The Denver Nuggets will pick at 26 in the first round of the upcoming 2026 NBA Draft and while the bottom of the first round doesn't give them a chance at one of the premier picks in what's going to be one of the most talented drafts in recent memory, it still gives the Nuggets an opportunity to draft for a crucial need in their roster.

As their roster currently stands, the Nuggets are still in a good position to compete next season, but that roster is still reliant on the team retaining the majority of their talent. 

The Nuggets have nine players from the 2025-26 roster up for free agency, including crucial pieces like Tim Hardaway Jr., Bruce Brown Jr. and Peyton Watson.

Watson in particular is an intriguing case. He proved himself in a big way this season when he was called upon to start as the Nuggets contended with several injuries and as a result, he had a breakout year with career-highs in average points, rebounds and assists with a career-high shooting percentage as well.

When Nuggets ownership spoke at an end-of-season press conference, the question of Watson's future with the team was brought up and ownership expressed strong interest in keeping Watson as a Nuggets for "a long time."

His status as a restricted free agent helps that as it lets the Nuggets stay competitive in negotiations, but there's still a possibility that Watson could move on to a new team, especially considering the rapid rise to his stock this past season.

That's where the draft comes in. Should the Nuggets lose Watson in free agency, they could find someone in the first round that could fill a similar role and that's exactly what ESPN's most recent mock drat proposes. 

The mock draft has the Nuggets selecting swingman Dailyn Swain from Texas in the first round and when it comes to his fit with the team, comparison's with Watson were directly brought up.

"Denver continues to try to optimize its supporting cast around Nikola Jokic on the margins and could lose Peyton Watson in free agency. Swain's positional size and defensive versatility would be an appealing fit here," ESPN's Jeremy Woo wrote.

Watson and Swain have remarkably similar builds, with Watson having just a one-inch height advantage on Swain at 6'8, and they occupy similar roles on the floor as lengthy offensive players with high-shooting potential. 

Swain finished the 2025-26 season at Texas shooting a stellar 54.2% from the field, but just 34-4% from three point range.

That inconsistency beyond the arc is somewhat worrying, but with his his size and athleticism, the Nuggets could make a big investment in their future by selecting him.