Denver has clear needs heading into draft night.
The Denver Nuggets finished third in the Western Conference under first-year head coach David Adelman and now the focus shifts to the offseason.
They posted the best offensive rating in the league at 122.6, led by Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray, but none of that mattered when the Minnesota Timberwolves knocked them out of the first round in six games and showed just how thin this roster really is.
Now Denver holds the No. 26 pick in the 2026 NBA Draft, and the front office needs to find someone who can help right away.
The Nuggets' championship window is shrinking with Jokic at 31 and Murray at 29, and a first-round exit is not the standard this group set when it won the title in 2023.
Here are three prospects who make the most sense for Denver.
1. Joshua Jefferson, F, Iowa State
Jefferson is the best all-around fit for Denver at this spot.
The 6-foot-8 senior averaged 16.4 points, 7.4 rebounds, and 4.8 assists while earning Consensus All-American honors at Iowa State, and his ability to pass, defend multiple positions, and play with a high basketball IQ is exactly what the Nuggets need off the bench.
Denver's forward depth was a problem all year, and Jefferson's toughness and feel for the game would give them a plug-and-play option who contributes from the jump.
He is not the most explosive athlete in this class, but he does not need to be in a system built around Jokic where smart reads and positioning matter more than raw athleticism.
2. Bennett Stirtz, G, Iowa
The Nuggets need a reliable backup point guard, and Stirtz showed he belongs at this level after leading Iowa to an Elite Eight run as a first-year Hawkeye.
He averaged 19.8 points and 4.4 assists while shooting 35.8 percent from three and logging 37.7 minutes a game, and his shot-making and feel for the game would fit well in Denver's five-out system.
The biggest question with Stirtz is whether his athleticism will hold up against NBA-level speed on the defensive end, but his floor-spacing and decision-making are the kind of tools you want next to Jokic in a second unit.
3. Koa Peat, F, Arizona
Peat is the swing pick on this list because his ceiling is the highest of the three but he also carries the most risk.
The 19-year-old freshman averaged 14.1 points and 5.6 rebounds while helping Arizona reach the Final Four, and at 6-foot-7 and 245 pounds he already has the frame to handle NBA physicality.
Some teams have concerns about his shooting after a rough combine showing, and he would need time to develop in ways a win-now team like Denver may not be able to afford.
But if the front office believes it can develop him while still competing, Peat has the physical tools to eventually become a real two-way contributor.
