NBA teams don’t hand out literal depth charts to media members like football coaches are expected to on a weekly basis. It’s probably for the best. Basketball positions simply aren’t as rigid as those in football. Certain players can be maneuvered into a variety of roles depending on the slant of any given lineup.

But darn it, that doesn’t mean we can’t try to assemble a depth chart position by position. Training camp tips off next week in San Diego for the 2025-26 Nuggets after a summer makeover. Here’s our projected two-deep (and then some).

Point guard (1)
Starter: Jamal Murray

Backup: Bruce Brown

Other options: Jalen Pickett

Brown is tricky to place because he’s so versatile, capable of playing one through three. So, which position will he spend most of his time at during his reunion tour? I’ve penciled him in at backup point guard for now, based on a couple of factors. First and foremost is Denver’s lack of depth at this spot relative to others. Shooting guard and small forward are simply more crowded, and the appeal of Brown is that he can fit wherever he’s needed most.

Where exactly that is could change, though, if Pickett shines in his role. You’ll remember that he earned closing minutes in David Adelman’s first game as interim head coach, dropping 18 points and four assists in a critical road win. Pickett’s confidence has slowly gained momentum throughout the last year, and his methodical style makes him a compelling partner with Nikola Jokic. Can’t rule him out as an eventual everyday backup to Murray.

Adelman’s vision for Murray’s substitution pattern will be another variable. In Brown’s first stint with the Nuggets, he and Jokic combined to produce a 12.4 net rating in 665 minutes when Murray was resting. But when Brown was on his own, initiating offense without Jokic or Murray on the floor, Denver’s net rating was minus-9.0.

Those numbers are a bad sign for Brown’s point guard viability if Adelman wants to handcuff Murray to Jokic more than Michael Malone did. They’re a good sign if Adelman prefers to continue staggering Murray with the second unit — and playing with that unit might not be such a painful experience anymore, now that Murray has a Jonas Valanciunas-sized hub to slither around.

Shooting guard (2)

Starter: Christian Braun

Backup: Tim Hardaway Jr.

Other options: Julian Strawther, Bruce Brown

This is technically a position battle between Hardaway and Strawther, but I’d expect both to get plenty of run early in the season. The benefit of the doubt on the depth chart projection goes to Hardaway, not just because he’s older but because he started 77 games for a playoff team last season.

At the risk of being reductive, 3-point percentage is going to be an extremely important measuring stick for these two. Neither will be on the floor for their defense; Denver needs reliable floor spacing from at least one of them. Strawther showed progress last year, shooting 34.9% beyond the arc. Hardaway shot 36.8% without the aid of Jokic drawing double-teams and unfurling no-look passes to him.

Braun is also entering an important year for his jumper. It’s the one thing that failed him in the playoffs when defenses ignored him and forced an uptick in volume. After a 39.7% regular season on 2.8 attempts per game, he shot 29.6% on 5.1 attempts in 14 playoff games. Braun is a proven NBA starter now. He still has room to grow.

Small forward (3)

Starter: Cam Johnson

Backup: Peyton Watson

Other options: Bruce Brown, Tim Hardaway Jr., Julian Strawther, Hunter Tyson

There are realistic variations of this depth chart where Brown can be listed as the backup three, moving Watson back to power forward and DaRon Holmes II out of a “backup” spot entirely (see below). Being chained to the baseline offensively has been a topic of disharmony for Watson in the past, though. So for the sake of preseason prognostication, let’s slot him in at his preferred position, where he can try to expand his game as a slasher. Regardless of where he’s stationed at that end, Denver is sure to use the fourth-year wing in a variety of defense-first lineups.

Johnson is an obvious one-for-one Michael Porter Jr. replacement in the starting lineup. Theoretically, the over-arching upgrade is his ability to move much better than Porter — as a driver and secondary ball-handler, as a defender, as a catch-and-shoot threat using off-ball screens to get free. However, Johnson arrives with his own history of availability concerns. He missed 49 combined games in his last two years in Brooklyn.

Power forward (4)

Starter: Aaron Gordon

Backup: DaRon Holmes II

Other options: Peyton Watson, Zeke Nnaji, Cam Johnson

Is it realistic to expect Holmes to instantly mesh with new teammates at game speed in his first NBA action, after he spent a year rehabbing from a torn Achilles tendon? Probably not. But he did look pretty good at Summer League, at least. If Holmes can earn steady bench minutes as a quasi-rookie, it would do wonders for Denver’s depth. Nnaji is still fighting for minutes to provide similar services as a switchable big, but he’s near the bottom of the roster hierarchy at this point entering his sixth year.

When Adelman inevitably starts to whittle down his rotation toward the end of the regular season, Holmes and Nnaji are likely candidates to be phased out completely, yielding more second-unit minutes to Watson (or even Johnson, a newcomer who could be deployed any number of ways).

Center (5)

Starter: Nikola Jokic

Backup: Jonas Valanciunas

Reserve: DaRon Holmes II, Aaron Gordon

Is Jokic in danger of losing his starting job? Hold onto your butts, this position battle could drag into the season.

Center is obviously the Nuggets’ most cut-and-dry position, especially after the acquisition of Valanciunas. Widely regarded as a clear upgrade to the bench, he’ll be tasked with anchoring Jokic’s rest minutes, relieving not only the three-time MVP but also Gordon of his exhausting dual role. The only question is what combination of players will surround Valanciunas for those stints.

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Nuggets 2025-26 depth chart and salaries

Point Guard
Shooting Guard
Small Forward
Power Forward
Center

Jamal Murray
$46.4 million
Christian Braun
$4.9 million
Cam Johnson
$21.1 million
Aaron Gordon
$22.8 million
Nikola Jokic
$55.2 million

Bruce Brown
$2.3 million
Tim Hardaway Jr.
$2.3 million
Peyton Watson
$4.4 million
DaRon Holmes II
$3.2 million
Jonas Valanciunas
$10.4 million

Jalen Pickett
$2.2 million
Julian Strawther
$2.7 million
Hunter Tyson
$2.2 million
Zeke Nnaji
$8.2 million
DaRon Holmes II
$3.2 million