The NBA regular season is just days away, so the pressure is on for the Denver Nuggets to finalize their roster and prepare for another regular season, though this time around they'll be fighting to keep their spot in the upper echelon of teams in the NBA.

The first step in that process will be to put together their starting five for Opening Day of the regular season and even if that might seem set in stone, there are some new additions to the team that could make their own cases to supplant last season's starters and get a spot in the five. 

With those factors in mind, examining the Nuggets' possible starting five is an attempt to find insight into what the Nuggets' plan will be this season and if some of the more seasoned players they've added to the roster will take priority over the starters of the past, no matter the price tags attached to them.

Starting with the obvious answers, center Nikola Jokic, guard Jamal Murray and forward Aaron Gordon will all certainly be starters for Denver's first matchup of the season when the team takes on the Oklahoma City Thunder.

Jokic is still one of the best players in the league and he's the undisputed leader of the team. So long as he's still wearing a Denver uniform and is healthy the day the season begins, he will always be the Nuggets' starting center and the engine of their entire team.

Murray may not have as prestigious of a status as Jokic, but he is still part of Denver's heartbeat and is the clear number two on the Nuggets. After a career-best season that earned him his first-ever All-Star selection, Murray will be in for a big season yet again and he'll be doing that as the starting point guard on Opening Day.

Gordon will be making one of the most anticipated returns in the NBA when the regular season rolls around. Gordon dealt with a multitude of injuries last season that limited him to just 36 games, but "Mr. Nugget" has looked healthy all preseason and will be in for a big return as the team's starting power forward. 

While three of the Nuggets' Opening Day starters seem are safe bets, the final two starting slots are a more difficult question after the offseason signing of veteran forward DeMar DeRozan. 

DeRozan's versatility means that he can slot in as either a shooting guard or in either of the forward positions, which brings up the question of whether or not he could start over forward Cameron Johnson or guard Christian Braun on Opening Day. 

Johnson's starting slot is more safe between the two after a productive preseason where he averaged 10 points, 2.2 rebounds and 0.8 assists per game, but Braun's position is more in question.

Braun was held back by injuries last season and was generally unproductive during the preseason with 6.4 points, 4.0 rebounds and 0.6 assists per game and he was even outscored and out-assisted by DeRozan during the preseason, which could make DeRozan a better pick as a shooting guard.

However, there is more to the game than just raw numbers and the argument to start Braun over DeRozan boils down to their differing play styles.

Braun is a more physical player that offers positive defensive value, particularly on the perimeter, while DeRozan thrives most with the ball in his hands. 

Considering that whoever will be starting will play alongside Jokic and Murray more often, having a player whose more productive playing off-ball presents a better fit as a starter and that's where Braun fits in.

DeRozan will still be productive, but he'll be best used as a spark off the bench who can operate as a secondary leader of the offense if and when Jokic in particular is off the floor, while Braun will operate better within the role that will be asked of him.

The Nuggets' starting five from last season will likely stay intact by Opening Day of the 2026-27 season, even though the addition of DeRozan makes it a worthwhile conversation and DeRozan could very well have his own turn as a starter at some point this season. It just likely won't be to kick off the season.