Nuggets News: Malone IDs "game-changer", Holmes back in the gym after surgery

The Denver Nuggets have had their media day and they’ve been in the gym practicing and going through training camp ahead of their flight to Abu Dhabi and preseason opener on Friday morning. For the most part, things are starting to normalize and we’re heading towards a basketball season.

We are getting news that has more to do with the sport we love, and less to do with trade rumors, overreactions to quotes, contract news, and media hot takes. It’s great to see the players back in the gym and it’s good to actually start focusing on lineups, rotations, and the on-court product.

DaRon Holmes II with the team for training camp after surgery

Holmes had about the most agonizing start to an NBA career that one could imagine, as he tore his achilles in the Nuggets’ very first summer league game. Holmes will miss the entire season after undergoing surgery to repair the tendon.

The good news is that Holmes is expected to make a full recovery and should be ready for the 2025 offseason. It’s also encouraging to see that Holmes has been with the team in training camp, doing as much as he can.

In a basketball sense, that’s not much; he’s been getting gup stationary shots and working out while rehabbing. But seeing him interacting with his teammates, having fun, and immersing himself in the culture says a lot about Holmes’ character. It’s a shame that we have to wait so long to see him play for the Nuggets, but it’s exciting to think about what the future holds.

Michael Malone calls Russell Westbrook a “game changer”

On media day we heard multiple Nuggets talk about Dario Saric as a “secret weapon” and now coach Michael Malone has referred to Russell Westbrook as a “game changer”. The Nuggets didn’t exactly get high marks for their offseason transactions, but if their two free agency acquisitions end up being a secret weapon and a game changer, they’ll be in pretty good shape.

At the end of the day, this is all just talking and we’ve heard all of these platitudes many times over. But it’s still good to hear everyone in the building talking so glowingly about the new players and clearly believing in them. Westbrook and Saric haven’t succeeded everywhere they’ve been, but the enthusiasm and support can only help.