The Denver Nuggets are coming off two consecutive preseason wins to move to 2-1 in these exhibition matchups and are now heading into a meeting with the new-look L.A. Clippers on Wednesday night. This is the start of a two-game stretch in Los Angeles, as they are set to finish their preseason action against the Los Angeles Lakers on Friday.
With just two more preseason games to get live reps ahead of the regular season, this is actually an important time for the Nuggets. As head coach David Adelman has continued to say, practice is valuable, but it is hard to replicate the in-game impact of these preseason matchups.
With players still fighting for rotation spots and more young guys than the Nuggets are used to, there are certainly a handful of players still playing with something to prove against the Clippers on Wednesday night. Let's take a look at three notable players with something to play for:
DaRon Holmes
While it feels like the Nuggets have their frontcourt rotation set, with a duo of Spencer Jones and Marvin Bagley III expected to get the bulk of backup minutes, DaRon Holmes could still fight for a premium depth spot.
After practice on Tuesday, Holmes talked about how he feels that he has improved a lot since last year, and how he can use these preseason opportunities to prove himself.
"Opportunity. I think that's a big thing, not only for myself, but for some of the other players," Holmes said. "This is the time to showcase what we've been working on this summer. ... I know for me, I'm already feeling a lot more comfortable from where I was last year to now. I feel like I've gotten a lot stronger. I feel like I'm understanding the game a lot better."
— DNVR Nuggets (@DNVR_Nuggets) October 14, 2026DaRon Holmes 🗣️
"This is the time for us to showcase what we've been working on this summer. To show that were about the team, we're about winning, we're about playing the right way."
"I'm already feeling a lot more comfortable from where I was last year to now. I feel like… pic.twitter.com/pAABm0riRZ
The 24-year-old big man has been dealt a tough hand with injuries early in his NBA career, as he missed his entire rookie season with a torn Achilles. He is now getting more comfortable and healthy, over two years removed from the injury, but it is an uphill climb to earn a spot in the rotation.
Holmes has struggled to truly separate himself in preseason action so far, but we know how talented he is. We already saw a little more of what he can do in Denver's last game, dropping 11 points and five rebounds, so let's hope he gives us another good outing against the Clippers. Now that he is officially the Nuggets' third-string center, these preseason minutes are meaningful for him.
Ryan Nembhard
Adelman has been quick to praise two-way guard Ryan Nembhard through training camp and preseason, but the 23-year-old still needs to prove himself a bit more. After the Nuggets signed him, fans immediately had hope that he could be a better option than Tyus Jones. However, Jones has continued to stand out for Denver, while Nembhard has not yet had the chance to move up the depth chart.
Like Holmes, it is a bit of an uphill climb for Nembhard to make his way up Denver's depth chart. Even with their dire need for ball-handling, a veteran like Jones has proven useful for what Adelman wants to do with the bench unit.
If Nembhard can continue to be a reliable ball-handler and distributor while playing hard defense, we could see the Nuggets at least consider giving him some extra opportunities once the regular season rolls around.
The rookies: Trevon Brazile and Bryce Hopkins
Both of the Nuggets' rookies, Trevon Brazile and Bryce Hopkins, have so much potential to make an immediate impact for this team. In their last game, Adelman trusted Hopkins enough to play him alongside the starters, and the 24-year-old wing has already shown plenty of promise.
In their first game, Brazile got a bulk of bench minutes, playing the Nuggets' backup power forward spot in the absence of Spencer Jones.
While it will be hard for either rookie to crack the rotation, they can continue to use these preseason reps to show why they deserve minutes in the regular season. We should at least see Hopkins, who is on a two-way contract, get some extra run in the G League this season, but Brazile will unfortunately spend most of his time at the end of Denver's bench.
Another productive game from either rookie would at least make Adelman and his staff think twice about including them in the rotation, especially given their defensive versatility.
The Nuggets and Clippers are set to tip off in Los Angeles at 8:30 p.m. MT on Wednesday night, available to watch on NBA TV.
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