On November 20, Nikola Jokić’s Nuggets host a Rockets team built around Kevin Durant and Alperen Sengun, and both benches look different from last spring. Keeping track of who plays where on five West Group A teams, and who coaches and trains them, usually means opening five separate team pages. Here it is in one place: 100 players, five head coaches, their assistants and the five trainers for the Denver Nuggets, Houston Rockets, Phoenix Suns, Dallas Mavericks and Utah Jazz.
West Group A is one of the six groups drawn for the 2026 Cup (the full draw sits on the groups page). Each team plays the other four once, and Group Play opens Friday, October 30. How teams advance is covered on the rules and format page.
Five Benches, Compared
One head coach is new to the NBA, one is in his second year, and one just signed through 2031. That spread says a lot about how steady each team will look in the first week.
| Team | Head coach | Where he stands | Assistants listed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nuggets | David Adelman | Interim from April 2025, full-time since May 2025 | 5 |
| Rockets | Ime Udoka | Fourth season; added shooting specialist Chip Engelland this summer | 8 |
| Suns | Jordan Ott | Second season after a 45-37 debut and a playoff berth | 7 |
| Mavericks | Dusty May | First NBA job, after winning the 2026 national title at Michigan | 7, plus two player development coaches |
| Jazz | Will Hardy | Hired in 2022 and signed through the 2031 season | 8 |
Who Plays Where: Positions Across the Group
A guard (G) handles the ball and runs the offense. A forward (F) plays on the wing or near the basket. A center (C) anchors the paint. NBA.com also lists players who fill two roles, such as G-F or F-C. Here is how many of each the five teams carry.
| Team | Guards (G) | Forwards (F) | Centers (C) | Two-position (G-F, F-C, C-F) | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nuggets | 7 | 10 | 1 | 3 | 21 |
| Rockets | 7 | 6 | 3 | 2 | 18 |
| Suns | 9 | 8 | 3 | 1 | 21 |
| Mavericks | 6 | 8 | 2 | 4 | 20 |
| Jazz | 8 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 20 |
Denver lists just one pure center (Jokić) against ten forwards, Utah lists the most centers (four, plus four two-position players), and Phoenix carries the most guards (nine). Houston has the shortest list at 18 names, so an injury there will show up fastest.
Five Teams, Five Different Questions
Denver Nuggets: Can the Same Core Stay Healthy?
Denver went 54-28, finished third in the West and lost to Minnesota in six games. The projected starters are unchanged: Jamal Murray, Christian Braun, Cameron Johnson, Aaron Gordon and Jokić. Gordon played only 36 games last season because of a hamstring injury. Depth is where David Adelman has options: DeMar DeRozan (signed September 8), Marvin Bagley III (signed July 15), Alpha Diallo and, most recently, Ryan Nembhard, who signed on September 30.
Houston Rockets: Fitting Durant Into a Young Core
Houston won 52 games and lost a six-game first-round series to the Lakers. Ime Udoka’s likely starters are Fred VanVleet, Amen Thompson, Durant, Jabari Smith Jr. and Sengun, with VanVleet back from the torn ACL that ended his last season. Marcus Smart (signed July 10) and Bogdan Bogdanović (signed July 8) add veterans in the backcourt. Thompson, who averaged 18.3 points, signed a five-year, $208 million extension in September.
Phoenix Suns: Who Plays Center?
Jordan Ott’s first season ended 45-37 with a playoff spot. Devin Booker and Jalen Green lead the backcourt, and Dillon Brooks and Miles Bridges (acquired from Charlotte on July 13) give the Suns size on the wing, while Luke Kennard, who led the NBA at 47.8 percent from three last season, adds shooting. The open question is in the middle: Mark Williams has a torn labrum and is expected to miss multiple months, leaving Oso Ighodaro and 20-year-old Khaman Maluach to compete for the job, with Duop Reath as veteran depth.
Dallas Mavericks: A New Coach, a Rebuilt Roster
Dusty May is the group’s only first-year NBA head coach, with Willie Green among a seven-man assistant group. On the floor, Cooper Flagg, the reigning Rookie of the Year at 19, and Kyrie Irving headline a roster rebuilt over the summer: Zaccharie Risacher arrived from Atlanta on July 19, and Marcus Sasser and Santi Aldama came in through a July trade. Rookie Morez Johnson Jr., the ninth pick, has been managing lower-leg soreness in camp.
Utah Jazz: A Young Core With Its First Real Depth
Utah finished 15th in the West, but the roster looks different. Jaren Jackson Jr., who came from Memphis in February and played only three games for the Jazz, gets his first full camp next to Lauri Markkanen and Keyonte George. Darryn Peterson, the second pick in June’s draft, and Ace Bailey add young scoring, and Jusuf Nurkić anchors the middle. Will Hardy has the longest run in the group, hired in 2022.
Full Player Directory
All 100 names from the five NBA.com rosters, in the order NBA.com lists them. Scroll the table to see every team.
| Player | No. | Position |
|---|---|---|
| Denver Nuggets · 21 players | ||
| Coleman Hawkins | — | F |
| Dane Goodwin | — | G |
| Christian Braun | 0 | G |
| Cam Whitmore | 1 | F |
| Julian Strawther | 1 | G |
| Marvin Bagley III | 3 | F |
| Tyus Jones | 5 | G |
| Trevon Brazile | 7 | F |
| Ryan Nembhard | 9 | G |
| DeMar DeRozan | 10 | G-F |
| Alpha Diallo | 11 | G |
| Bryce Hopkins | 13 | F |
| DaRon Holmes II | 14 | F |
| Emanuel Miller | 14 | F |
| Nikola Jokić | 15 | C |
| Lonnie Walker IV | 16 | G-F |
| Spencer Jones | 21 | F |
| Zeke Nnaji | 22 | F-C |
| Cameron Johnson | 23 | F |
| Jamal Murray | 27 | G |
| Aaron Gordon | 32 | F |
| Houston Rockets · 18 players | ||
| Sean Pedulla | — | G |
| Quadir Copeland | — | G |
| Amen Thompson | 1 | G-F |
| Bruce Thornton | 2 | G |
| Julian Phillips | 4 | F |
| Fred VanVleet | 5 | G |
| Kevin Durant | 7 | F |
| Jae'Sean Tate | 8 | F |
| Jabari Smith Jr. | 10 | F |
| Steven Adams | 12 | C |
| Reed Sheppard | 15 | G |
| Tari Eason | 17 | F |
| Isaiah Crawford | 27 | F |
| Alperen Sengun | 28 | C |
| Clint Capela | 30 | C |
| Bogdan Bogdanović | 31 | G |
| Oscar Tshiebwe | 34 | F-C |
| Marcus Smart | 36 | G |
| Phoenix Suns · 21 players | ||
| Phillip Wheeler | — | F |
| Kennedy Chandler | 0 | G |
| Ryan Dunn | 0 | F |
| Dillon Brooks | 3 | G-F |
| Jalen Green | 4 | G |
| Haywood Highsmith | 7 | F |
| Luke Kennard | 8 | G |
| Khaman Maluach | 10 | C |
| Oso Ighodaro | 11 | F |
| Collin Gillespie | 12 | G |
| Koby Brea | 14 | G |
| Mark Williams | 15 | C |
| Devin Booker | 15 | G |
| Jamaree Bouyea | 17 | G |
| Koa Peat | 18 | F |
| Rasheer Fleming | 20 | F |
| Miles Bridges | 22 | F |
| CJ Huntley | 22 | F |
| Jordan Goodwin | 23 | G |
| Duop Reath | 26 | C |
| Pat Spencer | 61 | G |
| Dallas Mavericks · 20 players | ||
| Tarik Biberovic | — | F |
| Max Christie | 0 | G |
| John Poulakidas | 1 | G |
| Dereck Lively II | 2 | C |
| Naji Marshall | 3 | F |
| Seth Lundy | 5 | G-F |
| Dwight Powell | 7 | F-C |
| Marcus Sasser | 8 | G |
| Zaccharie Risacher | 10 | F |
| Kyrie Irving | 11 | G |
| Jett Howard | 13 | G |
| Morez Johnson Jr. | 14 | F |
| Caleb Martin | 16 | F |
| Daniel Gafford | 21 | F-C |
| P.J. Washington | 25 | F |
| Moussa Cisse | 30 | C |
| Cooper Flagg | 32 | F |
| Tobi Lawal | 33 | F |
| Santi Aldama | 34 | F-C |
| Sergio de Larrea | 55 | G |
| Utah Jazz · 20 players | ||
| Terrell Brown Jr. | — | G |
| Jonas Aidoo | — | C |
| Kyle Filipowski | 2 | C |
| Blake Hinson | 2 | F |
| Keyonte George | 3 | G |
| Josh Green | 5 | G |
| Tamar Bates | 7 | G |
| Isaiah Collier | 8 | G |
| Svi Mykhailiuk | 10 | G-F |
| Jaxson Hayes | 11 | C-F |
| Ace Bailey | 19 | F |
| Jaren Jackson Jr. | 20 | F-C |
| Josh Okogie | 21 | G |
| Darryn Peterson | 22 | G |
| Lauri Markkanen | 23 | F-C |
| Trey Alexander | 23 | G |
| Brice Sensabaugh | 28 | F |
| Jusuf Nurkić | 30 | C |
| Mo Bamba | 44 | C |
| Harrison Ingram | 55 | F |
Coaches, Assistants and Trainers
| Team | Head coach | Assistant coaches | Trainer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nuggets | David Adelman | Jared Dudley, Chase Buford, John Beckett, Ognjen Stojakovic, Elvis Valcarcel | Dan Shimensky |
| Rockets | Ime Udoka | Ben Sullivan, Royal Ivey, Garrett Jackson, Cam Hodges, Mike Moser, Robbie Lemons, Chip Engelland, Josh Bostic | Jason Biles |
| Suns | Jordan Ott | Brian Randle, Chaisson Allen, John Little, Sean Dwyer, DeMarre Carroll, Mike Muscala, Jesse Mermuys | Roger Sancho |
| Mavericks | Dusty May | Willie Green, Garrett Temple, Joe Boylan, Drew Williamson, Mody Maor, Rob Fodor, Sam Hershberger Player development: Tyson Chandler, Quincy Acy | Jana Austin |
| Jazz | Will Hardy | Mike Williams, Sean Sheldon, Jason Terry, Chad Forcier, Scott Morrison, Chris Jones, Steve Wojciechowski, Andrew Warren | Jamal Cort |
These are the names NBA.com shows under head coach, assistant coach and trainer for each team. Staff lists change during the season, so the page is updated when NBA.com changes.
Rosters in the Spotlight: Matchups to Watch
Each group game carries a roster question. These are the ones worth following; dates and times are on the schedule page.
- Denver at Phoenix: Jokić’s group faces a Suns front line without Mark Williams.
- Houston at Dallas: Durant and Sengun meet Flagg and Irving, with Dusty May’s new staff on the other bench.
- Utah at Dallas: Peterson, the No. 2 pick, meets Flagg for the first time as pros.
- Utah at Houston: Jackson Jr. and Markkanen test a Rockets front line anchored by Sengun, Adams and Capela.
- Houston at Denver: Sengun against Jokić, with Durant on the road bench. It is also the head-to-head game that would break a tie between these two.
- Dallas at Denver: Flagg and Irving travel to Denver, a test of how quickly May’s new staff has the Mavericks clicking.
- Denver at Utah and Dallas at Phoenix: the closing games, when roster health matters most.
Every home and road pairing is listed in the group play matchup tables.
Quick Lookups
- Which team has the biggest coaching staff?
- Houston and Utah, with eight assistants each. Denver lists the fewest, at five.
- Which team has a new head coach?
- Dallas. Dusty May is in his first NBA season.
- Which rookies are worth watching?
- Darryn Peterson (Jazz), Morez Johnson Jr. (Mavericks), Koa Peat (Suns) and Trevon Brazile (Nuggets).
More general questions about the tournament are answered in the Cup FAQ.
Before Opening Night
- Watch for final roster cuts. Several camp names above will not make the opening-night roster.
- Check back on Denver’s staff. NBA.com shows five assistants, and the team may add more.
- Check each team’s injury report on game day.
- Track results on the standings page once Group Play starts, and follow games live on the NBA Cup Live homepage.
Rosters, positions, head coaches, assistants and trainers were last reviewed against the official NBA.com team pages on October 4, 2026.