The 2026 NBA offseason is shaping up to be one of the most intriguing in recent memory, and the Denver Nuggets sit squarely in the spotlight following another early playoff exit. After a first-round disappointment, many expected the front office to pursue aggressive changes. Instead, team executive Josh Kroenke signaled openness to all options — including the boldest one of all: running it back with largely the same core.
Now, NBA legend Paul Pierce has delivered a clear and confident endorsement of that patient approach.
“If I’m the general manager of the Denver Nuggets, I think I would evaluate them when the season comes because they missed some key pieces,” Pierce said on a live episode of No Fouls Given and Playmaker. “Aaron Gordon was dealing with injuries. Peyton Watson didn’t play. … So I’ll play it out again. Run it back. I have the best player in the world. I have great role players. … But I would not make any moves if I was Denver.”
Pierce’s stance centers on the belief that the 2025-26 Nuggets never had a fair opportunity to showcase their full potential. Despite being one of the league’s most injury-plagued teams, Denver still secured the third seed in the Western Conference with a solid 54-28 record. Nikola Jokic battled through the effects of a month-long absence, while key contributors like Gordon and Watson were unavailable during critical stretches, including the playoffs.
Kroenke echoed that sentiment in recent comments, expressing genuine belief in the group.
“I thought that if this group was healthy that this could be a 60-65 win team, but we never got a chance to fully show it,” he said. “That’s why I say everything has to be on the table, including running it back. I really do believe in the group…”
The case for continuity is compelling on paper. With a generational talent like Jokic — paired with Jamal Murray as the backcourt anchor — the Nuggets possess a championship-caliber foundation. Pierce and Kroenke argue that health, rather than roster construction, was the primary culprit behind the team’s shortcomings.
Yet not everyone is convinced that patience is the wisest path.
Three-time NBA champion Danny Green pushed back against Pierce’s advice, advocating for targeted changes to address Denver’s glaring defensive issues.
“I’m making some moves,” Green responded. “It’s not Jamal Murray. I think we keep those two guys as staples, but you use other guys around them to develop some type of defense, right? … You need a defensive center. You need Peyton Watson healthy. Christian Braun, I think, will be better. … I love Aaron Gordon, but he’s just not available enough.”
Green suggested the Nuggets consider moving on from Gordon (or potentially Cam Johnson) to create opportunities for younger, more defensively reliable pieces. His comments highlight a growing consensus that Denver’s defensive shortcomings — painfully evident even in a winning regular season — can no longer be ignored if the team hopes to advance past the second round, let alone contend for a title.
For three straight years, the Nuggets have failed to reach the Western Conference Finals. While injuries provide a legitimate excuse for the latest exit, the repeated early departures raise legitimate questions about whether the current supporting cast around Jokic and Murray is truly built for deep postseason success.
Should the Nuggets run it back?
The answer is far from simple. Pierce’s advice carries weight: blowing up a roster featuring the best player in the world is rarely the smartest move, especially when that roster was compromised by injuries. Giving the group one more healthy, fully operational season could finally reveal its true ceiling.
At the same time, the Nuggets’ defensive deficiencies represent a structural weakness that patience alone may not fix. Strategic additions or subtractions focused on perimeter and interior defense could complement Jokic’s brilliance without dismantling the core.
As the offseason unfolds, Denver’s front office faces a high-stakes decision. Paul Pierce has thrown down the gauntlet with his “run it back” recommendation — a bombshell of calm confidence in a market eager for fireworks. Whether the Nuggets follow that lead or opt for more proactive reshaping could define their trajectory for years to come.