This summer, the Denver Nuggets front office decided to stay committed to the core that they have, but they upgraded at different spots around their roster, and they could be looking at a deep playoff run next season. 

The Nuggets signed players from overseas like Lonnie Walker IV and Alpha Diallo, but the one move that sticks out from the summer is signing former Sacramento Kings small forward Demar DeRozan. 

DeRozan joining the squad could bode well for the overall depth of this team. He's coming off a season in which he averaged over 20 points per game with the Kings, and that kind of scoring ability off the bench could go a long way for Denver. 

While they were able to acquire a reliable scorer in Demar DeRozan for their bench, the Nuggets did lose one important depth piece. Denver traded away Peyton Watson to the Cleveland Cavaliers as part of a three-team trade. 

Watson is 23 years old and is coming off a breakout season. Watson and the Nuggets were in ongoing contract negotiations for much of the offseason, but after talks fell through, both sides decided a trade was the best decision. 

In return, the Nuggets didn't get any players back, but they did acquire a 2031 unprotected first-round pick. With all the veterans in the Nuggets rotation now, it's clear the intent is to reach for another NBA Championship. Denver has yet to make it to the Western Conference Finals since 2023, but as long as Nikola Jokic is on the roster, it's possible to return. 

In short, the Nuggets had a B offseason. While they were in a tight salary cap situation, they decided to keep players like Aaron Gordon, Cameron Johnson, and Christian Braun around to try and compete in the postseason again. 

While there was a moment in the offseason when things were very quiet for them, being able to acquire Demar DeRozan says a lot about where this team wants to go. If the Nuggets can have him score around 17 points per game off the bench, they could have one of the more dynamic offenses in the NBA. 

It will be interesting to see how the rest of their rotation fills out with the new additions they made to the bench, as the pieces they added also provide scoring for the Nuggets. This is a crucial year for Denver, and after a tough first-round exit in the playoffs, this franchise is looking to get back to where they once were.