The Denver Nuggets are back.

In a matter of 48 hours, adding Cam Johnson, Bruce Brown Jr., Jonas Valanciunas and Tim Hardaway Jr. has dramatically altered both their top-end quality and depth.

Now mind you, they weren’t very far off to begin with, as evidenced by pushing the NBA champion Oklahoma City Thunder to seven games in the Western Conference Semifinals this past spring.

Still, something has been amiss in Denver since winning the title in 2023. First, there was Brown’s departure due to salary cap constraints. He was a pivotal role player who did a little bit of everything and a lot of just understanding how to play off Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray. Jeff Green’s departure was impactful from a leadership and experience standpoint.

Last season, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope’s free agency exit signaled a clear drop-off in rotation quality. Christian Braun entered the starting lineup, further gutting a bench that never found a way to keep its head above water without Jokic.

Midseason injuries to Aaron Gordon and Jamal Murray meant Jokic was carrying an almighty load, even if he put up a statistically historic campaign in the process. The tension between head coach Michael Malone and general manager Calvin Booth transitioned from simmering to scorching and, ultimately, the dismissal of both.

Doing so before the playoffs saved their postseason — but only as much as that roster could be saved.

Help was needed, help has been found. Here’s why the Nuggets are the favorites in the West again.

Cam Johnson Adds Two-Way Talent To Starting Lineup

Let’s start here. The Nuggets are not a very good 3-point shooting team, so if they were going to trade away Michael Porter Jr., they had to replace his greatest skill.

In Johnson, Denver has done just that. He’s a career 39 percent 3-point shooter — and that’s with never having played a minute next to Jokic. This isn’t someone who just looks to stand in the corner and shoot either. Johnson has proven himself as an excellent movement shooter, so head coach David Adelman can get very creative here.

His opportunity with the Brooklyn Nets as one of the primary scoring options has helped further expand a game that was under wraps while in Phoenix. Johnson is such an intelligent player. He will cut, he will find empty pockets, he will create space for teammates. He will fit like a glove on offense.

What about the defense? Johnson is a solid defender, which in itself represents a massive upgrade from Porter. He may not be very switchable, but he is attentive with good hands. He follows schemes well and is a net positive positionally. Gordon and Braun will take on the toughest matchups, which will help maximize Johnson’s strengths.

Transitioning from a one-dimensional player to a two-way impact player is a huge plus for the Nuggets’ starting lineup.

The Nuggets Have Depth Once Again

Brown is the connector Denver’s bench desperately missed. During his first Nuggets stint, he could handle the ball and be used in deceptively effective screening actions with Jokic. He either always found a way to cut to the basket or initiate the next action and kept the offense flowing. The occasional 3-pointer was a bonus.

Defensively, Brown is a sturdy pest, able to take blows in the post but also stretch out to the perimeter. He can defend point guards, shooting guards and small forwards, providing Adelman with real lineup versatility.

Valanciunas is possibly the best backup center the Nuggets have had since Mason Plumlee. Yes, he has his concerns defensively outside the paint, but he is as bruising a big man as it gets and generates his points fairly efficiently as well. This could be an underrated acquisition, just for the rest it may afford Jokic during the regular season.

If Jokic needs a night off, Valanciunas has started plenty of games in this league. Unlike the bigs before him, Valanciunas will be able to provide a healthy 15-20 minutes off the bench.

Finally, Hardaway adds volume 3-point shooting to a team that finished last in 3-point frequency a season ago. He’s another veteran who will likely see more time in the regular season than the playoffs but it’s all about building toward the end goal.

Denver’s bench now includes Brown, Valanciunas, Hardaway and Peyton Watson. It takes the pressure off Jalen Pickett and Julian Strawther, who may benefit as a result. It remains to be seen what big man DaRon Holmes II can bring to the table, as he effectively enters his rookie season after rupturing his Achilles at Summer League a year ago.

More than anything, the Nuggets have a real path to winning non-Jokic minutes again. Per Cleaning the Glass, Denver had a minus-9.8 net rating with Jokic off the court last season compared to plus-11.5 when he’s on.

Why The Nuggets Are Ahead Of The Thunder

Yes, the Oklahoma City Thunder are the champs and deserve their due respect. They have the best defense in the league and the reigning MVP in Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.

Oklahoma City will only be better for having experienced a full championship run and learning what it takes. The fact Jalen Williams played the entire postseason with a torn ligament in his right wrist, which will require surgery, is even more impressive.

With said due respect, the best player in the world is still Jokic. The two-man game he shares with Murray is truly one of a kind and the Thunder saw first hand just how lethal it can be.

Oklahoma City took an extremely physical route as far as defending Jokic goes during the playoffs. Having more weapons around him forces more difficult choices, though.

Gordon was on one leg for Game 7 because of a left hamstring strain. Porter had one good shoulder for the entire series. Still, the Thunder could only put them away in seven.

With both sides healthy, it’s the Nuggets which should prove toughest to beat.