1 Key to Nuggets returning to glory with Jokic that everyone is missing

After a valiant effort, the Denver Nuggets' title defense came up just short in the 2024 playoffs. Admittedly, the Nuggets looked a bit shaky at times during their first playoff run since taking home the Larry O'Brien trophy last summer. But at the end of the day, they had the tools to get the job done, and they simply missed the mark.

Getting matched up with the Lakers in first round seemed like an ideal scenario with how Denver dominated them both in the playoffs the previous year and in the regular season in 2023-24. But to the surprise of many, the Nuggets looked sluggish against what was frankly a subpar Lakers team, and they found themselves down by double digits in nearly every game of the series.

It seemed like Denver almost sleepwalked to the second round without taking the Lakers very seriously at all. When they were matched up with Minnesota in round two, a reality check was on the way. The Timberwolves' stifling defense surprised the Nuggets a bit, and they quickly fell into an 0-2 series hole.

Of course, the entire NBA world was ready to write Denver off at this point. Some even made ridiculous and outlandish claims about Nikola Jokic, trying to tear down all this team has accomplished. But the Nuggets grit their teeth and won three games in a row, quickly shutting the mouths of the aforementioned hot take artists.

When they did finally bow out of the playoffs, one thing became clear: Denver's biggest problem was not Jokic or Jamal Murray not being enough. By and large, the Nuggets' biggest issue was depth. They have relied very heavily on their veterans, and Michael Malone stayed with a slim rotation throughout the playoffs.

The Nuggets need their young talent to develop into legitimate role players

Of course playing your best players is the way to win, especially in the playoffs. But at the end of the day, Denver simply needs more rotation-level players they can turn to in specific scenarios. If they have, let's say, three more guys sitting on their bench they know can provide a lift in certain scenarios, it will completely change the complexion of this team.

Ideally, those players will be on the younger side. If we look at the Nuggets' active roster right now, there are certainly several players who could eventually fit this bill given time and proper development. Christian Braun, Peyton Watson, Julian Strawther and Hunter Tyson are all guys under the age of 24 that have legitimate talent.

We have already seen the kind of impact Braun can have in the right role. An energy player, Braun was a bright spot in spurts in the 2023 playoffs. The fact that he can contribute as a three-and-D wing could make him valuable in the future. But the biggest caveat is that, like the other young guys previously listed, he must continue to get better.

All four of Braun, Watson, Strawther and Tyson have potential to be real contributors one day, but they may be borderline useless for a team with legitimate championship aspirations if they never get any better than they are right now. On the flip side, if at least three of those four players become playable for real minutes in a playoff setting, it will go a long way toward keeping the Nuggets' championship window open for years to come.