Can Denver Win Another Championship?

The 2025-26 NBA season has only just begun, so it is far too early to confidently predict which team will win the championship next June. But that won’t stop hoops fans from debating that very topic from now until then, so those of a Nuggets persuasion will be wondering whether their team really stands a chance.

 

With arguably the best player in the league, Denver must surely have a chance of registering a second title in franchise history. Some interesting roster changes have also prompted many sports betting Colorado sites to favor the Nuggets for the championship.

It will be a long time before we really have any idea which teams are looking good for a deep run into the postseason. But the early days and weeks of a new season can be useful in identifying what might happen in the months ahead. So, based on what we have seen so far, could the Nuggets win another title this season?

Early Games

Championships are not won in the first week of a season. But what we have already seen from the Nuggets bodes well for the rest of the year. The organization as a whole has gone through a lot of changes in the offseason, and the initial signs are that improvements have been made.

Even in the loss to the Warriors, Denver played well and controlled the ball for long periods of time. Fans would obviously love to see nice basketball translated into wins, but that is not going to happen every night – especially against a team also regarded as a contender. The championship has not been won by any team yet, but the Nuggets have shown that they intend to challenge.

Star Quality

The main reason for the Nuggets being considered as a championship contender, of course, is the fact that it has one of the finest athletes ever to play the game as their focal point. Nikola Jokić is the type of player that every single team in the league want on their side – and has won just about everything in his career.

Jokić has started the season as he intends to go on, scoring points, registering triple-doubles, and generally leading the team. As with any franchise player, Jokić will probably need to remain fit and healthy for the Nuggets to stay in contention. But that has never really been a problem in the past, so the signs are good.

Roster Depth

As mentioned, it has been all change at the Nuggets during the offseason, and the added depth to the roster is a big reason why fans and pundits alike are seriously considering this team for another championship. Jokić needs a supporting cast for Denver to do well, and the added players improve the chances of winning that title.

David Adelman now has more lineup options, thanks to the arrival of players like Cameron Johnson, Bruce Brown, and Tim Hardaway Jr. Allowing a points scorer like Michael Brown Jr. to leave might initially seem like a strange move, but Johnson will be more dependable. That kind of whole-roster thinking helps with the depth and talent the Nuggets now boast.

Jokić Backup

Nikola Jokić is irreplaceable. There will probably never be another player who leads the Denver Nuggets in the same way as the Serbian star. But a championship-winning team has to plan for every eventuality, adding very good players to ensure that unforeseen circumstances do not end title hopes.

Jonas Valančiunas is about as good a Jokić backup as the Nuggets could have gotten. The veteran Lithuanian big man has been solid since he joined the league in 2012 and plays in a very similar way. That means that Denver has no need to change things when Jokić needs a rest. Valančiunas is a center who can step up and fill the gap, allowing the entire team to progress.

Playoff Improvement

All of the changes within the Nuggets organization over the last year or so have all been made with one immediate goal in mind. That is to progress further into the postseason, after two consecutive years of failing to get past the Conference semifinals. The T-Wolves, and then the Thunder, have ended Denver’s championship hopes.

The immense power – and parity – of the top teams in the Western Conference means that getting to the finals is a major feat in itself. Winning the division will help immensely with avoiding the very best until later in the playoffs. That will be a start – and then the Nuggets can try to figure out how to get past the likes of SGA.

Why Not Denver?

Although the Thunder has been slated as the favorites to claim another championship, there is a general consensus that the Nuggets are a team that can challenge for that honor. The early days of the new season have shown that the new players are settling in and that Jokić will continue to hand Denver an advantage against most opponents.

The added depth could be even more important once the playoffs come around next year, when Jamal Murray can show, once again, just how important he is as a point guard in a clutch situation. Jokić’s continued mastery will lead the way for a Denver challenge, but the entire team have improved to the point that there is nothing wrong in believing that the Nuggets could end up winning another championship this season.