Three years removed from a championship season, the Denver Nuggets find themselves in the offseason after an underwhelming 2025-2026 season. The Nuggets finished as the 3 seed in the Western Conference with a 54-28 record, but lost in the first round of the playoffs to the Minnesota Timberwolves 4-2. 

The Nuggets now find themselves in a spot where they need to find a way to upgrade their roster to get back to being championship contenders. There are also questions about who they will bring back to this team, as they have several free agents this summer. 

Here are the internal free agents that Denver should prioritize bringing back, ranked from least important to most important. 

Spencer Jones, Curtis Jones, David Roddy, and Jalen Pickett are all players that Denver can afford to let go. 

These are all players who averaged less than 10 points per game and were not real factors when it came to playoff time. 

The one player the Denver Nuggets may consider bringing back is Spencer Jones, as he appeared in 64 games and started in 37, but he was not very productive in the big minutes he got. 

Tyus Jones is a player who was acquired late in the regular season on a contract that ran through the rest of the season. He was added to the roster to add playmaking and shooting off the bench. 

He was not much of a factor, averaging 2.2 points per game, 1.3 rebounds, and 1.2 assists in 11 games with the team. He is 30 years old, and there's no reason Denver should make it a priority to bring him back. 

Bruce Brown was a player on the 2023 Nuggets championship team. He can bring defense and perimeter shooting, but this season he was not as valuable to the Nuggets as he was when they won the championship with him. 

In all 82 games, Brown averaged 7.9 points per game, 3.9 rebounds, and 2.1 assists on 24.4 minutes per game. 

Denver could bring him back to maintain a veteran presence in the locker room, but could also replace him with another free agent. 

At 34 years old, Tim Hardaway Jr. was an important piece of the 2025-2026 Denver Nuggets. He appeared in all 82 regular-season games, averaging 13.5 points per game, 2.6 rebounds, and 1.4 assists. He also shot 40.7 percent from three. 

While Hardaway Jr. is 34 years old, his shooting ability, combined with his veteran presence, is worth a good amount. Both sides probably understand that there's no need for Hardaway Jr. to sign a long-term deal. 

Denver should consider bringing back Hardaway Jr. on a short-term deal and maximizing the last good seasons he has to offer. 

Bringing back Peyton Watson has to be the Nuggets' biggest offseason priority. At just 23 years old, Watson was a big part of the Nuggets and showed he could be an important piece of the roster for years to come. 

Watson dealt with injuries this season, missing the postseason and played in just 54 regular-season games, but he averaged 14.6 points per game, 4.9 rebounds, and 2.1 assists.  

He also shot 41.1 percent from downtown this season, something Denver will need if they want a chance to get back into championship contention. 

His absence was felt during the first-round loss against the Timberwolves, and Watson can use that as leverage in negotiations during free agency.