Are Nuggets Still One of NBA's Best Teams After the 2025-26 Season?

The Denver Nuggets finished the 2025-26 season at 54-28 and earned the third seed in the Western Conference, a strong record by almost any measure.

But the season ended in the first round with a six-game loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves, and that early exit left more questions than answers about where this team stands.

ESPN's post-Finals power rankings for next season slotted the Nuggets at No. 6 overall.

There is a real argument that sixth is generous for a team that just got bounced in the first round, even with Nikola Jokic putting up 27.7 points, 12.9 rebounds, and 10.8 assists per game across 65 regular season games.

Jokic finished second in MVP voting behind Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, but that production still was not enough to get past Minnesota when it mattered most.

ESPN's Tim MacMahon pointed directly at the roster limitations when he wrote that Denver is in a difficult position because the team needs to upgrade to compete with San Antonio and Oklahoma City.

However, it has few ways to do so after already trading multiple future first-round picks, including a pair owed to the Thunder.

That is a real problem when the Spurs went 62-20 and the Thunder led the league at 64-18.

MacMahon also noted that if Denver re-signs restricted free agent Peyton Watson, the expectation is that either Cameron Johnson or Christian Braun will be traded to ease the luxury tax burden.

Losing one of those two wings would thin out a roster that already struggled to support Jamal Murray and Jokic in the playoffs, and Murray's 25.4 points and 7.1 assists per game across 75 regular season games need reliable pieces around them to translate in the postseason.

Still, calling Denver the sixth-best team heading into next season might sell them short.

The Nuggets posted the NBA's best offensive rating at 122.6 and led the league in three-point shooting at 39.6 percent, so there is no question this team can score with anyone.

Jokic is expected to sign a four-year, $278 million extension this summer, and that kind of commitment gives Denver stability at the most important position on the roster for years to come.

The championship window remains open as long as Jokic is playing at an MVP level and Murray is healthy, and the Nuggets have the 26th pick in the upcoming draft to potentially address their depth.

The defensive rating of 117.4, which ranked 21st in the league, is the real concern, and finding a way to fix that side of the ball through the draft or a smart trade could push Denver right back into true contention.

Sixth feels fair right now, but this is a team that could easily move up or down depending on what happens before October.