do the Thunder just draft guys they have clear plans for, then develop them into the productive NBA players they've all become?
I think it's more the latter — and that's the balance the Nuggets need to strike with their picks if they want to keep roster-building momentum.
Nuggets recent draft picks aren't contributing much right now
We've seen the Nuggets development program work wonders; Christian Braun and Peyton Watson are both essential players on this team, and both have grown within the organization. But now, as we approach 2026, Strawther is barely in the rotation, and Holmes is getting less run than Zeke Nnaji, who is unfortunately an example of the Nuggets drafting a player and not really having a plan for him.
The sky isn't falling. I don't want to sound like a Debbie Downer, especially for a team that's currently third in a stacked Western Conference. But dynasties in the NBA are built by sustained success, and hitting on late first-and-second round picks is a huge part of that sustainability.
Julian Strawther and DaRon Holmes both made sense when the Nuggets drafted them. But making sure there's a developmental plan in place — and allowing young players to make mistakes during that development — is an essential balance to strike when trying to mine for gems. Right now, the Nuggets aren't really doing that with their recent first-round selections.