The Denver Nuggets’ newly elevated basketball executives Ben Tenzer and Jon Wallace are constructing the 2025-26 roster the primary objective of keeping Nikola Jokic content and committed long-term. The two leaders inherited a franchise in need of cultural repair after six months of front office upheaval that included the firing of general manager Calvin Booth and head coach Michael Malone in March.
“There’s an obligation to it,” Wallace said, referencing the responsibility of leading basketball operations around a transcendent talent. “The word ‘pressure’ just keeps coming up, but I don’t think of it as pressure.”
The Nuggets’ offseason represents a dramatic philosophical shift. Tenzer and Wallace prioritized veteran depth over youthful development, acquiring Cam Johnson from the Brooklyn Nets, re-signing Bruce Brown, adding Tim Hardaway Jr., and landing Jonas Valanciunas from the Sacramento Kings. The moves departed sharply from predecessor Calvin Booth’s roster construction preferences.
Tenzer served 16 years in Denver’s organization and earned respect for his salary-cap expertise and legal background. Wallace worked for the Nuggets under Tim Connelly and departed with him to Minnesota before returning. Both executives possessed established relationships with Jokic and understood Denver’s championship culture.
David Adelman’s rapport with Jokic proved equally important. Adelman took the interim tag off his title in May after leading Denver to a second-round playoff series loss to the eventual champion Oklahoma City Thunder despite the organizational turbulence.
“It would be crazy to not listen to his advice and his input, just because he’s so important to the organization,” Tenzer explained about consulting Jokic on personnel decisions. “He sees the game a different way than we see it.”
When Jokic declined a contract extension this offseason, speculation mounted nationally about his long-term commitment to Denver. Yet both executives expressed confidence that no real distance exists between them and their franchise centerpiece.
“I think we’re comfortable with where everything’s at,” Tenzer said. “We understood he wanted to wait, and we feel really comfortable with where he’s at and everything.”
“Yeah, he hasn’t given any indication otherwise,” added Wallace. “I mean, he’s been up front with us. He knew where he wants to be, kind of what he wants to wait on. So we’ve been in agreement up to this point.”
Jokic has publicly stated his intention to remain “Nuggets forever,” but his contract includes an opt-out for summer 2027, a detail that underscores Denver’s urgency to build a sustainable championship contender immediately.
The overall objective transcends winning another title. The Nuggets aim to restore the collaborative environment that produced their 2023 championship while ensuring Jokic remains fulfilled playing alongside his preferred teammates.