The Denver Nuggets are entering the offseason coming off a disappointing end to their 2026 playoff run. Denver lost to the Minnesota Timberwolves in the first round of the NBA playoffs, 4-2. 

It has been three years since the Nuggets won the NBA Championship, and after a season filled with inconsistencies and injuries, changes to the roster could be coming. 

The Nuggets saw two areas in their roster that underperformed and will need to be addressed this offseason. The backup point guard and backup center spots will need to improve next season, and with Denver facing some salary cap issues, they could make moves to fill those holes. 

In 2025-2026, the Nuggets had veteran center Jonas Valančiūnas play the backup center role after trading for him in July 2025. Through 65 games played, Valanciunas averaged 8.7 points per game, 5.1 rebounds, and 1.2 assists. 

While Valanciunas was a solid piece to bring in because of his veteran presence and size, he is an aging veteran, and that showed up defensively. He showed he is a bit slower than he once was, and teams with agile players were able to use his lack of mobility as an advantage. 

Next season, Valanciunas will have a $10 million cap hit. The Nuggets are dealing with salary cap issues and could choose to cut Valanciunas to free up space. It is a legitimate possibility, considering rumors circulating about him showing interest in playing in Europe. 

The Nuggets could choose to replace him with their first-round pick. This is a position where drafting a young player to fill the void may benefit them the most. 

This season, Tim Hardaway Jr. and Bruce Brown were the primary guards who came off the bench for the Nuggets. With both players being unrestricted free agents, the question becomes who replaces the two. 

In 2025-2026, Tim Hardaway Jr. played 80 regular-season games, averaging 13.5 points per game, 2.6 rebounds, and 1.4 assists. He was a reliable shooter from downtown and was able to give the Nuggets a lift thanks to his veteran presence and shooting ability. 

Hardaway Jr. shot 40.7 percent from three and did a good job not giving up so many turnovers, rounding out to 0.5. 

The Nuggets will likely let Bruce Brown go, and with new moves happening in the near future, Denver could be right back in championship contention if they play their cards right.