Denver Nuggets fans are slowly coming to the realization that DaRon Holmes is simply not a starting center-caliber player. He's gotten quite a bit more playing time in the last week with Nikola Jokic sidelined, but it's becoming evident that Holmes, while capable as a four or five in limited minutes, is overall best suited as a depth piece coming off the bench.
It's obvious that Denver's rotation has been put under a microscope with Jokic out. Fans somewhat expected the Nuggets to survive with competent big minutes from Holmes. Instead, what we're seeing is a recurring theme of him contributing in spurts, but lacking the consistency and impact required of a starter on a title contender.
On offense, Holmes has flashes that hint at potential. He can finish around the rim and shows enough mobility to not be a complete liability in pick and roll actions. But those flashes are too sporadic to justify extended minutes. Teams will often sag off of him and dare others to beat them from the perimeter. DaRon has yet to show that he can consistently punish that style of defense, and that's certainly limited how much Denver can trust him.
DaRon Holmes has some growing to do
Defensively, Holmes has physical traits that look promising on paper. But in extended stretches, his lack of experience and instinctive reads show. Often, mismatches have emerged that opposing coaches are happy to exploit. When Denver has needed a defensive anchor on the interior, it's hard to find a reliable one at the moment.
The Nuggets are still searching for answers, and that may force them into some difficult decisions. If Holmes is to be more than a role player, he will need to improve decision making and defensive awareness quickly. The coaching staff has praised his work ethic, and that will likely buy him some additional time, especially considering the circumstances. But there will come a point where results have to show up in a bigger way.
Ultimately, Denver’s ceiling without Jokic remains shaky at best. This team can compete because of its veteran leadership and proven culture, but depth decisions will shape how long they remain competitive before number 15 returns. Holmes is part of the mix, but right now he looks like a valuable rotation piece rather than a reliable fill-in starter.
For Nuggets fans, this is just the reality of the situation. There are positives and negatives, and things are going to be figured out on the fly. Denver can still put itself in a solid position over the course of the next month or so, but it remains to be seen how big a factor less proven guys like DaRon Holmes will be.