The Denver Nuggets are bringing back the core team that finished third in the Western Conference last season, but disappointed in the playoffs as they lost in the first round to the Minnesota Timberwolves.

The starting lineup of Jamal Murray, Christian Braun, Cameron Johnson, Aaron Gordon, and Nikola Jokic is all back, but the bench has changed, with Peyton Watson, Tim Hardaway Jr., and Jonas Valanciunas no longer on the team.

DeMar DeRozan, Alpha Diallo, and Marvin Bagley II were added to help offset those losses.

Spencer Jones, Julian Strawther, Tyus Jones, Zeke Nnaji, DaRon Holmes II, and rookie Trevon Brazile are all expected to get various minutes throughout the season as well.

With the Western Conference still loaded with talent, did the Nuggets do enough to keep their spot near the top?

It’s easy to be down on the Nuggets after the way they lost in the first round to the Timberwolves, but their starting lineup was one of the best five-man units in the league last year.

The group had a +12.9 net rating, which was eighth in the league, and they were third in offense with a 123.9 rating.

The Oklahoma City Thunder and San Antonio Spurs, the two best teams in the West last year, didn’t regress and could see internal improvement that keeps them at the top of the conference.

Below them are Denver, the Houston Rockets, the Los Angeles Lakers, and the Minnesota Timberwolves.

The Rockets, who finished fifth last season, are running back the same core with the addition of Marcus Smart.

The Lakers and Timberwolves will welcome multiple new starters from last season, and chemistry might be an issue early in the year.

The addition of DeRozan is overlooked because of his age and lack of meaningful basketball in the past couple of seasons in Sacramento, but he remains one of the best scorers in the league, and the floor will be as open as ever for him in Denver. He’s also a beacon of health, something the Nuggets lacked last season.

Bagley is also a big addition as he provides more options and versatility than Valanciunas did last season.

As always with the Nuggets, the team will go how Jokic goes. If he’s having another MVP-level season, they’ll be one of the top teams in the West. If the contract situation begins to become a distraction, it may start to become noticeable on the court.

Final Prediction: Fourth