Denver Gazette beat writer Vinny Benedetto takes you around the NBA and inside the Nuggets locker room:

NBA Insider

The offseason additions should give the Nuggets more rotational flexibility

Here are five lineups to look for this season:

1. The starters

Denver’s starting five has been one of the NBA’s best units the last few seasons, but it’s going to look different this season. Expect Cam Johnson to replace Michael Porter Jr. and play alongside Jamal Murray, Christian Braun, Aaron Gordon and Nikola Jokic. Johnson should be a seamless fit alongside the rest of the starters, and the unit shouldn’t miss a beat following Porter’s departure. The lineup is still going to have some holes defensively, but the offensive production should more than make up for it – just like it has in the past.

2. Two bigs

More and more teams are utilizing two-big lineups these days. Denver saw plenty of it from the Thunder, which started Isaiah Hartenstein and Chet Holmgren in the second-round series. Denver won’t be starting Jonas Valanciunas, but his addition gives David Adelman a better option than the Nuggets had last season if they want to match the look when other teams go big. The issue would again be defensive, as Jokic or Valanciunas would have to guard someone on the perimeter, but it’s something that’s worth exploring in small doses.

3. New non-Jokic lineup

The 10 to 15 minutes Jokic doesn’t play have been problematic for too long. The trade for Valanciunas should help the Nuggets fare better in those stretches, but the 6-foot-11 center isn’t the only new face in the second unit. Bruce Brown and Tim Hardaway Jr. bring some more experience to the bench, while Jalen Pickett, Julian Strawther, Peyton Watson and DaRon Holmes II will fight for the final bench spots. Brown, Strawther, Hardaway, Watson and Valanciunas is our summer prediction for the second unit to start the season. Strawther and Hardaway should provide space for Brown to operate, while Watson takes the toughest defensive assignments and Valanciunas mans the middle.

4. Murray stagger

For most of Michael Malone’s last few seasons in Denver, he wanted to keep one of his best two players on the court at all times. Despite all the changes, Murray’s still the most reliable offensive engine when Jokic isn’t on the court. Murray and Brown have plenty of experience playing together from the 2022-23 season, while Hardaway, Watson and Valanciunas complete the lineup on nights David Adelman wants to use a nine-man rotation. There’s plenty of balance to get by if Murray can carry the offensive load.

5. The future is now

If the Nuggets are as good as they look on paper, there should be no shortage of nights where the heavy-minute players are able to watch most of the fourth quarter. That’s a prime opportunity for the Nuggets to get an extended look at some young players. Look for Pickett, Strawther, Holmes, Hunter Tyson and Denver’s two-way players – Tamar Bates, Spencer Jones and Curtis Jones – to eat most of those minutes.

How Nikola Jokic, Jonas Valanciunas have fared after international competitions | NBA Insider

What I’m Thinking

Your daily report on everything sports in Colorado – covering the Denver Broncos, Denver Nuggets, Colorado Avalanche, and columns from Woody Paige and Paul Klee.

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The powers that be made the right call bringing back Denver’s black skyline jerseys after a handful of seasons left in the back of the closet.

The Denver skyline situated in front of the Rocky Mountains is a rare iconic look from the franchise. The standard white home and navy blue away jerseys lack imagination. Last year’s alternate jerseys with 5280 on top of the jersey number was a big miss.

Having the skyline jerseys as Denver’s primary looks is the ideal outcome, but this is a step in the right sartorial direction.

Denver Nuggets, Toronto Raptors chosen to play in preseason Canada Series

What I’m Following

– San Antonio secured the services of its star point guard through 2030. De’Aaron Fox agreed to a max extension with the Spurs worth $229 million. Fox was traded from Sacramento to San Antonio ahead of the trade deadline.

– Damian Lillard became the latest NBA star to get involved with his alma mater’s basketball program. Lillard will serve as Weber State’s general manager. Stephen Curry holds a similar role at Davidson, as does Trae Young at Oklahoma.

– The WNBA might be getting a shakeup. Steve Pagliuca, a minority owner of the Celtics, is leading a group that agreed to purchase the Connecticut Sun. Pagliuca’s plan appears to be bringing the franchise to Boston. The sale is still pending approval.

What options remain for Denver Nuggets’ final roster spot | NBA Insider

What They’re Saying

Luka Doncic isn’t leaving Los Angeles any time soon. The star signed a three-year extension worth $165 million with the Lakers. The soonest Doncic could become a free agent is 2028, though LeBron James is set to become an unrestricted free agent next summer.

“We have what we need to compete for the championship,” Doncic said Saturday at a press conference. “I’ll try to win every game no matter what, and we got some new great guys on the team. So, you know we’re going to go for it.”

Making the Nuggets dance team: Behind the scenes of 2025 tryouts

What I’m Reading

Make sure you check out Marcus Hill’s story on Derrick White’s youth camp in Colorado Springs over the weekend. The Celtics’ guard has made a habit of giving up part of his offseason to come back home in hopes of inspiring the next wave of Colorado hoopers.