Fans blasted the Denver Nuggets early in the offseason for not doing anything to retool the roster. But in recent weeks, the Nuggets have formed a formidable unit, adding a slew of new faces.
DeMar DeRozan, Marvin Bagley III, and Lonnie Walker IV are among the notable names. They will add depth to the Nuggets after the team lost Peyton Watson, Tim Hardaway Jr., Jonas Valanciunas, and Bruce Brown in the offseason.
Nikola Jokic will continue to lead Denver, and he said he has been paying “a lot” of attention to his new teammates, which also include Cam Whitmore, Alpha Diallo, Trevon Brazile, Bryce Hopkins, Emanuel Miller, Dane Goodwin, and Coleman Hawkins.
“I think they don’t even know. Even when they shoot with the coaches, even when they lift, I really pay attention to what they are doing, how they react, and how they talk to the coaches, players, and trainers. Everything,” said Jokic in a video posted by DNVR Nuggets.
“I think those are things that can tell you a lot about them.”
Article Continues Below“A lot. I think they don’t even know.”
“Even when they shoot with the coaches, even when they lift, I really pay attention to what they are doing.”
– Nikola Jokic on how much he’s watching the Nuggets’ new players at training camp 🗣️ pic.twitter.com/BehJjTATJs
— DNVR Nuggets (@DNVR_Nuggets) September 29, 2026
The three-time MVP is taking a holistic approach in evaluating his new teammates, ensuring that they are buying into the team's culture.
After their first-round exit in the playoffs in April, the 31-year-old Jokic lamented that they were nowhere near being a championship squad, underscoring the need to improve the roster and regain a winning mindset.
Last season, he put up 27.7 points, 12.9 rebounds, 10.7 assists, and 1.4 steals, averaging a triple-double for the second straight year.
The Nuggets will face the Oklahoma City Thunder in their season opener.