The Denver Nuggets have Nikola Jokic, which means they have the best player on the floor most nights. That alone keeps them in the conversation. But the 2025 playoffs made something painfully obvious: when Jokic sits, the Nuggets turn into a very different team. A worse one. The kind that gets run off the floor by a team like Minnesota, which is exactly what happened in six games during the first round.
That series was a wake-up call. The Timberwolves attacked Denver’s bench relentlessly. They grabbed offensive rebounds, collapsed the paint, and made life miserable for everyone wearing a Nuggets jersey who wasn’t named Jokic. It wasn’t close. And the problem isn’t going away on its own.
So here’s the thing about the 2026 NBA Draft. The Nuggets hold the No. 26 pick, which is fine if you’re a rebuilding team looking for a project. But Denver isn’t rebuilding. Jokic is in his prime. Jamal Murray is still producing at a high level. The window is open right now, and it won’t stay open forever. Standing pat at No. 26 feels like a waste of a chance to actually get better.
The case for moving up
Denver needs someone who can contribute right away. Not a 19-year-old who might be ready in three years. A player who can guard multiple positions, protect the rim, and survive the non-Jokic minutes. That’s the job description. And according to scouts who’ve been tracking this draft class, there are prospects in the late teens or early twenties who fit that profile better than anyone at No. 26.
The obvious trade chip here is Cam Johnson. The veteran forward makes real money, and moving his contract would give Denver some breathing room under the luxury tax and the second apron. Pair that salary dump with the No. 26 pick, and you might be able to jump into the top 20. Maybe even higher if another team likes Johnson enough.
What Denver actually needs
It’s not complicated. The Nuggets need a frontcourt defender who can move. Someone with length and energy who doesn’t need the ball to be effective. A guy who can switch onto wings, contest shots at the rim, and grab rebounds without being boxed out by bigger players. That’s the type of player who helps you survive the five or six minutes per quarter when Jokic is on the bench.
There’s a name floating around in draft circles that keeps coming up: Morez Johnson Jr. He’s a big man with reported measurements that include a 7-foot-3 wingspan and quick feet. He’s not a polished offensive player, but that’s fine. Denver has plenty of scoring. What they don’t have is athleticism and defensive versatility in the frontcourt, especially behind Jokic.
The league has changed
Look at the teams that made deep playoff runs this year. New York won it all with physicality and wing depth. San Antonio got to the Finals with length and interchangeable defenders. Both of those teams gave Denver problems they couldn’t solve. The league is leaning into size and versatility at every position, and the Nuggets are a step behind.
Johnson wouldn’t fix everything overnight. But he’d give Denver a different look. A mobile rim protector who can run the floor and make life harder for opposing second units. That alone could be enough to shift the math in a tight playoff series.
There will be people who say the Nuggets should just sign a veteran. That’s the safe play. But veterans cost money and often come with limited upside. A rookie on a rookie-scale contract gives Denver flexibility now and down the road. If Johnson hits, he’s a rotation piece for years. If he doesn’t, the financial risk is minimal.
The Nuggets don’t need to blow up the roster. They just need to get the next decision right. Trading up for a player who fills the biggest hole on the team is a bet worth taking.
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