The Denver Nuggets continue to manage multiple injuries to key rotation players as the season moves toward the All-Star break.
New updates from the team and head coach David Adelman provide clearer timelines for several players, including Nikola Jokić and Aaron Gordon.
Denver Nuggets Injury Updates on Nikola Jokic, Aaron Gordon, Christian Braun, and Cam Johnson
Denver Nuggets beat writer Vinny Benedetto shared an update on several injured players following Adelman’s recent comments.
“On Nikola Jokic, Christian Braun and Cam Johnson, Adelman says the hope is they get back before the All-Star break,” Benedetto wrote on X.
Benedetto also posted Adelman’s comments addressing Aaron Gordon’s mindset after suffering another hamstring injury.
“Extreme frustration,” Adelman said. “That’s a very unselfish person. Not being able to help his teammates and win games is a big part of who he is. That’s why his jersey will hang here. He’s where he should be – frustrated, pissed off, (thinking) ‘why, again?’”
Adelman added that Gordon remains engaged with the team despite being sidelined.
“Most importantly, he’ll support his teammates like he did before, like all these guys have,” Adelman said.
Gordon suffered the injury during Denver’s game against Milwaukee on Friday, Jan. 23, 2026. The strain re-aggravated a previous hamstring issue.
The Nuggets later confirmed Gordon’s diagnosis in an official update.
“Injury Update: Aaron Gordon sustained a Right Hamstring Strain on Friday night against the Milwaukee Bucks. He will be re-evaluated in four to six weeks,” the team posted on X.
Nikola Jokić has been out since Dec. 29, 2025, after suffering a left knee hyperextension and bone bruise during a game against the Miami Heat. The injury was a significant blow to Denver’s lineup.
Jokić has since resumed on-court workouts and is reportedly on track to be reevaluated in about a week. Before the injury, he was averaging 29.6 points, 12.2 rebounds, and 11.0 assists in 32 games this season.
Christian Braun has been sidelined with a left ankle injury since mid-November 2025. He missed 23 games, briefly returned for a three-game stretch in early January 2026, and then was ruled out again. Braun is currently considered week-to-week.
Cam Johnson suffered a right knee bone bruise on Dec. 23, 2025, during a game against the Dallas Mavericks. He has now missed 18 games.
Nuggets Holding Up Despite Injury Setbacks
Despite the extended absences, the Nuggets have remained competitive. After a brief two-game setback, Denver responded with back-to-back wins over the Washington Wizards and the Milwaukee Bucks.
The Nuggets then lost to the Eastern Conference-leading Detroit Pistons. Overall, Denver is 3–2 in its last five games while continuing to rely on depth players and short-handed lineups.
The Nuggets are third in the West with a 31-16 record so far. Denver is monitoring several recoveries at once as it approaches the All-Star break.
Adelman’s comments indicate optimism that Jokić, Braun, and Johnson could return before the break, while Gordon is expected to miss more time and be reevaluated in four to six weeks.
With multiple players still working back from injuries, the Nuggets will continue to adjust game to game as they try to stay afloat until the roster begins to stabilize.
