Biggest needs for the Denver Nuggets on day 3 of NBA free agency

We’re now almost 72 hours into NBA free agency and the only player the Nuggets have added this offseason is still their first-round draft pick, DaRon Holmes II. Conversely, the team has lost a starter in Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, their backup point guard in Reggie Jackson, and backup, while Vlatko Cancar and Justin Holiday remain free agents.

The only signing the team has officially agreed to is a minimum contract to bring back end-of-bench center, DeAndre Jordan. The Nuggets can slot Christian Braun into the starting lineup for KCP, but the bench, as it stands, is an abject disaster for a team that fancies itself a contender.

The team has many areas that need to be addressed and they’re running out of time and options to address them. But all is not lost; there are still plenty of players available on the market, the Nuggets just need to go out and grab some of them to fill out the rotation. So where should they start?

Priority #1: Backup point guard

The Nuggets currently have one player on the roster who has proven he can handle the ball and run an NBA offense and that’s Jamal Murray. The only other possible point guard on the roster is Jalen Pickett, a second-round draft pick last season who hasn’t done anything to prove he’s an NBA rotation player.

This is a completely untenable situation that must be addressed immediately. The team has been connected to Russell Westbrook, and that would make a lot of sense and should help a lot. Other free agents that could fit the mold include veterans like Kyle Lowry, Tyus Jones, Monte Morris, and Pat Beverley.

Priority #2: Frontcourt depth

The Nuggets have one of the best frontcourts in the NBA with Nikola Jokic and Aaron Gordon, but beyond that, they don’t have much. DeAndre Jordan is no longer a viable NBA player and Zeke Nnaji failed to earn a consistent role last season. Holmes is a promising draft pick, but that’s a lot of faith to put in a rookie. Simply put, the team needs a more reliable body. Some names to consider include Mo Wagner, Xavier Tillman, Dario Saric, and Precious Achiuwa.

Priority #3: Any talented NBA player

At the end of the day, the team just needs more talent. They’re currently slated to give heavy minutes to guys like Peyton Watson, Nnaji, Holmes, Julian Strawther, and Pickett. Hopefully, some - or all - of those guys will pop, but that’s asking a lot. Those guys are all young and unproven. This team is trying to win now, not develop raw projects. It’s a tight line to balance, but the bottom line is they need some proven rotation players coming off the bench. It’s time for Calvin Booth and company to go make that happen.