Julian Strawther

Strawther came to Denver as a Gonzaga sharpshooter, the 29th pick in 2023 — arriving just after the Nuggets won the title, so he wasn't part of that championship team. His NBA niche is clear: instant offense off the bench, a wing who can heat up in a hurry from deep. The 2025-26 numbers read modest at 7.2 points on 38.7% from three across 57 games, but the shape of the season mattered more than the average. Pressed into the starting lineup down the stretch, he closed with back-to-back outbursts — around 23 points a night on four made threes — a reminder of the scoring ceiling Denver drafted him for. The read on Strawther: streaky by nature, but the kind of movement shooter who spaces the floor for Nikola Jokic's playmaking when the stroke is falling.