With the Denver Nuggets making no draft selections in the 2025 NBA Draft, one might think there were little stakes for the team in 2025 Summer League in Las Vegas.
Except the Nuggets will still be bringing a rookie to Vegas that everyone is excited to see get back on the floor.
DaRon Holmes II tore his achilles tendon last July toward the end of his first Summer League game was the Nuggets. He was playing well, showing a variety of skills that caused the Nuggets to trade up for Holmes in the first place. And then, tragedy struck in the fourth quarter.
You never want to see anyone get injured. You especially don’t want to see a player get injured before they get to fully realize their NBA dream. It was heartbreaking for everyone around the Nuggets organization and those that worked closely with Holmes in the past. Nobody wants to see that happen, but especially not to the high energy rookie filled with palpable joy in the Nuggets gym.
Fast forward 12 months, and the Nuggets are back in a similar place. Everyone’s excited to see Holmes play, not just for the skills he can bring to the table, but because of the person that he is. Coaches within the Nuggets have expressed that they’re most excited to see Holmes get back on the floor because he’s genuinely earned it, all while maintaining a positive mindset.
One might think Holmes would be a bit jaded by the injury and not being able to have his NBA moment, but he’s shown the Nuggets that such a mentality doesn’t exist with him.
“Maybe the most positive person I’ve ever met in my life,” summer league head coach Andrew Munson shared with media on Saturday. “Game 1, to have what happened to him happen, and then the way he handled it even from the next day. Everyone’s heartbroken for the kid, and he’s the most positive person in the room.”
Holmes told us on Saturday that he started feeling himself get close to fully healthy during the playoffs in April and May.
“It was all just trusting the trainers and what they’ve had to say. I trusted the process, and now I’m 100%. Now it’s all up to them on when they feel it’s most comfortable for me to get out there.”
The Nuggets of course could’ve used Holmes’ energy and skill set in the front court last year. With the way things went for Denver’s second unit and how many players struggled with the backup center minutes, it would’ve been nice to see Holmes, who’s more dynamic on both ends of the floor. That he had to wait for it is tough, but the players around him helped guide him through the process.
“I think I’m in a great spot,” Holmes shared about his mental state following the extensive rehab and build-up. “With the team we had last year and the team we have this year, we’ve got great guys around, great locker room guys helping out in my mental.”
Holmes was also asked about the level of trust he has in his body to hold up for him at this stage: “You always have that thought, especially when that happens, but honestly, it can only go onward and upward. So I’m just excited to get out there and get going again.”
So, what will Holmes look like in his return? It almost doesn’t matter that much. People around Holmes are just excited to see him get on the court again, bringing the positive energy. Everything beyond just being out there and proving he’s healthy will be icing on the cake.
Of course, Nuggets fans are also excited to see what Holmes can do. He’s a versatile offensive player who can screen and roll, pop for threes, pass out of the short roll, and run in transition. Defensively, he has good hands as both a shot blocker and deflection specialist in the middle of the floor, and his athleticism has always helped him alter shots. How he handles rebounding, physicality, and operating in traffic will be important developments, but they come with time and a level of comfort that may take him a while to re-establish for himself.
“I feel like I’ve gained some weight, gained some muscle, and I just feel more confident in what I can do now.”
“He’s had a pretty solid build-up to this point. He’s played with our guys for most of the summer,” Munson shared about Holmes’ steps for preparation to this point. “He’s not going to play 40 minutes…but he should be pretty much full-go.”
Holmes is unlikely to play extensive minutes, but he will almost certainly get as many opportunities as he and the training staff think he can handle. The Nuggets will work with him to figure out the right level, which is likely to be a game-by-game situation.
Whether he plays 10 minutes, 50 minutes, or 100 minutes, it will be a moment the Nuggets hope they can enjoy with DaRon and make up for some lost time.
“Just super excited for him to be back,” Munson declared. “He’s been phenomenal with his rehab all year, with his court work. Couldn’t be happier for him and more excited to see him back out there.”
