Report: Nuggets decline option on young big

The Denver Nuggets are waiving the white flag on their 2024 first round pick, declining the young player’s club option for the 2027-28.

The news comes from a report by Aryan of The Consensus, who posted on Twitter that the Nuggets will not be picking up next year’s option on DaRon Holmes II’ contract.

The cheap, rookie-scale option, not being picked up is a red flag for Holmes’ future in Denver, showing the Nuggets would rather have an open roster spot next year than keep trying to makes Holmes work.

Holmes was drafted No. 22 in 2024. He was acquired by trading up from later in the first round at the cost of three second-round picks to the Suns. He tore his Achilles in his first Summer League game making his first year as a pro a redshirt. He only played 210 minutes in his second year and he’s not in the rotation early on in 2026-27.

The 6-foot-10 Dayton Flyer has struggled to get on the floor in Denver, playing double-digit minutes just eight times in his career. He’s been a solid shooter when given the chance but he’s already been passed in the rotation by two second-round rookies that were taken in this past draft. This has made Holmes, along with Zeke Nnaji, not much more than bench warmers, limiting the usability of the Nuggets roster to the 12 main players and three two-way players.

The acknowledgement that Holmes hasn’t worked brings it back to that 2024 draft night trade. It’s not even about who the Nuggets could’ve had instead — rather it was the offseason where Denver just threw away second round picks like on this deal and in a Reggie Jackson salary dump. The lack of picks in years since has really hurt the Nuggets maneuverability, making Holmes’ lack of production all the more frustrating.

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