Brazile Doesn't Need to Shoot to Earn the Minutes Denver Has
Trevon Brazile earns his rotation place as a rebounder and finisher next to Jokic, and his threes should stay a bonus, not a job.
Brazile gave Denver 10.5 points and 10.5 rebounds in 23.3 minutes a night over two games last season. With the wings hurt and the payroll above the first apron, a $1.4 million forward who rebounds like that matters more than his jump shot.
What is in the line?
Two games, 23.3 minutes, 10.5 points, 10.5 rebounds and a block a game. He shot 41.2 percent from the field and 66.7 percent at the line, so the efficiency is ordinary: a true shooting mark of 53.5 percent on 17.8 percent usage. The number that stands out is his rebound rate of 17.5 percent. He gets there without needing the ball, which is the right kind of production for a player in a Jokic lineup.
Is the shot a problem?
He took 5.5 threes a game and made 27.3 percent. That is more volume than his role requires. Murray hit 47.1 percent and Gordon 40.0 percent, so Denver already has shooters to supply the spacing. Brazile's best use is cutting into the room Jokic's gravity creates. He had no assists and an assist rate of 0.0 percent, which means he finishes connections other players make. That is a legitimate job in a five built on passing.
Does the defense hold up?
His defensive rating was 96.2 against an offensive rating of 103.8, a net of 7.7 across two games. That is a tiny sample, and the team as a whole sat at minus 3.9 with a defensive rating of 110.0. Against a defense that ranked 21st the season before, a big who rebounds and blocks shots is useful on its face. No lineup data exists yet to say which four players he works best beside, so the evidence stops at the individual numbers.
Why does the role grow now?
Johnson and Diallo are both day-to-day for tonight against Golden State. Spencer Jones is out, with October 28 listed as his return date, and Strawther is out until late November. Nugg Love has argued that Brazile has already locked down a rotation spot. He is not on the injury report, and his $1.4 million salary sits against a $217.8 million payroll and a $200.4 million tax line. The verdict is simple: he has to be the cheap, healthy big who rebounds, finishes and keeps the second unit from folding when Jokic sits.
What did Trevon Brazile average for the Nuggets last season?
Over two games he averaged 10.5 points, 10.5 rebounds, 1.0 blocks and 0.5 steals in 23.3 minutes. He shot 41.2 percent from the field and 27.3 percent from three.
How much does Trevon Brazile make?
His 2026-27 salary is $1.4 million. That is a small number on a Denver payroll of $217.8 million, which is above the first apron.
