What national experts predict Denver will do

After falling to Minnesota in Game 7 of the second round, the Nuggets head into the offseason looking to retool and recapture the magic that led them to last season’s championship.

Among the first stops: The NBA draft, which will be June 26-27 in New York. Denver has the 28th overall pick in the first round.

Here’s a look at who national draftniks are thinking will land in Denver.

Bleacher Report | Zach Buckley | Updated June 4

DaRon Holmes II, PF/C, Dayton

“Can the Nuggets get Nikola Jokić a legitimate backup? Sure they can — if this is how the draft board breaks. DaRon Holmes II isn’t huge (6’9″, 236 lbs), but he plays big as a shot-blocker and rebounder while also adding shot-making on the offensive end,” Buckley writes. See the full mock draft.

ESPN | Jonathan Givony and Jeremy Woo | Updated May 31

DaRon Holmes II, PF/C, Dayton

“Sources told ESPN Holmes recently canceled several workouts, raising strong suspicions that he has secured a guarantee in the back part of the first round. Coming off a productive career at Dayton in which he made strides as a shooter (38% from 3 last season), Holmes appears to have helped himself in the pre-draft process, moving himself into the first-round picture,” Woo writes. See the full mock draft.

Yahoo! Sports | Krysten Peek | Updated June 4

DaRon Holmes II, PF/C, Dayton

“There have been rumblings around the league regarding a promise for Holmes late in the first round and sources say he’s shut down all future workouts. Looking at what Minnesota has built with Rudy Gobert, Karl-Anthony Towns and Naz Reid, Denver could be targeting an inside-out big who shot nearly 40% from 3 this season,” Peek writes. See the full mock draft.

Second round, 56th pick: Ajay Mitchell, G, UC Santa Barbara

CBS Sports | Travis Branham | Updated May 29

Kevin McCullar Jr., SG, Kansas

“The Nuggets are hungry to get back to the NBA Finals next season and need another battle-tested player who can help immediately. McCullar may not be a sharp-shooter but he has made progress from 3-point range. He also provides versatility on both ends of the court on top of being a proven winner,” Branham writes. See the full mock draft.

CBS Sports | Colin Ward-Henninger | Updated June 4

Jaylon Tyson, SF, California

“The Nuggets learned in their shortened playoff run that they need a little more help off their bench, and Tyson has the frame and experience to contribute right away. He might have been overextended a bit at Cal and got into the habit of overdribbling, but his role will be simplified at the NBA level, allowing him to shine as a big guard who puts pressure on the rim and can knock down the open 3-pointers created by Nikola Jokic and Co.,” Ward-Henninger writes. See the full mock draft.

CBS Sports | David Cobb | Updated June 2

Kel’el Ware, C, Indiana