The Nuggets are finally seeing positive signs from young rotation players

It’s taken seven games, but the Nuggets are finally starting to see some production from their young players. All offseason, we’ve heard how the young, recent draft picks will be able to step into the rotation, take hold and keep things rolling in Denver for the next few seasons.

It was a massive gamble by Calvin Booth and the front office. If it backfires, they will forever be accused of wasting Nikola Jokic’s prime and prematurely ending this potential championship era. But if it works well, they may be able to sustain success for a decade and beyond.

Early returns are just that, but through six games it hasn’t gone well. The young players have struggled to impact the win during their minutes, the team bleeds points when the bench plays, and the Nuggets struggle to win games even against lesser competition.

On Monday night, the Nuggets were without Jamal Murray, who is still recovering from a concussion, and Aaron Gordon left the game in the first half with a calf strain. The Nuggets needed all hands on deck to pull off a win over the Raptors, and it quickly became put-up or shut-up time for the team’s second unit.

And fans finally saw the team’s vision Monday night for their needs. Christian Braun has played well as a starter, and he continued that on Monday with 17 points and 4 rebounds. But it was the two young bench players who really shone.

Peyton Watson played 30 minutes and dropped 16 points, 3 rebounds, 2 steals and 2 blocks while starting the second half in place of Gordon. Julian Strawther also looked like the 6th man spark plug the team was hoping for. He played 25 minutes and scored 13 points, making 2/4 from three point range.

This is what the Nuggets dreamed of when they moved on from veteran role players like Bruce Brown, Jeff Green and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope. They need to be patient with these players and nurture their growth. It is important for this season, but it is also crucial for the next several years.

There will be growing pains and things aren’t always going to look perfect. But the Nuggets have made their bed, and they must sleep in it. That means investing fully in these young players and making sure they are confident and ready when the team needs them in the playoffs.

There will be some tough and frustrating moments, but Monday night’s win over the Raptors was a big step in the right direction. Hopefully this is a bit of a turning point and a sign of things to come; we all know the Nuggets desperately need it.