The 2025-26 NBA season is almost here. With some teams holding media day this week, and the majority of the league following suit on Monday, basketball is once again in the air just three months after the Oklahoma City Thunder were crowned champions. The start of the season means that it’s time for player rankings, and for the Denver Nuggets, they have six players ranked in the ESPN top 100.

Last season, that number was four. A combination of internal improvements along with a strong offseason from a newly restructured front office gave the Nuggets more firepower heading into this campaign, something that Nikola Jokic and the rest of the starting lineup has been in dire need of since they won the title.

What Nuggets were ranked where?

No. 87 – Jonas Valanciunas

The fact that the Denver Nuggets have a backup center ranked in the top 100 should cause all Nuggets fans to shout and celebrate as loud as they can. After years and years of not having a viable option — which led to them playing Aaron Gordon as the backup to Jokic in the ’23 playoffs en route to winning a championship — the Nuggets pulled off the heist of the offseason in trading Dario Saric to the Kings in return for Valanciunas.

The veteran 7-footer from Lithuania played well for his country this summer in the EuroBasket tournament and is looking to carry that momentum into the season with Denver. He’s been a talented starter for most of his career, but his 60 games off the bench in the 2024-25 season should play well for him as he heads into the most important role of his career.

2024-25 Averages: 10.4 ppg, 7.7 rpg, 2.0 apg

No. 67 – Cam Johnson

Johnson is the next new addition on the list for the Nuggets, as they picked him up in a trade with the Brooklyn Nets in exchange for Michael Porter Jr. (ranked No. 70) and a future first-rounder. He should be able to bring nearly the same shooting level that MPJ had — for $21 million less — along with a more well-rounded offensive attack that’s not just catch-and-shoot 3-pointers.

In his six NBA seasons, he’s only shot under 39% from three once while averaging nearly six attempts per game. His presence on the floor alongside Gordon, Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray should be a revelation.

2024-25 Averages: 18.8 ppg, 4.3 rpg, 3.4 apg

No. 62 – Christian Braun

Braun got the respect he deserved after putting together a strong campaign last season. While he’s still working on establishing consistency with his 3-point shot, he’s still one of the best defenders on the roster and one of the best slashers in the league. Something to note is that he’s due for a payday in terms of a rookie contract extension. This is the final year of his four-year rookie deal he signed back in 2022, and he’s set to become a restricted free agent next season. Some have estimated that his new deal could reach upwards of $30 million annually.

His scoring numbers skyrocketed last season as he stepped into a bigger role as the lead 2-guard, and the Nuggets are hoping to get similar production from him this season when called upon.

2024-25 Averages: 15.4 ppg, 5.2 rpg, 2.6 apg

No. 46 – Jamal Murray

Is this ranking disrepctful? Murray was No. 31 last year after sliding in at No. 17 following his one-of-a-kind run to the championship in 2023. After some uncharacteristic  performances against physical playoff teams the last two seasons, it seems that the hype train has gone to the next station.

Remember, this guy scored 43 points on 17-for-26 shooting in a pivotal Game 5 against the Clippers in the first round. If he didn’t play that well that night, the Nuggets might’ve gone packing much earlier.

His 67 games played were the most since the 2018-19 season, and his 21.4 points per game were a career high. The only problem was that his efficiency dipped in the playoffs, something the Nuggets couldn’t afford to have happen. He’s still the second best player on the Nuggets, and the best player alongside Nikola Jokic, and the X-factor into how far this team can go in the postseason.

2024-25 Averages: 21.4 ppg, 3.9 rpg, 6.0 apg

No. 40 – Aaron Gordon

Mr. Nugget had the best season of his career last year and made a leap that no one was expecting. He went from knocking down just 29% of his 3-pointers the year prior to converting at a 43.6% rate — the sixth-best mark in the league among shooters who attempted at least 100 3-pointers.

He carried the team on his back when Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray were both out down the stretch, he constantly guarded the opposing team’s best player, he threw down some memorable dunks, and he played one on leg in Game 7 of the Conference Semis and was still the second-best player on the team.

Gordon’s health is key for Denver’s success, however. He dealt with a various issues all throughout the season and then pulled his hamstring at the worst possible time with just a minute to go in Game 6. When healthy, he fits perfectly alongside Murray and Jokic and is dangerous in multiple facets of the game.

2024-25 Averages: 14.7 ppg, 4.8 rpg, 3.2 apg

Top 10 – Nikola Jokic

The top 10 hasn’t been released by ESPN, but everyone knows that Jokic isn’t going to be anywhere in the 3-10 range, and will more than likely be No. 1 — especially after he received 19 of the 20 best player in the league votes in ESPN’s offseason survey. He’s established himself as the best player in the league now, and even though Shai Gilgeous-Alexander won the MVP award a season ago, anyone watching the West Semis could see that Jokic was the better player, he just had the worse team around him.

2024-25 Averages: 29.6 ppg, 12.7 rpg, 10.2 apg