Jameer Nelson's return raises more questions for Nuggets crowded backcourt

After missing the Denver Nuggets’ first two preseason games with a sprained left toe, Jameer Nelson practiced Tuesday and is available to play Wednesday versus the Los Angeles Lakers.

Nelson, who started 40 games for the Nuggets last season, immediately inserts himself into Denver’s ongoing point guard competition which has seen Jamal Murray and Emmanuel Mudiay battle it out through training camp and in each of the past two preseason games.

The 35-year-old injured his toe during Denver’s first practice on Sep. 26 and was held out of the rest of training camp. Murray started Denver’s first preseason game in Golden State on Saturday while Mudiay got the nod in Monday night’s win over the Lakers.

With Nelson back in the fold, coach Michael Malone has to decide how he wants to juggle his three point guards over the Nuggets’ next three preseason games. Neither Murray nor Mudiay have done much to put much any distance between one another in the ongoing point guard competition and while Mudiay has drawn rave reviews from coaches, front office executives, and teammates over the past two weeks and played well in Denver’s preseason opener in Golden State, he struggled and committed four turnovers in 23 minutes Monday against Los Angeles.

Malone wants to have his rotation finalized prior to Denver’s final two preseason matchups against the Spurs on Oct. 8 and Thunder on Oct. 10. If the Nuggets’ two previous preseason games are any indication of what Denver wants to do in the regular season, Malone plans to field a ten-man rotation meaning one of Nelson, Murray or Mudiay won’t play consistent minutes when Denver’s regular season tips off on Oct. 18 in Utah against the Jazz.

Paul Millsap (rest) will not play against the Lakers while Wilson Chandler (right hip soreness) is listed as questionable. Chandler missed the entire 2015-16 season after undergoing surgery on his right hip for a labral tear that he suffered in the preseason.