Every season, it seems that the Nuggets are looking for a new backup center. Between multiple years of Mason Plumlee, Zeke Nnaji, and DeAndre Jordan, Denver has not had it easy. In fact, their lack of security at the position has often been considered a sizeable factor in their shortcomings during the Nikola Jokic era.
Nuggets fans thought they had found their solution last season when Denver signed Jonas Valanciunas. However, after one admittedly solid year, they waived him to free up cap space. Now, barring another signing or trade, they will be entering the 2026 season with three options at the position. Unfortunately for Nuggets fans, none of them will provide the success of true championship-caliber backup bigs like Luke Kornet or Mitchell Robinson. But all Denver needs is for one of them to be serviceable.
Nuggets Bring in Veteran Marvin Bagley
In the race for the role, Nuggets’ newly-signed Marvin Bagley is the most likely, albeit the least exciting. The Kings took Bagley with the second overall pick in the 2018 draft, and he never lived up to his enormous expectations. Since then, he has bounced from team to team, remaining in the minds of few.
After the Kings, he became a journeyman, having gone to the Pistons, Wizards, Grizzlies, back to the Wizards, and then the Mavericks. Meanwhile, he has only played in more than 51 games in two of his eight seasons, which is largely why he was unable to live up to the hype. Between his constant injuries and his having only been on an over-.500 team once, it’s understandable how he could become forgotten. Nevertheless, his stats still show promise.
Granted, his sample size is small — he averaged 10.5 points and 6.1 rebounds per game on 20 minutes a night last year — though it is an impressive stat line regardless. He also added a three-point shot to his game, shooting 46 percent on about three attempts a night.
Bagley’s career has been filled with injuries and bad teams. However, he just played 60 games last year and is finally on a contender. Will he become a game-breaker? Absolutely not. But that isn’t what Denver needs. All they need is somebody to grab some rebounds, contest some shots, and hit a midrange or three-pointer now and then. Many still have their opinions about him, and rightfully so, but Bagley can get the job done.
DaRon Holmes Returns From Injury
The Nuggets drafted DaRon Holmes in the first round of the 2024 Draft, hoping he could be their Jokic backup of the future. Then, disaster struck when he tore his Achilles in the summer league that offseason. He missed the whole year and barely played last year, but this season could be his chance.
Holmes was an absolute monster in college, averaging 20.4 points, 8.4 rebounds, and 2.1 blocks a game for Dayton. He also shot a solid 38 percent from three on 2.5 attempts per night.
Denver has no reason not to give him a shot this year. If they did not, they would be throwing away a first-round pick. Holmes has all the tools, and now that he has fully recovered from his injury, he should be 100 percent and ready to go.
His only true detriment is that he is only 6-foot-9, which admittedly is undersized for a center. However, that is also the same height as Bam Adebayo, so clearly, success as a shorter big is possible. Simply put, Holmes’ best qualities are his rim protection and rebounding, and the Nuggets desperately need help in those areas. Having averaged only 8.4 minutes per game last year, he is still largely unproven, and he deserves the opportunity to prove himself.
Nuggets Draft Trevon Brazile
Trevon Brazile is easily the most exciting option. Denver took the former Arkansas Razorback early in the second round, and fans are already very excited about his potential. At 6-foot-10, Brazile can jump out of the gym and contest shots with the best of them.
He averaged 13 points, 7.3 rebounds, 1.6 blocks, and 1.5 steals a night while demonstrating clear three-point upside. Beyond the stats, though, Brazile is one of those players who simply passes the eye test. He is a bundle of energy and athleticism, and he seems to get involved and make a play on both ends every possession.
Like Bagley and Holmes, Brazile profiles more as a power forward than a center. However, while Bagley and Holmes would likely benefit from being true seven-foot centers, Brazile is a bit different. With his ability to get up and run the floor, Nuggets fans have already started dreaming of him playing with Jokic.
The Joker loves playing with athletic forwards who can move and patrol the dunker spot. In fact, his connection with Aaron Gordon, who has mastered that role, was a massive reason that they became champions in 2023.
Best-case scenario for the Nuggets is that he turns into a taller, lankier Gordon. In this world, he can secure the paint as a backup five and pair up with Jokic as a four.
Maybe Denver will give Bagley the role as the veteran, or maybe they will give it to Holmes as the incumbent. But Brazile is a guy that not only Nuggets fans but the whole league should be watching out for.
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