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Holmes recorded 11 points (4-5 FG, 2-3 3Pt, 1-2 FT), three rebounds, one assist and one block in 22 minutes Wednesday in the Nuggets' 106-103 win over the Raptors.
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The No. 22 overall pick in the 2024 NBA Draft, Holmes didn't make his professional debut last season after suffering a torn Achilles tendon in the Las Vegas Summer League. Though he's been fully healthy in 2025-26, Holmes has thus far received most of his minutes in the G League and had been limited to three garbage-time appearances at the NBA level before getting his first meaningful playing time Wednesday. Holmes' expanded role came after Jonas Valanciunas -- who was making his first start in place of superstar Nikola Jokic (knee) -- was forced out of the game with 4:03 left in the third quarter due to a right calf strain. While the severity of Valanciunas' injury isn't yet known, calf strains often entail multi-week recoveries, and with Jokic not set to be re-evaluated until late January or early February, Holmes could be poised for an extended run as the Nuggets' top center. Denver could also incorporate Zeke Nnaji into the rotation and make more use of small-ball lineups that would suppress Holmes' playing time, but at the very least, the 23-year-old rookie looks like a worthwhile speculative pickup in most leagues with the likelihood that Valanciunas misses time.
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