Finding the Silver Lining in the Nuggets' Underwhelming Offseason

The Nuggets started free agency pretty strong, as they brought in former second-overall pick Marvin Bagley III on a veteran minimum contract. Bagley was largely counted out for a few years, but his resurgence last season gave the Nuggets enough hope to sign him.

Splitting time with the Washington Wizards and Dallas Mavericks last season, he averaged 10.5 points, 6.1 rebounds, 1.4 assists, and 1.2 stocks per game, while shooting 61.8% from the field and 46.2% from beyond the arc. The 27-year-old provides much more two-way versatility than Jonas Valanciunas did as Nikola Jokic's backup last season, even giving the Nuggets more optimistic two-big lineup options with a potential Bagley-Jokic frontcourt.

On top of the Bagley signing, the Nuggets are likely holding out hope that DaRon Holmes can emerge as a legitimate backup option. The 24-year-old missed his entire rookie season with an Achilles tear, but showed some glimpses in the G League last season of what he can potentially bring to the Nuggets' lineup as an impressive defender and passer.

Not to mention, the Nuggets drafted Trevon Brazile with the 35th overall pick, and the uber-athletic Arkansas Razorbacks product has a path to becoming Denver's go-to backup power forward. Brazile is immediately Denver's most athletic player and arguably their most versatile defender, while being reliable enough offensively and a good enough rebounder to earn minutes as a rookie.

DeMar DeRozan reviving the bench

Not only does DeMar DeRozan save Denver's bench unit, but he also revives the team's offseason. If the Nuggets were not able to land the six-time All-Star, conversations about their 2026 offseason would be very different.

While the 37-year-old is reaching the end of his career, he has proven he can still score at a high level. Last season with the Sacramento Kings, he averaged 18.4 points, 2.9 rebounds, and 4.1 assists per game, shooting 49.7% from the field and 32% from deep. DeRozan will be the Nuggets' leading bench scorer and playmaker, and should ultimately be a finalist for Sixth Man of the Year.

DeRozan is not a one-for-one replacement for Watson, but he is exactly what the Nuggets' bench needed after losing the versatile 23-year-old. With guys like Alpha Diallo, Spencer Jones, Brazile, Holmes, and Bagley, the Nuggets' bench defense should not be too bad. But before DeRozan, the offensive outlook was horrendous. Signing DeRozan legitimately saves their second unit.

The 2026 offseason has not been what Nuggets fans expected, but it is easy to find the silver lining after an underwhelming summer. Sure, the losses of Watson and Hardaway Jr. will sting, but new additions like DeRozan and Bagley will help fill the void.