The past year hasn’t gone as planned for the Denver Nuggets. After giving up three second-round picks to move up for DaRon Holmes in the 2024 draft, the rookie suffered a season-ending Achilles injury in his Summer League debut.
The team also spent three second-rounders to offload Reggie Jackson’s contract, using the cap space to sign Dario Saric, who ended up playing just 210 minutes across 16 games.
They also lost Kentavious Caldwell-Pope in free agency and couldn’t afford a replacement, as financial constraints kept them in the tax-apron zone.
Tension between head coach Michael Malone and GM Calvin Booth boiled over, leading to both being dismissed just before the end of the 2024–25 regular season.
Despite the setbacks, Denver secured a playoff spot, defeated the Clippers in Round 1, and pushed the Thunder to Game 7 in the second round – largely due to the brilliance of Nikola Jokic, a three-time MVP.
With Jokic in his prime, and key support from Jamal Murray, Aaron Gordon, and breakout wing Christian Braun, the Nuggets remain a serious threat.
The big question now: can Denver rebuild the depth around its stars after losing vital contributors like Caldwell-Pope, Bruce Brown, and Jeff Green?
The new front office has limited flexibility but a clear goal: get the roster back to championship shape while Jokic is still at his peak.
2025 NBA Offseason Preview: Denver Nuggets https://t.co/xRU515atBq pic.twitter.com/HaWaGfxokv
— Hoops Rumors (@HoopsRumors) June 18, 2025
