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DENVER, COLORADO – OCTOBER 14: Cameron Johnson #23 of the Denver Nuggets plays the Chicago Bulls in the first quarter at Ball Arena on October 14, 2025 in Denver, Colorado. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Matthew Stockman/Getty Images)
Heading into the season, the Denver Nuggets were considered the only major threat to the Oklahoma City Thunder in the Western Conference. Having Nikola Jokic allows them to be in any game they play. Unfortunately, they have dealt with some injuries.
Christian Braun has played just 11 games, which has decreased their depth. Aaron Gordon has only played 13. Still, the Nuggets’ bench is much better than it was a year ago. However, Cameron Johnson suffered an injury against the Dallas Mavericks, immediately going down and grabbing his knee.
Johnson was helped off the floor, and he did not return to action after the injury. After the game, head coach David Adelman did not seem optimistic about how bad the injury might be.
GettyDenver Nuggets forward Cameron Johnson dunks the ball. (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images)
Nuggets give concerning injury update on Cameron Johnson
Adelman mentioned that the team was going to give him an MRI. Until then, they won’t know the true extent of the injury.
“It’s concerning. I haven’t heard yet. He was sitting at his locker, so we’ll find out. Obviously, imaging has to happen before anything else, but it was not a fun sight to see. Especially a guy that’s been trending so well, playing so well the last month, and he’s really found his way.”
Adelman added that the injury did not look good from his point of view.
“We’ve had a lot of these moments this year. It’s deflating. Hopefully, the news is better than it looked, because we know what Cam means to our team.”
That is not a great report for Johnson, who has really started to fit well with the Nuggets. He has turned into the perfect third-scorer for the team and is better defensively than Michael Porter Jr. was. Johnson is better at playing defense on the perimeter and switching between positions.
GettyDenver Nuggets forward Aaron Gordon drives the ball. (Photo by Kenneth Richmond/Getty Images)
The Nuggets Might Struggle Without Johnson and Braun
Without both Johnson and Braun, the Nuggets might struggle a bit. That wing position has a massive void without either player available. Peyton Watson will be stretched thinner than he normally is, which might put more pressure on Jokic and Jamal Murray.
Right now, the Nuggets sit third in the Western Conference standings. Depending on how long Johnson is out, the Nuggets might look for some help at the trade deadline. Tim Hardaway Jr. will likely see more playing time off the bench, as well.
Missing Gordon, Braun, and Johnson is stretching that wing position incredibly thin. This is where teams can start exploiting the Nuggets on the defensive end of the court. Teams will catch them at their worst in the next few weeks while these guys all recover.
Denver is hoping that Johnson’s injury is not season-ending. Even if he misses a month, that could be damaging to a team that has NBA championship aspirations. The crowded West might be able to gain a few spots on the Nuggets.
Ryan Stano Ryan Stano covers the NBA for Heavy.com. He has been covering sports since 2017, covering the NFL, College Football, College Basketball, and the NBA. His work has been featured on Yahoo, Bleacher Report, FanSided, and Sports Illustrated. More about Ryan Stano
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