NBA
Denver’s DaRon Holmes shined in summer league after an Achilles tear the year prior
Zach Wolpin is an NBA and NFL expert who's been betting on the league for over three years now. Wolpin has been a fan of the NBA and has been watching for a decade and a half. He covers the latest news and stories surrounding the league daily. His passion in life is watching sports and being able to share that through his sports writing. He has written about the NBA and other sports leagues through various media outlets over the years like Sir Charles In Charge, G-Men HQ, and TAP into South Plainfield. Before he became an NBA News Writer, Wolpin attended Montclair State University where he graduated in 2021. He studied Sports Media and Writing while in school.
All posts by Zach WolpinUpdated2 hours ago on July 18, 2025
With a 50-32 record in 2024-25, the Nuggets finished fourth in the Western Conference. Denver forced a Game 7 in the conference semi-finals vs. OKC. However, they lost and their season ended in the second round.
This offseason, there hasn’t been much talk around the league regarding the Nuggets’ summer league team. However, DaRon Holmes II gave fans quite the performance on Thursday evening. In an 81-76 Denver win, Holmes had a team-high 19 points along with 17 rebounds, five assists, and two steals.
DaRon Holmes proves he is ready for his first year of NBA action
Denver Nuggets big man DaRon Holmes II tonight at NBA Summer League
19 points
17 rebounds
5 assists
2 steals
8/16 FG
1/3 3P
2/3 FT pic.twitter.com/SSxE0xh799— No Ceilings (@NoCeilingsNBA) July 18, 2025
With the 22nd pick in the 2024 NBA draft, the Nuggets selected DaRon Holmes out of Dayton. The 22-year-old played three seasons collegiately for the Flyers before being taken by Denver. Last year, Homles suffered an Achilles tear in his first summer league game with the Nuggets. He was forced to miss the entire 2024-25 season to rehab and recover.
One year later, Holmes is 100% healthy and dominating in summer league play. In his first game back from injury, Holmes had 15 points, four rebounds, and one block. During his most recent outing, Holmes had a team-high 19 points along with 17 rebounds, five assists, and two steals. He shot 50% from the field and flashed his skillset for Denver.
DaRon Holmes in his first game back from a torn Achilles:
15 Points
4 Rebounds
1 Block
66.7% FG
60% 3PT
Nuggets Leading ScorerGreat showing in his first game back 🔥 pic.twitter.com/DJUVO2vYMJ
— SleeperNuggets (@SleeperNuggets) July 11, 2025
Moving forward, Nuggets fans should be excited about Holmes as a solid depth piece down low. Nikola Jokic is 30 years old and isn’t going anywhere. That doesn’t mean Holmes cannot be a key role player or eventual starter one day. The six-foot-ten big man is athletic and has a knack for finishing plays. Additionally, Holmes thrives defensively, and the Nuggets need players willing to sacrifice on that end.
This offseason, the Nuggets acquired Jonas Valanciunas from the Kings in a trade for Dario Saric. Valanciunas will likely be the second-string center for Denver. That could put DaRon Holmes as the third string for Denver. However, Holmes does offer a skill set that Valanciunas does not. Holmes has touch from beyond the arc when Valanciunas is a traditional back-to-the-basket center. We’ll see how much first-year head coach David Adelman utilizes Holmes in his rookie season.
