Previewing The 2024-25 Denver Nuggets
September 21st, 2024
by Alan Lu
After the Denver Nuggets had a dream season in 2023 and won the NBA championship under the tremendous play of their superstar point center Nikola Jokic, the Nuggets surprisingly lost in the second round of the 2024 NBA playoffs to the Minnesota Timberwolves, and it seems that their struggles to come up with secondary scoring or to defend combined with their lack of depth hurt them in that series.
In the summer, they lost yet another valuable role player in Kentavious Caldwell-Pope after losing Bruce Brown in the previous summer, and while they were able to sign Russell Westbrook, there are concerns if the Nuggets did enough in the offseason to address their concerns. Still, as long as they have Jokic and head coach Michael Malone, the Nuggets should be title contenders, even though the West has gotten stronger and tougher in recent years.
Nikola Jokic is a cerebral, playmaking point center whose tremendous ability to make plays, especially on offense has helped him become an NBA superstar, and it also enabled him to lead his team to win the 2023 NBA championship that season. (Photo: David Zalubowski/Associated Press, via The Denver Post)
Star Players:
C Nikola Jokić, G Jamal Murray, and F Aaron Gordon
Nikola Jokic is arguably the best player in the game right now. He is a tremendously skilled big man that plays really well on a nightly basis, and he also elevates the play of everyone else around him. Murray is a very good, starting point guard that has proven that he can play with the best when healthy, and he can bring the Nuggets strong shooting, scoring, and playmaking skills in the playoffs. Aaron Gordon is an athletic, energetic combo forward whose interior scoring and defense allows his team to thrive on the floor.
Additions:
G Russell Westbrook, F Dario Saric, and C DaRon Holmes II
Westbrook may be far removed from his MVP days, but he is an athletic, scoring point guard that still excels as a downhill driver, and can really rebound the basketball. He’ll need to improve his jump shot, but he’s still capable of providing a strong presence for a team on the second unit. Saric is a tall, skilled forward that can shoot and pass the basketball, and his high basketball IQ makes him a solid get for a team on the second unit. DaRon Holmes II has the athleticism and skills to project well into a backup center role and excelled as an interior player in college, but he will likely miss the entire 2024-25 season with a torn Achilles.
Subtractions:
G Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, G-F Justin Holiday, and G Reggie Jackson
The Nuggets lost a slew of role players, but the most important loss was them losing KCP in the offseason. Caldwell-Pope has won two championships, one with the 2020 Lakers, and the other with the 2023 Nuggets, and he’s been a very solid 3 and D role player for many years. The Nuggets losing him will hurt, as they will need a player that can step up to provide quality shooting and defense, and they lost one of their top perimeter defenders from last season.
Rookies:
C DaRon Holmes II, G Trey Alexander, F-C PJ Hall, F Spencer Jones, F Gabe McGlothan, G Jahmir Young, and F Jaylin Williams (Auburn)
While Holmes will likely miss the entire season due to a torn Achilles, the Nuggets added a bunch of rookies that will compete for roster spots and playing time this year.
Expected Rotation:
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Denver Nuggets’ star guard, Jamal Murray had a terrific postseason in 2023, and he is a rising star in the NBA today. (Photo: Bart Young/NBAE via Getty Images, via SB Nation)
Projected Starting Lineup:
The Denver Nuggets have a very skilled starting lineup that is built around the talents of Jokic. He is an exceptionally skilled big man that operates very well out of the post, and he is a triple-double threat on a consistent basis. Jamal Murray gives them a strong scoring punch and added playmaking at the point, and Gordon is a very athletic, energetic forward that can post up and make hustle plays on both ends of the floor. Michael Porter Jr. Is a tall, shot-making forward that plays well within his role.
Key Bench Players:
Russell Westbrook brings scoring, an aggressive mindset, and toughness to the Denver Nuggets for the upcoming season, but he will need to improve his jump shot. (Photo: Mark J. Terrill/Associated Press, via The Denver Post)
Peyton Watson had a solid second season in the NBA, as he’s established himself as a very athletic, defensive minded forward off the bench, and the Nuggets also added Westbrook and Saric to their team, but they’ll need to find ways to improve their shooting for the upcoming season.
F-C Zeke Nnaji
The Rest of the Roster:
C DaRon Holmes II (injured, likely out for the season)
G Trey Alexander (Two-Way)
F-C PJ Hall (Two-Way)
F Spencer Jones (Two-Way)
Others In Camp:
F Gabe McGlothan (Exhibit 10)
G Jahmir Young (Exhibit 10)
F Jaylin Williams (Auburn) (Exhibit 10)
Team Options at the End of the 2025 Season:
Here I will project the likelihood of the Denver Nuggets to pick up and accept or decline the team options for various players at the end of the 2025 season.
Christian Braun – Team Option Will Likely Be Accepted (100% Certainty)
Peyton Watson – Team Option Will Likely Be Accepted (100% Certainty)
Julian Strawther – 50/50, Leaning Towards That It Will Be Accepted (50% Certainty)
Head Coach:
After the Nuggets won the 2023 championship, they stumbled in the second round and lost their series to the Minnesota Timberwolves, but with Jokic and Malone back, the Nuggets may still be title contenders for the 2024-25 NBA season. (Photo: AAron Ontiveroz/The Denver Post, via Boulder Daily Camera)
Michael Malone
2023-24 (DEN): 57-25, 7-5 in the playoffs
Coaching Career: 463-362, 44-36 in the NBA Playoffs, 1 NBA Title with the 2023 Denver Nuggets
Michael Malone did a terrific job of coaching the 2023 Denver Nuggets, and he guided Jokic, a healthy Murray and Porter, and his team to win the 2023 NBA championship over the Miami Heat that year. They did a great job of making shots, moving the ball, and defending, and they really came together to help Denver win the title in 2023.
Last season, they stumbled and lost to the Minnesota Timberwolves in the second round, but Malone has shown that he is a reliable, proven coach that can get his teams far in this league.
NBA Head Coach Rank: 3
Outlook:
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The Denver Nuggets won the title in 2023, but after losing in the second round in 2024 and losing a couple of key veterans from their 2023 run, the question is if the Nuggets have enough to win the title in 2025. (Photo: Mark J. Terrill/The Associated Press, via Tampa Bay Times)
Nikola Jokic is a tremendous player that makes everyone else around him better, and he’s made the Denver Nuggets a perennial contender, which culminated in his team winning the title in 2023. Since then, the concerns are that the Nuggets haven’t seemed to do enough to retain the talent and depth around him, and that they haven’t quite added enough scorers or defenders around him since. They’ve lost quality role players in Brown and Caldwell-Pope, and it’s uncertain if their younger players can replace the contributions that they lost from them. The Nuggets will likely make it to the playoffs as an upper-tier team, but it’s possible that they could end up repeating their mistakes and lose in an earlier round than expected in the 2025 postseason.
Projected 2024-25 Finish:
Expected Win-Loss Record: 54-28
Projected Regular Season Finish: 2nd in the Western Conference
Expected Playoff Finish: Projected to lose in the 2nd Round
Preseason NBA Power Ranking: 5
I went to Basketball-Reference and SalarySwish to look up some information for this write-up. It will be an exciting basketball season this year, and I’m looking forward to seeing the in-season tournament to see how that will unfold. Anyways, that is my write-up on my preview of the 2024-25 Denver Nuggets. Thanks for reading.