The Denver Nuggets will have the same starting lineup going into this season, but their bench will look much different.

The Nuggets lost two key bench players, Peyton Watson and Tim Hardaway Jr during the offseason. Watson spent much of the season as a starter due to various injuries, but he is now in Cleveland after failing to reach a new contract with the Nuggets as a restricted free agent.

Hardaway Jr. decided to move on to Miami, playing for the franchise where his dad became a legend.

Hardaway Jr. finished third in the Sixth Man of the Year voting last season, with his ability to launch from three providing the Nuggets with extra spacing and movement shooting that thrived alongside Nikola Jokic.

The Nuggets bench will have to get it done by committee to replace the value lost in Hardaway Jr. and Watson, but they are looking at Julian Strawther to step up in Hardaway Jr’s role.

Speaking to the media, Strawther said that all he’s heard all summer is that he needs to find ways to replicate Hardaway Jr’s production.

"At the end of the day, you need a guy that's a little bit unconscious, a little bit crazy in the head to go out there and launch 3s as soon as they come off the bench,” he said.

Hardaway Jr. averaged 13.5 points on 40% from three while taking 6.9 shots from deep per game.

Strawther shot 38% from three on 2.6 attempts. In 2024-25, he shot 34% on 4.1 attempts.

It’s a big ask to expect Strawther to not only take more threes, but to also maintain his shooting percentage. When his attempts were increased in 2024-25, his percentage went down. Some players just aren’t volume shooters and can’t launch on demand.

The fact that he’s been asked to replicate Hardaway Jr’s game should give some optimism in that the Nuggets know what they want from him and that he’s had all of the season to prepare for this role.

He has a quick release and moves well off the ball, which is are positives in replicating what Hardaway Jr. brought to the table. He’s also shown that he might be better around the rim and in the paint, using his length and floater to get his buckets.

It could also backfire if they are putting him in a role that he’s not suited for.