Few teams face more pressure than the Denver Nuggets this season.

After winning a championship in 2023, the team has not made it out of the second round in the playoffs. This past season was perhaps their biggest failure since winning the title as they lost in the first round to the Minnesota Timberwolves in six games.

The Nuggets were the favorites in the three vs. six matchup, and Minnesota played without starters Donte DiVincenzo and Anthony Edwards in the back half of the series.

The team still has Nikola Jokic, which only increases the pressure because he’s been viewed as one of, if not the, best player in the league over the past six seasons.

With all five starters returning, but the bench seeing big changes, who needs to step up this year?

Strawther played just 15 minutes per game last year after playing 21 minutes per game the previous season. His numbers were good, but the emergence of Peyton Watson decreased his role.

With Watson now gone, his role should increase once again, and he’s going to be expected to carry a portion of the bench scoring alongside DeMar DeRozan. He’s not much of a self-creator, but he’s strong off the ball with his movement, shooting, and cutting.

The Nuggets opted to keep Jones by matching the $6 million offer sheet that he signed with the Oklahoma City Thunder. Jones proved his two-way play throughout the season and stepped up in the playoffs with other players struggling and Watson missing the series with an injury.

Now, Jones is going to see a bigger role. Much like Strawther, his self-creation is a weakness, but he’s a strong shooter, moves well off the ball, runs in transition, and puts himself in the right positions.

If he or Strawther can step up as a bench scorer and hold their own on defense, the Nuggets could be much better than fans expect.

Holmes was limited to just 25 games last season, and while there were some positives, he was an overall negative on the floor with the team sporting a -9.8 net rating.

With the injury history of Aaron Gordon, Holmes may have to fill the void throughout the season if Gordon is in street clothes. He’s shown the ability to stretch the floor, operate as a screener, and finish around the rim.

If he can stay healthy and contribute next to Jokic, the Nuggets’ frontcourt depth looks much improved.