Denver

Nuggets

The Nuggets did not waste much time adding Alexander to their roster, signing him to a two-way deal less than an hour after the conclusion of last month’s draft. The former Creighton standout is a capable scorer and playmaker, which was on display in Sunday’s close defeat. Alexander’s chances of earning consistent rotation minutes are slim due to his contract and Denver’s cap situation. Still, he has the talent to earn opportunities throughout the season.

The Nuggets’ summer league roster is set up for Strawther to flourish offensively, and that’s precisely what he did on Sunday. The 2023 first-round pick torched the Raptors, with a missed 3-point attempt as time expired being all that kept the Nuggets from forcing overtime. Christian Braun is viewed by many as the expected replacement for Kentavious Caldwell-Pope due to his defensive ability, but Strawther should play more minutes as well, even if he comes off the bench. He’s worth taking a flier on in the final round of standard league drafts, as Strawther’s shooting ability will be needed.

This injury is a brutal turn of events for the Nuggets’ first-round pick, who had been playing well in his summer league debut. Holmes was projected to factor into the team’s frontcourt rotation, possibly as Nikola Jokic’s backup, with some minutes at power forward also possible. This injury frees up additional minutes for the recently signed Dario Saric, while the Nuggets will also need Zeke Nnaji to step up after a disappointing 2023-24 campaign. Holmes can be selected in dynasty leagues, especially if managers have ample IL+ slots to work with.

While the Nuggets did decline Cancar’s option for the 2024-25 season, the team remained interested in bringing him back. Denver general manager Calvin Booth was in Greece watching Cancar, who suffered a torn ACL in his left knee last August, represent Slovenia in an Olympic Qualifying Tournament loss to the hosts on Saturday. Cancar will have the opportunity to earn rotation minutes next season but is not a player who fantasy managers in most leagues should plan to draft.

Remaining in the Western Conference after spending last season with the Warriors, Saric will have a player option for the 2025-26 season. Appearing in 64 games in 2023-24, he averaged 8.0 points, 4.4 rebounds, and 2.3 assists in 17.2 minutes. Saric ultimately fell out of the Warriors’ rotation in early March. His chances of maintaining a role in Denver will be higher due to the Nuggets’ need for frontcourt depth behind Nikola Jokic and Aaron Gordon.

Jordan will continue backing up Nikola Jokic next season. The Nuggets big man played sparingly last season, but was often his team’s preferred reserve center. Fantasy managers shouldn’t expect much production from him, as no center offers more fantasy value than Jokic.

Holmes was connected to the Nuggets throughout the pre-draft process, with the team trading up to select him (via the Suns) with the 22nd overall pick in Wednesday’s first round. An elite rim protector while at Dayton, there could be times when Holmes shares the court with the less athletic Nikola Jokic. “I definitely see (playing the four) in the future, especially the way the game is now,” Holmes said, according to the Denver Post. “You look at the Grizzlies. They just got Zach Edey. They’re probably gonna play him and JJ (Jaren Jackson Jr.) together. I think that’s perfectly fine for me. Small-ball five will be good at times. I don’t think that will be an all-time thing for me. I’m probably not gonna start at the five if I’m gonna be a starter (someday).” Denver currently has Aaron Gordon as its starting power forward, and that’s unlikely to change anytime soon. However, there will be times when Holmes is on the court with the Jokic, and the four may be his quickest path to a starting role due to the Joker’s importance to the franchise.

After earning third-team All-ACC honors as a junior, the 6-foot-8, 240-pound Hall was even better as a senior. In helping lead Clemson to the Elite 8, he averaged 18.3 points, 6.4 rebounds, 1.4 assists, 0.8 steals, 1.4 blocks, and 1.4 3-pointers per game and was named first-team All-ACC. Hall may not be the tallest big, but the strength he possesses will help in defending bigger players. How effective he is as a pro may depend upon his ability to improve as a shooter; Hall shot just 31.5% from three, but there’s room for growth based on his free-throw percentage (77.9%). This transaction means two former Clemson stars will be on the Nuggets’ roster, with Hall joining 2023 second-round pick Hunter Tyson. Denver needs low-cost players to contribute due to the amount of money tied up in the team’s stars, so Hall may have the opportunity to earn minutes on the back end of the rotation.

Alexander played three seasons at Creighton. He took home All Big East honors in 2023-24 behind averages of 17.6 points, 5.7 rebounds, 4.7 assists, 1.1 steals and 1.8 triples. Despite sub-par shooting splits of 44.6/82.4/33.9, Alexander is a quality scorer. The 6’4, 185 pound guard has a deep bag and can get buckets in the paint, from beyond the arc and in the midrange thanks to his handles, creative movement and the ability to catch-and-shoot. He’s got good length as a defender and can make an impact on both ends of the floor at the NBA level. He’ll get a chance to join a contender, and while he may not make a big statistical impact immediately, he’ll just add to the Nuggets’ depth. He’ll likely spend most of his time in the G-League this season.

Earlier rumblings from Nuggets GM Calvin Booth pointed to KCP departing in free agency, so this news is hardly surprising. His 3-and-D skillset should keep him in the deeper-league conversation for fantasy managers no matter where he lands. In his absence, Christian Braun could step into a starting role, which would be a monster boost to his fantasy value.