Fantasy Basketball Exit Interview: Nuggets' early exit turned a contender into a pretender

The Nuggets suffered a stunning first-round exit as favorites, falling 4-2 to a Timberwolves squad missing Donte DiVincenzo and Anthony Edwards for multiple games. Denver was also without Aaron Gordon, but with Nikola Jokić and Jamal Murray healthy, most expected them to advance. That didn’t happen, raising questions about what went wrong for a team built to contend.

Now, the focus shifts to 2026 and how the Nuggets, after this upset, will build from here. Here’s a recap of Denver’s season and what it means for fantasy basketball.

Availability matters

The Nuggets earned the 3-seed in a brutal Western Conference despite their roster rarely being intact, which speaks to just how good Jokić and Murray are. Gordon played just 36 games, finishing with 16.2 points, 5.8 rebounds and 2.7 assists per game while shooting nearly 50% from the field. When he’s on the floor, Denver is a different team.

Peyton Watson was well on his way to a genuine breakout before a hamstring injury in February shut him down, pretty much wiping out the final stretch of the season entirely. Christian Braun managed to play in just 44 contests. Cam Johnson played in 54 games. Those are all critical starters who missed significant time this season, affecting the Nuggets and fantasy managers.

Jokić and Murray remain an elite duo

Jokić was the best fantasy player in the league again. He averaged a triple-double in consecutive seasons. And for all the “Jokić-plays-no-defense” people, the man racked up 2.2 stocks per game. There’s no reason not to pick him first overall next season — in any format. But I understand if you’re lured by Victor Wembanyama’s glass ceiling.

Murray had the best regular season of his career, finishing as a first-round value in 9-cat leagues and second-round value in High Score. Murray played 75 games and was Denver’s anchor, providing stability amid a constantly changing lineup. His ability to hold the offense together, especially during stretches with a depleted supporting cast, was invaluable. Now fully healthy, Murray’s mix of efficiency, usage and volume gives him the kind of versatility you want in a guard.

I’d target Murray in the mid-to-late second round next year. He and Jokić remain one of the league’s elite duos, and they were the only Nuggets to finish inside the top 100 in both 9-cat and High Score formats.

Final thoughts

Denver has three draftable fantasy assets heading into next season: Jokić at the top of every board, Murray in the second round and Gordon as a late-round target if healthy. Watson is a restricted free agent, meaning the Nuggets can match any opposing team’s offer. Braun is efficient and worth rostering in deeper 12-team leagues, but his counting stats don’t profile well enough for 10-team formats or points leagues to justify a meaningful draft pick.

The biggest offseason question for this team isn’t talent — it’s health. They own their pick in the upcoming draft, but if this roster takes the floor intact for a full season, are they even a championship contender? That’s a big if after losing to a 6-seed missing Edwards, DiVincenzo and Ayo Dosunmu with the series on the line.

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