Nuggets Notes: Watson, Braun, Jokic, Tax, Jones
Fourth-year forward Peyton Watson has been boosting his value ahead of restricted free agency in the summer and it will be tricky for the Nuggets to match a potential offer sheet, observes Troy Renck of The Denver Post.
As Renck writes, Denver’s front office prioritized a rookie scale extension for Christian Braun last offseason over a new deal for Watson. While that decision was understandable at the time, it will limit the team’s financial flexibility moving forward and make it much more difficult to re-sign Watson without going over the second tax apron.
In the five games since Nikola Jokic suffered a knee injury, Watson has averaged 24.4 points, 5.8 rebounds, 2.2 assists, 1.0 steal and 1.0 block on .518/.414/.706 shooting, Renck notes, showing that his game can scale with more opportunities. Renck suggests the Nuggets’ best option with Watson might be to work out a sign-and-trade in the 2026 offseason.
Here’s more on the Nuggets:
- Braun was very durable during his college career at Kansas and in his first three NBA seasons with the Nuggets. The 24-year-old wing was diagnosed with a left ankle sprain in November, an injury that caused him to miss seven weeks. Why was he out so long? “The ligaments in my ankle were ripped,” Braun told Bennett Durando of The Denver Post. “So that’s what made it tough. I was in a boot for the first three weeks. I was on crutches for a couple weeks. So I couldn’t walk. … I had to get all that strength back. And it’s still a work in progress. That’s pretty clear.”
- Head coach David Adelman provided a minor injury update on Jokic prior to Friday’s game in Atlanta, tweets Vinny Benedetto of The Denver Gazette. According to Adelman, the three-time MVP is eager to return to action, but has largely been limited to lifting weights at this point as continues to recover from a hyperextended left knee. “I understand the 65-game rule, but a guy that never misses games for a decade, it bothers me a little bit,” Adelman said (Twitter video link via DNVR Sports). “This is not somebody that’s sitting out. He never sits out.“
- Despite multi-week injuries to Jokic and Jonas Valanciunas (calf strain), the Nuggets are unlikely to sign a center to a 10-day contract due to their tax situation, Durando reports for The Denver Post. League sources tell Durando the Nuggets have two primary objectives heading into the trade deadline: dipping below the tax threshold (they’re currently about $400K over) and promoting Spencer Jones from a two-way contract to a standard deal.
Nuggets Notes: Depth, Jokic, Braun, Gordon, Murray, Holmes
With Christian Braun and Aaron Gordon back in action on Sunday in Brooklyn following extended injury absences, the Nuggets submitted a disappointing effort that head coach David Adelman referred to as “embarrassing” and “unprofessional,” resulting in a 12-point loss to the Nets.
A day later, all five of Denver’s regular starters were inactive on Monday in Philadelphia for the second game of a back-to-back, as Adelman deployed a starting lineup of Peyton Watson, Jalen Pickett, Bruce Brown, Spencer Jones, and DaRon Holmes, with Zeke Nnaji, Hunter Tyson, Julian Strawther, and Curtis Jones coming off the bench. The team’s effort represented a 180 after Sunday’s dud, writes Tony Jones of The Athletic, as Denver pulled off a shocking 125-124 upset in overtime.
Pickett, who had played double-digit minutes just 12 times this season entering Monday’s game, led the way by scoring a career-high 29 points on 11-of-20 shooting in 42 minutes. Nnaji (21 points, eight rebounds) and Tyson (14 points) also had their best games of the season. Those performances from reserves represent a very encouraging sign for a team that Adelman says is in “survival mode” with star center Nikola Jokic out, according to Jones.
“The thing is that we don’t want to take too much of a fall in the standings,” general manager Jon Wallace told The Athletic prior to Monday’s victory. “I think we did a good job of giving ourselves a cushion at the beginning of the season, knowing that the unexpected can happen. But, at the same time, we have to face the reality that we might take a slight fall. But I think we have enough guys and enough leaders in that locker room to hold the line, until we get back to full strength.”
Here’s more on the Nuggets:
- The Nuggets are feeling good about Jokic’s recovery from a hyperextended knee and are hopeful that he’ll be back in action by the All-Star break at the latest, team sources tell Jones.
- Braun and Gordon were on “pretty strict” minutes limits when they returned on Sunday, tweets Tim Bontemps of ESPN. Braun played 24 minutes in his first game back from a sprained ankle, while Gordon came off the bench and logged 21 minutes after being out since November 21 with a strained hamstring. Restrictions will likely remain in place for a few games as Braun and Gordon work their way back to full strength.
- Jamal Murray missed a game for just the second time this season on Monday, with an injury designation of a left ankle sprain. He has been playing through “mild pain” in that ankle in recent weeks, according to Bennett Durando of The Denver Post. “He’s played limitless minutes. … It’s not just the minutes guys play. It’s what they’re doing in those minutes,” Adelman said. “The responsibility has been crazy. His ankle flared up. Even (Sunday), I thought he fought through it. The fourth quarter, I kept thinking I was gonna get him out, and we kept kind of staying in the game. So if anybody needed (a game off), it was him. Not to mention all the other small injuries for that guy. He’s beat up.”
- After making just two garbage-time appearances in Denver’s first 31 games of the season, Holmes has appeared in each of the past five, making three starts and averaging 18.0 minutes per night. Holmes, a first-round pick in 2024 who missed his entire rookie season due to an Achilles tear, spoke to Spencer Davies of RG.org about finally getting an opportunity to play NBA minutes.
Nuggets Notes: Gordon, Braun, Jokic, Holmes, More
NBA on Prime reporter Cassidy Hubbarth gave encouraging injury updates on three Nuggets starters during Friday’s contest at Cleveland, tweets Ryan Blackburn of Mile High Sports.
According to Blackburn, Hubbarth said Aaron Gordon (hamstring) and Christian Braun (ankle) are still experiencing some soreness, but both players could return at some point during the team’s road trip, which ends next Wednesday in Boston. Hubbarth also said the Nuggets have been “pleasantly surprised” by the progress Nikola Jokic has made in his recovery from a left knee injury, Blackburn adds.
Here’s more on the Nuggets, who are very shorthanded at the moment:
- The Nuggets are only carrying 14 players on their standard roster and could theoretically sign a player to a 10-day contract starting Monday. When asked about that possibility prior to Friday’s game, head coach David Adelman said the team would weigh its options but expressed some skepticism about it happening. “Right now, we are who we are,” he said (Twitter link via Bennett Durando of The Denver Post). Durando hears the Nuggets are unlikely to add a player to a 10-day deal, which isn’t surprising — they’re currently about $400K over the luxury tax line and will likely look to move below that threshold ahead of the trade deadline to avoid the repeater tax.
- With four starters and their backup center out, Adelman said the Nuggets would be learning on the fly Friday, tweets Durando. “This will sound crazy, but we’re playing an NBA game in an hour and a half, and that’s our scrimmage to see, like, where we’re at and how we’re gonna play. I can’t put in 19 new offensive things and change our whole defensive scheme,” Adelman said.
- Second-year big man DaRon Holmes II admitted he was gassed after playing 22 minutes in Wednesday’s win at Toronto, the first meaningful action he’s received to this point in his young career, Durando writes for The Denver Post. “He gives up the offensive rebounds. I didn’t see him put his head down. He just kept playing,” Adelman said. “And that’s the key in the NBA. You’re gonna have moments when you get embarrassed or somebody physically owns you, whatever it is. You’ve just gotta go to the next play. Be ready to make the next shot, make the appropriate decision with the ball, take care of it. And he did that.” Holmes, a 2024 first-round pick who missed last season with a torn Achilles tendon, received his first career start Friday.
Jalen Brunson, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander Win Player Of The Month Awards
A pair of star point guards and MVP candidates have been named the NBA’s Players of the Month for December, with Jalen Brunson of the Knicks winning the award in the East and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander of the Thunder claiming it in the West, per the league (Twitter link).
Brunson was named Player of the Week twice in December and led the Knicks to an NBA Cup championship. He averaged 30.6 points, 7.1 assists, and 3.2 rebounds per contest in 13 December outings, posting a strong shooting line of .475/.405/.826 and leading his team to a 10-3 record in the games he played.
Those stats don’t include the NBA Cup final, which doesn’t count toward the regular season, but he was excellent in that game too, racking up 25 points and eight assists as the Knicks toppled the Spurs.
Gilgeous-Alexander, meanwhile, continued to strengthen his case for a second consecutive Most Valuable Player award in 12 December appearances, with averages of 31.4 points, 6.1 assists, 4.6 rebounds, and 1.7 steals per game, and a scorching-hot .594/.436/.882 shooting line.
Gilgeous-Alexander now ranks second in the NBA in scoring (32.1 PPG), while his Thunder – following a 9-4 December – hold the league’s best record at 29-5.
It’s the third time Brunson has won a Player of the Month award and the fifth time Gilgeous-Alexander has earned the honor. Pistons guard Cade Cunningham and Nuggets center Nikola Jokic were the NBA’s first Players of the Month this season, for games played in October and November.
Cunningham was also nominated for the Eastern Conference award in December, along with Celtics wing Jaylen Brown, Sixers guard Tyrese Maxey, Raptors forward Brandon Ingram, Hawks forward, Jalen Johnson, Cavaliers guard Donovan Mitchell, Nets forward Michael Porter Jr., and Brunson’s teammate Karl-Anthony Towns, according to the NBA (Twitter link).
The other Western Conference nominees were Jokic, Clippers forward Kawhi Leonard, Warriors guard Stephen Curry, Rockets forward Kevin Durant, Spurs guard De’Aaron Fox, Jazz guard Keyonte George, Mavericks forward Cooper Flagg, Trail Blazers teammates Deni Avdija and Shaedon Sharpe, Timberwolves teammates Anthony Edwards and Julius Randle, and Lakers teammates Luka Doncic, LeBron James, and Austin Reaves.
Nuggets Notes: Jokic, Holmes, Backup Center, Gordon
The Nuggets will have to find ways to win over the next month without star center Nikola Jokic, who will miss at least the next four weeks with a knee injury. Head coach David Adelman is doing his best to stay positive despite the massive blow the injury represents.
“Silver lining, it’s not season-ending but it was a very concerning moment for us,” Adelman said, per Josh Lewenberg of TSN Sports (Twitter link). “Not just because of the player he is, it’s because I know him… He’s one of the tougher people and players I’ve ever been around.”
Jokic joined the Nuggets in Toronto for tonight’s game, but Bennett Durando of the Denver Post tweets that the decision on whether he’ll stay for the rest of the team’s road trip is up in the air, and will likely be decided by a combination of Jokic, Adelman, executive vice president of player personnel Jon Wallace, and executive vice president of basketball operations Ben Tenzer.
When asked about how Jokic is handling one of the most significant injuries in his playing career, Adelman replied (per Lewenberg): “He’s in a good place. He always is never too high and every now and then hilariously low.”
We have more from the Nuggets:
- DaRon Holmes II, who should move up the depth chart during Jokic’s absence, views the time he’s spent with the Nuggets’ G League affiliate as a valuable chance to show the parent team what he’s capable of, according to Cyro Asseo of HoopsHype. “We’re just trying to show what we can do. And hopefully there’s an opportunity because of that. There are times in training camp when young guys like me don’t get viewed a lot because of our age or because of injuries, or youth,” Holmes said. “So hopefully this can showcase our skill set, so our coaches can see and other teams can see as well… just have fun and get my teammates involved and do things that I would do that would translate up top with the Nuggets as well.” Holmes says that he has watched Jokic closely to unlock other parts of his game, such as play-making, cutting, and more.
- With Jokic out and Jonas Valanciunas inserted into the starting lineup, the Nuggets will have to figure out their backup center rotation. “We’ll be creative with it,” Adelman said, per Durando (via Twitter). “We played a little bit of small ball in Miami with [Spencer Jones] — you can say Spence or Peyton [Watson], whatever you want to say. And obviously, we have Zeke (Nnaji). DaRon is with us, so we can go that way as well.” The Nuggets could use Watson in super small-ball lineups surrounded by shooters, Adelman notes, adding that the decision will be made with an eye towards what will help star guard Jamal Murray be the most effective.
- Aaron Gordon has taken minutes at the five in the past, Durando writes, but the history of hamstring and calf injuries that Gordon has dealt with in recent years will prompt the team to be cautious with him. The physical toll of playing major minutes at center after coming off a hamstring injury that has limited him to just 13 games this season could prove too risky, given Gordon’s importance to the team’s outlook in the playoffs.
Nikola Jokic Out At Least Four Weeks With Knee Injury
Nuggets center Nikola Jokic will be reevaluated in four weeks after being diagnosed with a hyperextension of his left knee, the team announced today (Twitter link).
Jokic injured his knee during Monday’s game against Miami. On Tuesday, Đorđe Matić of Meridian Sport, an outlet based in Jokic’s home country of Serbia, reported that the big man had hyperextended his knee but appeared to have avoided a more serious injury. The update from the club confirms as much.
Although the absence projects to be the longest of Jokic’s NBA career, the Nuggets are breathing a sigh of relief, according to Shams Charania of ESPN (Twitter link), since testing confirmed that the three-time MVP’s knee ligaments are intact.
Still, there’s no guarantee that Jokic will be able to return at the four-week mark when he’s reevaluated. Brett Siegel of ClutchPoints (Twitter link) suggests the 30-year-old could end up missing closer to six weeks.
The Nuggets’ depth will be tested in a major way during that time. The team was already down three starters, with Aaron Gordon (hamstring), Christian Braun (ankle), and Cameron Johnson (knee) all on the shelf. With Jokic now out too, guard Jamal Murray is the only opening-night starter still standing.
Head coach David Adelman said over the weekend that Gordon and Braun have a chance to return during the Nuggets’ current road trip, which runs through January 7 (Twitter link via Katy Winge of Altitude TV). Until then, Murray figures to be joined in the starting five by Peyton Watson, Spencer Jones, Tim Hardaway Jr., and Jonas Valanciunas.
The Nuggets are off to a 22-10 start this season and are well positioned in the Western Conference postseason picture at the moment, but they don’t have a ton of room for error as they attempt to hang onto a guaranteed (ie. top-six) playoff seed. The No. 6 Timberwolves currently trail Denver by just a game-and-a-half, while the No. 7 Suns are three games back of the Nuggets.
Although Jokic and the Nuggets will be more concerned about their record and their position in the standings, it’s also worth noting that this injury could cost the superstar center his award eligibility this season. In order to meet the 65-game requirement and qualify for end-of-season awards, Jokic can’t miss more than 17 games — Denver will play 18 times between now and the end of January.
If Jokic isn’t award-eligible, his streak of seven consecutive All-NBA appearances would come to an end, as would a stretch of five straight years in the top two in Most Valuable Player voting.
Jokic has been putting up historic numbers so far this season, averaging a career-high 29.6 points per game while leading the NBA with 12.2 rebounds and 11.0 assists per contest. His shooting line is an outrageous .605/.435/.853 and the Nuggets have a +12.3 net rating when he’s on the court, compared to a -6.3 mark when he’s not.
Injury Notes: Kings, Jokic, Sengun, Bogdanovic, Sixers
After losing by 24 points to the Lakers on Sunday, the Kings should have some reinforcements on Tuesday for their matchup with Los Angeles’ other team.
According to Jason Anderson of The Sacramento Bee (Twitter link), center Drew Eubanks will be available for Tuesday’s game vs. the Clippers after having missed the past seven games due to a thumb fracture. Reporting on December 13 indicated that Eubanks – who appeared in each of the team’s first 25 games of the season, making 11 starts in the middle – would be reevaluated in three weeks, but it appears he’ll beat his projected recovery timeline.
Meanwhile, forward Keegan Murray has been upgraded to questionable after being inactive for the Kings’ past two games, Anderson adds. Murray, diagnosed last week with a calf strain, could also have a shorter absence than anticipated, since a report on Friday indicated that he’d be reevaluated in one week.
Here are more injury-related updates from around the NBA:
- The early reports on Nikola Jokic‘s knee injury out of his home country of Serbia are encouraging. According to Đorđe Matić of Meridian Sport, there’s a belief that Jokic hyperextended his left knee but avoided a more serious injury. The Nuggets‘ star center is undergoing more testing today, so it shouldn’t be long before we get a more formal update on his diagnosis and recovery timeline.
- Rockets center Alperen Sengun has missed two consecutive games due to what the team is calling a left soleus (calf) strain. However, head coach Ime Udoka said on Monday that he doesn’t believe the injury is a significant one, explaining that the club is just trying to manage a little soreness that Sengun experienced after Thursday’s Christmas Day game (Twitter link via Will Guillory of The Athletic).
- Clippers guard Bogdan Bogdanovic will be out indefinitely due to a left hamstring issue, tweets Law Murray of The Athletic. Bogdanovic missed Sunday’s game vs. Detroit and has been ruled out for Tuesday’s matchup with Sacramento with a designation of “left hamstring injury management.”
- Sixers forwards Kelly Oubre Jr. (left knee sprain) and Trendon Watford (left adductor strain), who have both been sidelined for over a month, are being “reintegrated into team activities,” the team announced on Monday (Twitter link via Kyle Neubeck of PHLY Sports). That update suggests they’re practicing again and should be close to returning. Asked if he’ll play during the 76ers’ three-game road trip that begins on Tuesday in Memphis, Watford was noncommittal, simply referring to himself as “day-to-day” (Twitter video link via Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer).
Nikola Jokic Suffers Left Knee Injury Monday
Nuggets superstar Nikola Jokic suffered a left knee injury just before halftime in Monday’s game at Miami, the team announced (via Twitter).
The three-time MVP will not return to Monday’s contest, per Sam Amick of The Athletic (Twitter link). Jonas Valanciunas started the second half with Jokic unavailable.
The injury occurred when forward Spencer Jones was bumped in the lane on defense, causing him to lose his balance and backpedal into Jokic (Twitter video link via SportsCenter). Jones’ right foot stepped on Jokic’s left foot, and Jokic’s left leg buckled. The Serbian center immediately grabbed at his left knee and collapsed to the court in pain.
Jokic had to be helped up with assistance. He made it to the locker room on his own, but he had a considerable limp and was clearly trying to avoid putting weight on his left leg.
The 30-year-old big man had 21 points (on 9-of-14 shooting), eight assists and five rebounds in 19 first-half minutes.
A source tells Amick that Jokic is expected to undergo testing on his left knee on Tuesday (Twitter link).
Obviously, any type of significant injury to Jokic would be absolutely devastating for the Nuggets. The 30-year-old big man is having an extraordinary season, averaging 29.9 points, 12.4 rebounds, 11.1 assists and 1.4 steals on .604/.440/.855 shooting through 31 games (35.1 minutes per contest).
Jokic, who has finished either first or second in MVP voting each of the past five years, is averaging career highs in points per game, assists per game, three-point percentage and True Shooting percentage (.714). He leads the NBA in triple-doubles (16), RPG and APG, and is fifth in PPG.
The Nuggets were already playing without three injured starters on Monday. Aaron Gordon (strained right hamstring) and Christian Braun (sprained left ankle) have both been sidelined for several weeks, while Cameron Johnson recently sustained a bone bruise in his right knee and is expected to miss at least a month.
Kawhi Leonard, Jaylen Brown Named Players Of Week
Clippers forward Kawhi Leonard and Celtics forward Jaylen Brown have been named the Western and Eastern Conference Players of the Week, respectively, according to the NBA (Twitter links).
Leonard led the Clippers to three wins during the week of December 22-28 while posting averages of 41.3 points, 9.0 rebounds and 2.7 steals per contest. The star forward erupted for a career-high 55 points against the Pistons on Sunday.
It’s Leonard’s fourth Player of the Week award as a Clipper and the 10th of his NBA career, but it’s the first time he has earned the honor since the 2023/24 season.
Kevin Durant (Rockets), Keyonte George (Jazz), Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (Thunder) and Nikola Jokic (Nuggets) were the other Western Conference nominees.
The Celtics, meanwhile, went 2-1 last week with Brown averaging 32.7 points on 55.9 percent shooting from the field while also grabbing 6.3 rebounds per game.
Boston’s star wing has scored at least 30 points in all nine games he has played this month and has now been named the East’s Player of the Week twice in December — he also claimed the award on Dec. 8. Brown and Knicks point guard Jalen Brunson have traded the award back and forth in recent weeks, with no other Eastern Conference player winning it since Nov. 24.
LaMelo Ball (Hornets), Scottie Barnes (Raptors), Cade Cunningham (Pistons), Josh Giddey (Bulls), Michael Porter Jr. (Nets) and Karl-Anthony Towns (Knicks) were all nominated in the East.
Doncic, Antetokounmpo Lead Early Fan Voting For All-Star Game
Lakers guard Luka Doncic and Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo lead the Western and Eastern Conferences, respectively, in the first returns of fan voting for the All-Star Game, according to the NBA (Twitter link).
Doncic leads all players with 1,249,518 votes. The top five vote-getters from the Western Conference also include Nuggets center Nikola Jokic, Warriors guard Stephen Curry, Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Spurs big man Victor Wembanyama.
Joining Antetokounmpo among the top five in the Eastern Conference are Sixers guard Tyrese Maxey, Knicks guard Jalen Brunson, Pistons guard Cade Cunningham and Cavaliers guard Donovan Mitchell.
Fans voting represents 50% of the vote to determine the five players from each conference to be named as starters for the All-Star Game, with current NBA players and a media panel accounting for 25% each. This year, All-Stars are being selected without regard to position.
A newly-created, round-robin tournament featuring a USA vs. World format will be held Sunday, Feb. 15 at the Intuit Dome, the new home of the Clippers.