The Nuggets are one of the few teams that have been a constant in NBA awards chatter for the entire decade so far.
That’s a product of Nikola Jokic’s perennial MVP candidacy, of course. One of the most coveted and debated accolades in professional sports has gone to Denver’s starting center three times in the last five years, an acknowledgment of both his individual greatness and the Nuggets’ success as a team. He’s a contender again in 2026, unsurprisingly but tenuously. The Nuggets have had a few other names mentioned in awards conversation as well throughout the year, though.
Let’s take stock of their chances as they enter the last quarter of the regular season.
Nikola Jokic (15) of the Denver Nuggets prepares for the Boston Celtics during the first quarter at Ball Arena in Denver, Colorado on Wednesday, February 25, 2026. (Photo by AAron Ontiveroz/The Denver Post)
Nikola Jokic: MVP
We can get the obvious one out of the way first. ESPN’s Tim Bontemps released an updated “straw poll” on Feb. 20, surveying a panel of 100 media members (including myself) in an attempt to capture a snapshot of where voters were leaning at the All-Star break. Oklahoma City’s Shai Gilgeous-Alexander collected 78 first-place votes to Jokic’s 18.
The suspense of the race has little to do with the perceived size of SGA’s lead, though. Four of the top five candidates on the straw poll are in danger of missing too many games to qualify for awards, under the terms of the 65-game minimum that was introduced in the 2023 collective bargaining agreement. Jokic is allowed to miss only one more game before he’s ineligible. SGA is down to five games. Victor Wembanyama is down to three. Luka Doncic is down to five.
If Jokic can limp across the finish line, like the NBA wants, he’s probably a lock for a sixth consecutive top-two MVP finish at worst. But can he survive the war of superstar attrition?
Jamal Murray (27) of the Denver Nuggets passes during the first quarter against the Memphis Grizzlies at Ball Arena in Denver, Colorado on Wednesday, February 11, 2026. (Photo by AAron Ontiveroz/The Denver Post)
Jamal Murray: All-NBA
Murray set his sights on one of the 15 All-NBA spots immediately after he was named an All-Star in January. The 65-game rule could benefit him if any of the aforementioned First-Team candidates fall short, opening up spots down the ballot. But so far, Murray’s career year has been so impressive that he might not need any help.
The numbers speak for themselves: 25.7 points, 4.4 rebounds, 7.3 assists per game. He’s one of 11 players in the league with four 40-point games this season, and he has shot 64.9% from the field in those games to lead Denver to a win in all four.
As his team’s second option, he might not get first dibs over other star players in the mix such as Anthony Edwards, Jaylen Brown, Tyrese Maxey, Jalen Brunson, Kawhi Leonard and Kevin Durant. But his overall play has been in a class with them. As of Thursday, only 12 of the top 70 players in 3-point attempts this season were shooting them at a 40% clip or better. Murray’s 42.9% efficiency ranked second among those 70 players, on the 18th-most attempts.
Tim Hardaway Jr.: Sixth Man of the Year
Hardaway is also one of those 12. In fact, he, Murray, Anthony Edwards, Kon Knueppel and former Nugget Collin Gillespie are the only players who rank top-20 in 3-point volume at 40% or better. He also became the 19th player in league history with 2,000 career 3s last month. “Credit to all the guys, former teammates, current teammates, guys that get me open, guys that find me, guys that make my job a lot easier,” he said.
Averaging 13.9 points almost entirely off Denver’s bench, Hardaway has been arguably the best outside shooter in the league among non-starters this season. His impact has transcended the veteran minimum he signed with Denver last offseason. The Nuggets have ascended from dead last in 3-point attempts to 21st as a team, while ranking tops in percentage. Head coach David Adelman has given him the ultimate green light and has lobbied for him to be in the mix for this award.
Four players currently have the edge on Hardaway in FanDuel’s betting odds: Naz Reid (Minnesota), Keldon Johnson (San Antonio), Jaime Jaquez Jr. (Miami) and Reed Sheppard (Houston). Portland’s Jerami Grant and Minnesota’s Ayo Dosunmu are also in contention.
Already snubbed: Peyton Watson, Spencer Jones in Most Improved Player
Pour one out for Watson, who would be one of the top candidates in this race if not for a little-known stipulation in the CBA. Not only do players have to play 65 or more games to appear on ballots, they also have to play at least 20 minutes in 63 of those games to protect the integrity of the rule. Two games in the 15- to 20-minute range are allowed to count toward a player’s 65. (The night Jokic injured his knee counts for him, as he played 19 minutes. He has played 20 or more in the rest of his games.)
Watson has missed 14 games straight up, but he’s also been sub-20 minutes six times. Four of those games count against him, leaving him out of room to be recognized for his breakout year as an on-ball offensive threat. The same goes for Jones, who popped on a two-way contract, worked his way into the starting lineup for almost half the season, then earned a full roster spot. He’s shooting 41.5% from 3-point range while doing a lot of the dirty work for Denver on defense and hustle plays. But he’s been under 20 minutes in 18 games, costing him a chance at Most Improved. It’s the same snag that caught voters off-guard two years ago when they opened their awards ballots planning to vote Donte DiVincenzo for MIP, only to find he was ineligible despite playing 81 games.
It’s a fun year for Most Improved. Detroit’s Jalen Duren, Atlanta’s Jalen Johnson, Portland’s Deni Avdija, Utah’s Keyonte George and Phoenix’s Gillespie are all worthy contestants. Watson, in particular, would fit well alongside them.
Nuggets head coach David Adelman directs his team during the first half against the Detroit Pistons, Tuesday, Feb. 3, 2026, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Duane Burleson)
David Adelman: Coach of the Year
Whether or not you think it should be interpreted as such, this has always been an award predicated on team success relative to outside expectations. At the end of January, Adelman had a strong case to at least receive votes. Denver going 10-6 for a month without Jokic and coming out the other side with a top-three seed was one of the stories of the NBA season.
But the team’s unexpected regression since Jokic returned has probably cost Adelman his candidacy. After all, the Nuggets were widely considered a top championship contender before the season. They still are for the most part — but if they finish fourth or lower in the West, Adelman probably won’t have room on the ballot in a year with several other impressive coaching jobs. Boston’s Joe Mazzulla, Phoenix’s Jordan Ott, Detroit’s JB Bickerstaff and San Antonio’s Mitch Johnson all fit the mold of how this typically plays out.
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