The Denver Nuggets entered this season with championship aspirations. After a summer of strategic additions designed to bolster their shooting and depth, the team looked poised to dominate the Western Conference. But instead of preparing for a deep playoff run, the front office found itself fielding tough questions about the future following a stunning first-round exit.
"I thought that, if this group was healthy, that this could be a 60-, 65-win team," team president Josh Kroenke admitted to reporters Friday, his voice carrying the weight of unmet expectations.
Injuries, however, told a different story. Aaron Gordon managed just 36 regular-season games. Christian Braun appeared in only 44. Peyton Watson and Cameron Johnson each played 54 contests. Despite these setbacks, Denver still managed a solid 54-28 record, earning the No. 3 seed. But when the playoffs arrived, the team faltered, losing to the Minnesota Timberwolves in six games.
What makes the loss sting even more? The Timberwolves were even more banged up. They clinched the series without Anthony Edwards, Donte DiVincenzo, and Ayo Dosunmu. So while Denver's injury excuse holds some water, it doesn't hold the whole bucket.
In a joint press conference, Kroenke, coach David Adelman, and executives Ben Tenzer and Jonathan Wallace all acknowledged the same truth: the Nuggets need to improve this offseason. The question is how far they're willing to go.
"I think everything's on the table, outside of trading Nikola," Kroenke stated firmly, referring to two-time MVP Nikola Jokić, the franchise's untouchable cornerstone.
That leaves the door open for significant changes. Jamal Murray, fresh off his first All-Star selection and likely All-NBA honors, could be on the move. So could Gordon. But Kroenke also left room for continuity, repeatedly mentioning "running it back" as a viable option. He stressed that this roster never truly got a chance to show its potential when fully healthy.
"I think this season was, in a lot of ways, the season that never was, because this group never fully got a chance to show any kind of rhythm," Kroenke explained. He added that the lack of cohesion "truly showed up when the games mattered in April."
The brightest spot of Denver's season was Peyton Watson's emergence as a playmaker. But with Watson failing to sign an extension before the season started, the Nuggets now face a delicate balancing act: how to build around their superstar while keeping their promising young talent happy.
For Nuggets fans, the coming months will be a rollercoaster of trade rumors, tough decisions, and hope. One thing is certain: Denver won't stand still. Whether through bold moves or a healthy return to form, the Nuggets are determined to prove that this season was the exception, not the new normal.