Denver's bench guard rotation is the thinnest spot on the roster, and a few affordable names are still sitting on the market.
The Nuggets have spent July taking care of their frontcourt, adding Marvin Bagley III to replace Jonas Valanciunas and drafting for depth on the wing.
The backcourt is a different story.
Behind Jamal Murray, the current options are veteran Tyus Jones, who is coming off a down year, and two-way guard KJ Simpson, which is not enough insurance for a team with real championship ambitions.
Denver sits in a tight spot financially, so any addition will likely come on a minimum deal, and the front office is also juggling restricted free agency talks with Peyton Watson at the same time.
The good news is that useful guards remain available deep into free agency this summer, and three of them stand out as sensible fits.
Bruce Brown Is the Obvious Reunion
Brown never signed elsewhere after his one-year return to Denver, and bringing him back requires no imagination.
He played all 82 games last season while shooting 47.5 percent from the field and 38.5 percent from three, doing his usual work as a connector who can defend multiple positions and close games.
He already proved he fits next to Nikola Jokic during the 2023 title run.
There are questions, though, about how the Nuggets will fill their final roster spots, and no available player checks more boxes than the one who knows the locker room.
Cam Thomas Is the Talent Swing
Thomas is the boldest option on the board.
The 24-year-old averaged 24 points per game for Brooklyn just two seasons ago, but a trade to Milwaukee went sideways and he was waived in March after averaging 13.5 points across a splintered year.
Denver's second unit has lacked a self-sufficient scorer since Tim Hardaway Jr. hit free agency, and Thomas would give the bench a shot creator who needs nothing set up for him.
The fit demands defensive patience, but teams sitting near the second apron rarely find this much scoring at the minimum, even with Denver's unique second apron situation.
Brandon Williams Is the Quiet Value
Williams is the least famous name here, and he might be the most sensible.
The 26-year-old put up 13 points and nearly four assists per game for Dallas last season while shooting 47 percent, earning a spot on multiple lists of realistic Denver targets.
He gives the roster an actual backup point guard, something Simpson is still growing into, as the two-way standout deserves a converted deal.
His outside shot is the flaw, but playing off Jokic has fixed weaker offensive games than his.
Other names like Russell Westbrook and Nick Smith Jr. remain on the market as well, though each comes with a shakier case than the three above.
Jamal Murray carried a heavy load last season while averaging over 25 points a night, and the surest way to keep him fresh for the spring is to stop asking him to do it alone.
Signing any one of these three would make Denver's second unit measurably safer by October.
