It’s still early in the 2025-26 NBA season, but the Nuggets have already proven to have an elite offense with a historically high season. One of the wildest parts about their start is that they’ve done it without Cam Johnson getting into any kind of rhythm yet.
Johnson was the team’s biggest offseason acquisition, and they paid handsomely to add him, parting with Michael Porter Jr. and a far out first first-round pick. Johnson should be an upgrade to the starting lineup on both ends, who should especially elevate the offense to a level they were never able to reach with MPJ.
But so far, we haven’t seen it yet. Johnson has struggled with his shot and appears to be still finding his footing and his place within Denver’s system. It’s pretty reasonable, as there has been tons of continuity within the Nuggets’ starting lineup over the years, whereas Johnson is coming from one of the worst ecosystems in the league in Brooklyn.
It was always going to take a while for things to click, and we’re witnessing some growing pains now. Johnson is transitioning from a role with the Nets, where he was always a first or second option, to one in Denver, where he is much more of a role player, trying to complement Nikola Jokic, Jamal Murray, and Aaron Gordon.
When Johnson finds his groove, Nuggets will be unstoppable
But Johnson is way too good a player not to figure it out. As the games go on, it’s only a matter of time until he finds his comfort zone and his role in this offense. The team will hit its stride and elevate to an even higher level.
He’s not used to playing with guys like Jokic and Murray, who can make his life so much easier, but it’s all going to click, and things are going to look extremely smooth. Cam will find that playing off of these stars will put him in a position to score one easy basket after another.
It might take a few more games, it might take a few months, it might take the better part of the season, but it’s going to happen. For now, it’s a work in progress, but things can only get better for Johnson, and once they do, the sky is the limit for the Nuggets’ offense.