Who will step up for the Nuggets off the bench?
The Denver Nuggets lost big pieces to their bench in the offseason.
Tim Hardaway Jr departed for Miami, joining Giannis Antetokounmpo and Bam Adebayo to provide them with the necessary spacing. Hardaway Jr finished third in Sixth Man of the Year voting with the Nuggets last season, averaging 13.5 points on 44% shooting and 40% from three.
The bigger loss was Peyton Watson, who started the year on the bench, but worked his way into a bigger role and often started due to various injuries. Watson was traded to the Cleveland Cavaliers after the Nuggets failed to reach a contract extension with the restricted free agent.
Watson averaged 14.6 points, 4.9 rebounds, and 2.1 assists on 49% shooting from the field and 41% from three.
Backup center Jonas Valanciunas also departed, heading overseas.
Who Will Step Up?
The bench will now feature DeMar DeRozan, Julian Strawther, Spencer Jones, Tyus Jones, and Marvin Bagley III as the top options. DaRon Holmes, Alpha Diallo, and Zeke Nnaji will get minutes depending on performance and situations.
Of those players, the most pivotal is DeRozan.
He’s the veteran and most established player of the group. Though he just turned 37 and is going into his 18th season, he can still put the ball in the hole.
In 77 games with the Kings last season, he averaged 18.4 points on 49% shooting. The Nuggets need points off the bench after losing Watson and Hardaway Jr.
Strawther, Jones, and Bagley aren’t known for their big scoring outputs. DeRozan is a player who can carry the offense alongside Jokic and Murray, or when one of them needs a rest.
Will It Be Too Much For DeRozan?
It’s a lot of pressure on the veteran, but after spending two seasons in Sacramento, he should be reenergized by joining a team that has championship expectations.
He’s still a player who thrives in the clutch and makes tough shots. He’s also an underrated playmaker who should take pressure off Tyus Jones as the backup point guard.
The biggest thing DeRozan has going for him is his health. On a team that has battle injury issues in recent seasons, DeRozan has played in 77 games each of the last two years. He hasn’t played fewer than 74 games since 2022-21.
The Nuggets will need him to stay healthy to keep the pressure off everyone else.
