It’s a testament to the remarkable rise of the Denver Nuggets that they considered the 2024-25 season to be something of a disappointment.
They didn’t even win their first NBA Championship until 2023, but now the Ball Arena faithful are hungry for more – a Western Conference semi-final appearance no longer considered good enough.
But in Nikola Jokic, they possess one of the greatest players that the NBA has ever seen. And with some intriguing trade business during the off season, there’s a sense that the Nuggets could be there or thereabouts for a second Championship in the space of three years.
The Joker to Have the Last Laugh?
The online betting market is bullish on a big season from Denver, with the Nuggets priced at 13/2 in behind Oklahoma City Thunder (11/5) and Cleveland Cavaliers.
A bet calculator confirms that a £10 bet on Jokic and co would return £65 in clear profit, so there will be plenty of interest in a franchise that has recent NBA Finals success in its rearview mirror.
If they are to get their hands back on the Larry O’Brien Championship Trophy, they will almost certainly need an MVP level season from Jokic, who would have been hurt at losing the honor to the admittedly deserving Shai Gilgeous-Alexander in 2025.
The 30-year-old will want that award back, make no mistake, and there were no real signs of regression in his game last year – in fact, he averaged more points-per-game and assists in 2024-25 than in any other season of his career.
As terrifying a prospect as it is, the numbers suggest that Jokic is improving as a player… Denver will be hoping to take full advantage of a true one-of-a-kind at the peak of his powers.
New Faces
Analysts are predicting that the Nuggets have traded up offensively this summer.
Michael Porter Jr has exited Denver, which will be a loss in a rebounding sense, but in his stead comes Cameron Johnson – fresh from a breakout season in 2024-25 – and the creative Bruce Brown.
Johnson averaged 18.8 points per game in a mediocre Brooklyn Nets team, so there’s every expectation that the 29-year-old can hit his peak alongside Jokic and a more productive roster of talent.
Jamal Murray remains in Denver too, so now Jokic has a range of attacking options to lean on – the onus won’t solely be on him to score, so expect his assists stats to go through the ceiling.
Jonas Valančiūnas is another sensible addition to add steel and depth to the roster, while David Adelman brings fresh energy – albeit unproven at the top level – as head coach.
It remains incredibly difficult to successfully defend an NBA title, as the history books prove, which suggests that Oklahoma will, in some respects, have their work cut out in 2025-26.
And for all their talent, it’s been a long time since the Cavaliers were true Championship material, so you wonder if the Nuggets are the most likely winners this term – assuming Jokic stays fit, injury-free and at his awesome best, of course.
