The Denver Nuggets had a fantastic 10-game stretch after acquiring Aaron Gordon two seasons ago. However, Jamal Murray's knee and Michael Porter Jr's back injuries have forced Denver to rely heavily on Nikola Jokic for one entire season. Being eliminated in the first round was tough, but the Nuggets are rejuvenated and primed for a substantial bounce-back 2022-23 campaign.

Murray and Porter Jr. will likely receive limited minutes at the beginning of the season for them to get acclimated once again. That would not be a problem for the team because the front office addressed some of their weaknesses in that Golden State Warriors series. Thus, these are a summary of the offseason moves of the Denver Nuggets.

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Full 2022 NBA offseason grades for Nuggets

Super-max extension Nikola Jokic (A+)

There is not much to discuss in the supermax extension that Nikola Jokic signed instantly. Jokic deserves the bag after claiming the last two MVP trophies and propelling Denver to legitimate championship status every year. Jokic's 5-year, $264 million contract extension is the largest one in NBA History.

Acquiring Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Ish Smith (B)

Even before free agency began, Denver executed an incredible deal by acquiring Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and Ish Smith from the Washington Wizards in exchange for Will Barton and Monte Morris. This move bolsters their wing depth because Caldwell-Pope is more than capable of defending the best guards of the association.

Defense is not the bread and butter of the Nuggets nucleus, so role players like Caldwell-Pope, Aaron Gordon, and Bruce Brown will have immense defensive responsibilities. Floor spacing will be another huge plus because Kentavious Caldwell-Pope will provide a massive improvement on outside shooting. Ish Smith will not be a significant piece on their run, but trading Monte Morris opens up more minutes for sophomore Bones Hyland.

Signed Bruce Brown (A-)

This grade may seem too high for some, but Bruce Brown's impact will be crucial for this Nuggets squad. The defense will be the main task of Brown as the secondary wing defender behind Caldwell-Pope. Even if he started in the second unit, it would not be surprising to see him finish games for coach Michael Malone.

Brown's two-year, $13 million deal is more than worth it for the squad. His outside shooting and scoring prowess has been well-developed as there were instances wherein he outplays Kevin Durant or Kyrie Irving in the 1st round series against the Boston Celtics. It was not shocking for him to leave the Nets as Bruce Brown is now more in a stable team structure with the Nuggets led by Nikola Jokic.

Signed Davon Reed (C+)

Injuries continued to hinder the Nuggets from achieving their full potential last season. Conversely, some silver linings occurred, such as the ascension of guard Davon Reed. He just started on a few 10-day contracts, but he has now earned a two-year extension. Even if he is used sparingly, the quick buckets he can provide will be a practical choice they have off the bench. 

Signed DeAndre Jordan (D)

Signing DeAndre Jordan instead of a younger backup center was an enormous question mark. They had Mason Plumlee, JaMychal Green, or DeMarcus Cousins in the past years, but this move is a downgrade in DeAndre Jordan. He will still have chances to prove himself, but it would not be surprising if Zeke Nnaji overtakes Jordan in the depth chart of coach Malone.

Drafted Christian Braun, Peyton Watson (C-)

Even with two first-round picks for Denver, Christian Braun and Peyton Watson will unlikely receive a sufficient amount of minutes in their rookie season. Watson was a highly-touted talent in High School, but his collegiate performance showed that he is still very raw. Braun does not excel in a single face, but he came from a winning environment in Kansas and can convert a couple of threes.

Extension of Vlatko Cancar (D)

Some casual NBA fans may not even know the name Vlatko Cancar. He has been with Denver for numerous seasons, but he has also been stuck on the bench for most games. It is terrific that the franchise still decided to reward him with an extension. He has shown flashes of brilliance with the Slovenian national team as a long-range shooter and impressive off-the-ball mover alongside superstar Luka Doncic.

Overall (A-)

The few splashy and major moves Denver completed in the offseason may not have attracted some fans or media personnel. By analyzing and evaluating the mentality of the front office in acquiring these names, the Nuggets organization did an admirable job in supplementing the core of Nikola Jokic, Jamal Murray, and Michael Porter Jr. To add icing to the cake, and The Big 3 will be healthy and complete for the first time since March 2021.