A dream starting lineup for the Denver Nuggets 5 years from now

As the dust settles from a tumultuous offseason, the Nuggets’ roster appears as settled as it has been in years entering training camp. The only real question mark left is the contract status of Aaron Gordon as he becomes extension-eligible later this week. Otherwise, the team is pretty much locked in with long-term contracts or young players on rookie deals.

But things can change in a hurry in the NBA. There have been plenty of times over the years where things seemed settled only to completely flip. Before the 2024-25 season gets started and we get fully immersed into another season of Nuggets basketball, let’s dare to dream and take a look at what this Nuggets team could possibly look like 5 years down the road.

Point Guard: Luka Doncic

We’re starting off by dreaming very big here, but that’s the idea. Five years is a long time and anything can happen. There has already been some talk about the friendship between Doncic and Jokic and how the two could eventually team up in the NBA. Well here’s to hoping things go wrong in Dallas and Luka wants to leave and make his way to join Jokic in Denver.

Shooting Guard: Bogdan Bogdanovic

Here’s another player that has been connected to Jokic and the Nuggets. Bogey is a good friend of the Joker, a fellow Serbian, and an international teammate. He’d be a perfect shooting guard and secondary playmaker between Luka and Jokic and at this point in his career, he could be chasing a ring on a cheap contract.

Small Forward: Peyton Watson

With Luka and Jokic in town, the Nuggets are going to need some young players on small contracts to grow into ideal role players and that’s the hope for Watson. Hopefully, he can become a knockdown corner shooter and a defensive ace. He’ll be relied upon to lock up the other team’s best player and to bring constant energy and a jolt of athleticism.

Power Forward: DaRon Holmes II

Holmes’ injury is unfortunate, but the long-term vision for him hasn’t changed. By this point, the hope is that he can become a perfect two-way menace who can play inside and out, providing a nice complementary skill set on both ends of the floor.

Center: Nikola Jokic

And of course, everything still begins and ends with the Joker. He’ll be 34 at this point, but should still be in the late prime of his career. He won’t be carrying the burden he does today, but with this lineup around him, he should be able to conserve his energy and unleash the best version fo Jokic when the team needs it most.