The Denver Nuggets may not have a pick in the 2025 NBA Draft, but that hasn’t stopped them from sniffing around the prospects their rivals are eyeing… and maybe even stealing a page out of the Lakers’ scouting book. And yes, you heard that right, and no, we’re not kidding!

According to ESPN’s Ohm Youngmisuk, Denver recently brought in four intriguing prospects for workouts: Arizona guard Caleb Love, Kansas center Hunter Dickinson, Bradley forward Darius Hannah, and Indiana big man Oumar Ballo. That last name should ring a bell if you’ve been tracking Lakers workouts, because Ballo was just in Los Angeles not very long ago. Coincidence? Can be. But in this part of the calendar, nothing is ever really just a coincidence.

The Nuggets are technically sitting out the draft this year, having traded away their lone pick. But they already have their rookie in-house — DaRon Holmes II, last year’s No. 22 overall selection who missed the entire season after tearing his Achilles in his first Summer League game. That injury was a brutal blow, but it hasn’t stopped Denver from planning on Holmes as a rotation contributor next season. In fact, the team views him as a very important piece for solving their depth problem, especially at the four and small-ball lineups.

Naturally, it makes you wonder…. why are the Nuggets going through all that trouble of conducting workouts then? Because the draft isn’t just about draft night. The Nuggets could sign an undrafted player, maneuver into the second round with a cash or two-way slot, or simply be prepping for Summer League and Exhibit 10 deals. And if a rival like the Lakers, with the 55th overall NBA Draft pick, has identified a high-upside name, wouldn’t it be smart for Denver to do their own recon, that too, with Russell Westbrook’s trade rumors bubbling louder than a Lakers Twitter meltdown? Hmm, something to think about.

So then, it’s about time we zoom in on the names, shall we? Remember Caleb Love, the March Madness hero? He’s back at Arizona, still a hot-and-cold scorer with insane confidence, and a shot selection that’ll either make you cheer or pull out all your hair.. He could easily slip into the second round or go undrafted, but he’s the type of guard who could do well in the right role. Guess some people truly are god’s favourite. Dickinson, meanwhile, is a more old-school, floor-bound big with offensive polish and rebounding instincts. Hannah is raw but athletic. And Ballo? He’s a physical presence, a traditional rim-protecting big who, while limited offensively, brings size that many teams (including the Lakers) are desperately looking for.

The Lakers have brought in several NBA draft picks for workouts, including Izan Almansa, CJ Huntley, Clifford Omoruyi, and even Ballo, as they look to fill their gaping hole alongside King James. But unlike the Lakers, Denver has Nikola Jokic. They don’t need some huge franchise-altering center. What they need is low-cost depth to soak up minutes without killing spacing or switching schemes.

Denver’s sly NBA Draft hustle

The Nuggets’ draft picks lately were all about Holmes, thanks to ex-GM Calvin Booth. Booth is gone now, his reported disconnect with coach Michael Malone playing a big part in it, but Holmes remains. So does the need to find cheap help for a cap-strapped roster.

The front office might still be in flux, with Ben Tenzer wrapping up the season as interim GM, but the vision is clear that Denver’s trying to reload on the fly. And if that means poaching prospects from California workouts or keeping tabs on who their biggest rival is eyeing? So be it.

With the draft just two weeks away, Denver could surprise some folks by swooping in late or signing an undrafted sleeper. The Holmes gamble is already in motion. But they’re not stopping there. Who gets the last laugh? The Nuggets, with no picks but all the intel? Or the Lakers, who might see one of their targets suiting up in Mile High blue? NBA Draft night may just be the first battle of the offseason arms race, and we’re all here for it!