Denver Nuggets 2026 NBA Draft Preview: Bennett Stirtz

Good news: the Denver Nuggets currently have a pick in each of the two rounds of the 2026 NBA draft! The Nuggets currently have the 26th pick in the first round, as well as the second round pick from the Atlanta Hawks which is 49th overall. Will they use them? Will they trade them? Will they actually play anyone even if they do draft them? Burning questions all, but let’s at least talk about the possible draft picks who might be available to Denver – both at their current positions and if they happen to move up via trade.

Next up: Bennett Stirtz

Stirtz is a point guard, an actual, honest-to-god point guard. Denver has needed someone to get the bench organized for years, only to dump one option that is thriving in Phoenix (Collin Gillespie) so they could go all in on a second-rounder from their GM’s alma mater (Jalen Pickett). Pickett got replaced in the lineup by mid-season pickup Tyus Jones, however, so the Nuggets are obviously still in the market for somebody who can make shots, set up an offense, and run actual plays rather than just praying for transition opportunities. Is Stirtz the solution?

Bennett Stirtz, Point Guard, Iowa

Vitals

Height (w/o shoes): 6’2.5″

Weight: 186 pounds

Wingspan: 6’6″

Age: 22 (10/3/2003)

College Statistics

2025/2026 Season Stats

Highlights

Strengths

Unflappable nature

This may seem weird for a top trait, but he is “cool as the other side of the pillow” as the late, great Stuart Scott would say. He simply cannot be sped up or pressured into doing anything he doesn’t want to do. He doesn’t turn the ball over despite playing the most minutes in D-1 this year, just 1.8 per game on the season. Part of that is the game tempo: he does not play fast. He’s not slow, necessarily – he had the fourth-fastest 3/4 court sprint time at the combine – he just doesn’t rush. I would describe his game as unhurried and unbothered. Big moments, little moments, late in the clock or early in transition, he treats it all the same. Work the plan, get a good shot. He really leans on his basketball IQ and it has served him really well so far. A lot of times that means him taking the shot – he’s good at that after all. But his team made a deep NCAA tournament run specifically because they took his slow pulse to heart. Denver could desperately use fewer mistakes and more careful possessions from its bench lineups, and some of his tournament weaknesses should be alleviated with better athletes around him that can also force the issue.

Shooting

Stirz is great out of the pick-and-roll, which would be immediately helpful for any minutes with Nikola Jokic. But he also is a good movement shooter, can pull up from anywhere on the court and make a bucket, and while his three-point percentages weren’t great this year I don’t think that’s a true reflection of his ability behind the arc either. He’ll take them, and make them in the NBA. He cleans up at the charity stripe as well. He understands how to work a screen to his advantage, and with Denver’s multiple drag-screen setups he should be well-positioned to get off the shots he can make without hesitation. He doesn’t have to load his shot so he can get it off against most coverages despite any potential height discrepancies. He’s gonna be a good shooter in the league for a long time.

Improvement Areas

Speed/Athleticism

I don’t know how much he can do about this. He’s not the shiftiest player. He’s not the strongest, or the quickest. His burst is exceedingly average, probably below-average in the NBA. Now Jamal Murray is also not the shiftiest but he’s built stronger than Stirtz and Bennett will not be offsetting any disadvantages in that regard as the backup player. He can play the two as a catch-and-shoot threat but then he’s really undersized, so that would be lineup specific. The wingspan helps some, and he’s got an eye for steals because he’s such a smart player, but he is not going to be a good contain player on-ball against some of the slashing killers in the Association, more of a team defender at best.

Rebounding

Strictly speaking, this isn’t necessarily Bennett’s fault as he is normally on the perimeter either shooting or directing the action, but his rebound numbers are very poor for a guard and he’s awful at O-REBS. He finishes well among the trees but doesn’t do as well fending them off on the glass or boxing out. Other people will have to contain missed shots, it’s just not his skillset.

Big Board (Nuggets draft 26th)

The Athletic: 26 (as of 5/10 mock)

CBS Sports: 18 (as of 5/21 mock)

The Ringer: 19 (as of 4/29 board)

Yahoo! Sports: 28

ESPN: 19 (as of 5/19 mock)

Verdict

Stirtz is a terrific offensive player who can create for others and organize the offense, run a professional pick-and-roll and screen game with Denver’s starters if necessary, and backup Jamal Murray while stepping in for him during any needed time even as a rookie. Denver doesn’t have a problem with deliberate offense, and he can strike fast if it’s there but won’t force it early if it isn’t. He is not a plus defender but if the Nuggets could just get someone to keep them on track instead of giving up runs with Joker and Jamal on the bench it would be a huge bonus. And since reducing wear and tear on Jamal would be incredibly helpful, having someone who shouldered a large burden in college and can handle early significant minutes is a nice bonus.

Denver has missed having a Monte Morris around, someone who didn’t make mistakes and would take and make important shots. They could really use a Jameer Nelson type who plays like a true professional. Stirtz is going to have a pro career – you can’t shoot like that from so many areas on the court as a fearless player who doesn’t create live-ball issues for your team without being able to stick around. The teams ahead of Denver may be trying to figure out if he can be a long-term starter for them. Maybe he can, maybe he can’t. For what Denver could use immediately – a similar player to Jamal Murray who doesn’t need a long time to adjust to a lead guard role as a backup and spot starter – Stirtz should fit right in. If he is only a bench player, he’s still better than what we have. If he can deliver more minutes and impact than that, great. I’m not sure how great he would be getting hounded in the playoffs like all of our guards are, but he can at least bring the ball up successfully and take pressure off Murray, whose legs we truly need to be fresh if he is still the lead guard this year.

And if he isn’t, then getting an unflappable player who might get a bigger role than he thought immediately couldn’t hurt.