DaRon Holmes’ Return is Among Most Significant Nuggets Roster Enhancements

After falling just short of going to the Western Conference Finals last season, ultimately falling to the Oklahoma City Thunder in Game 7, the Denver Nuggets have put together a phenomenal offseason.  They're set up to have an even better shot of winning a title this season, fueled by multiple additions to the roster this offseason.

Not only did Denver get off of Michael Porter Jr.‘s contract, but the Nuggets were able to add Cam Johnson, Jonas Valanciunas, Bruce Brown and Tim Hardaway Jr. along the way too. The team is now much deeper and better equipped to make a run an a title this season. 

The Valanciunas move was significant, especially given the Nuggets struggled tremendously when Nikola Jokic was on the bench in the playoffs. Simply having a serviceable backup big would have been a huge difference maker for Denver in the postseason, and Valanciunas is that and more. 

But the player who isn’t being talked about enough when considering the Nuggets’ improved roster is DaRon Holmes. A first-round pick by Denver in the 2024 NBA Draft, he suffered a season-ending Achilles injury in NBA Summer League last year before he could even make it to training camp. He was one of the most well-rounded players in that entire class and was widely considered a great fit for nearly any team given his versatility.

If Holmes had been healthy last season, especially in the playoffs, there’s no telling how things could have turned out. He has a skillset that will allow him to play alongside Jokic, or be a quality center when he’s taking a rest as a backup. Now that he’s healthy and ready to contribute, the Nuggets have two good reserve bigs. 

A floor-spacing frontcourt piece, Holmes fits what Denver wants to do perfectly. He doesn’t need the ball in his hands to make an impact and possesses a modern skillset. He played three collegiate seasons at Dayton and was a double-double machine, averaging 20.4 points and 8.5 rebounds per game while shooting 38.6% from deep in his final season.  

There will certainly be a learning curve and some growing pains for DaRon Holmes, but he should be talked about as one of the most important offseason additions, even if he wasn’t truly an acquisition. He will be a new contributor on the roster who learned a lot from the sidelines last season and is ready to make an impact on the court now.