5 Nuggets who could get axed from Michael Malone's playoff rotation

4. Justin Holiday

Every contending team wants multiple 3-and-D wings on their roster. It is not easy finding a 6’6 player capable of guarding multiple positions and consistently knocking down 3-pointers. They also have to be comfortable sinking a ton of effort into their defense and just taking open shots on the other end with limited opportunities to touch the ball.

Holiday helped the Warriors win a championship in 2015 and has played for ten different teams in his 11-year NBA career. The journeyman is a fantastic option to have on the bench. He stays ready and is a career 36.4 percent 3-point shooter.

The Nuggets signed him to a one-year veteran minimum deal after losing Bruce Brown and Jeff Green in free agency. They wanted a veteran capable of playing some minutes and mentoring their young wings. Holiday accepted that challenge and is averaging 16.7 minutes in his last 21 games. He has missed just one of the team’s previous 22 contests, but won’t play every night in the playoffs.

The Denver Nuggets are trying to develop two wings into key pieces moving forward. They will be prioritized for playoff minutes, but even those two will be axed on nights when the matchup isn’t favorable. Coach Malone played all 15 players on his roster in the 2023 title run, but only seven appeared in every game. Expect a similar strategy this year.