Nuggets Notes: Bench Squad, Valanciunas, Jokic, Hardaway

Denver Nuggets coach David Adelman is focusing on determining the bench rotation as the team heads into training camp with a set starting lineup. He has been observing a main group of reserves, including Bruce Brown, Tim Hardaway Jr., Julian Strawther, Peyton Watson, and Jonas Valanciunas, who have been scrimmaging against the starters. Adelman emphasized that this second unit is not fixed and will fluctuate as he rotates in other players throughout the preseason.

Bruce Brown, who returned to the Nuggets as a free agent after being a reserve on the 2023 championship team, expressed confidence in the bench unit's versatility. He highlighted that the group possesses a mix of shooters and defenders, contributing to a well-rounded performance in practices.

The current bench lineup is noted to be heavy on wing players, leading to considerations for adding other reserves such as Jalen Pickett, DaRon Holmes II, Zeke Nnaji, or Hunter Tyson to balance the rotation. Cameron Johnson reported that Jalen Pickett has been outstanding in camp, particularly in his role of running the second and third units, indicating his potential impact on the team's depth.