No split, Sherlock Holmes and Watson are on the case now. Get a clue.

And along comes Jones.

DaRon Holmes has rediscovered the beauty of basketball, and Peyton Watson is a player preparing like a panther on the prowl.

The preponderance of Nuggets’ off-season actions and reactions have centered around center Jonas Valanciunas coming and going and coming, the trade of Michael Porter Jr. for new small forward starter Cameron Johnson, the signings backups Bruce Brown, who has come back, and veteran guard Tim Hardaway Jr., the decision by the jocular Joker, the No. 1 basketball and horse player in the world, to wait a year and sign a more humongous contract (almost $300 million), the announcement by Kroenke & Son Josh that the team would feature a two-headed Roman god Janus-like leadership who already act like veteran general manager and, way back when, the removal of David Adelman’s temporary head coach title.

Whew!

If that myriad of maneuver matters weren’t sufficient, the Nuggets just competed in the NBA’s Summer School League in Las Vegas and got themselves a legitimate first-round two-fer draft choice at power forward and center, and an unknown potential fifth guard off the discount rack.

The Nuggets again are gold. Actually, their G-League team in Grand Rapids has become Gold if you missed the nugget.

The NBA’s West is wilder than Tombstone and Deadwood were after all the conference changes, and the Nugs certainly are in the championship chase. Nobody repeats.

If Valanciunas wants to be in Greece, he must take a Mediterranean cruise next July. Surely he doesn’t want to be left out, and the Nuggets won’t let him out.

And it’s time for DaRon Holmes’ remarkable recovery and Peyton Watson’s challenging progression and Curtis Jones’ impressive audition.

For all the grief that Calvin Booth endured and deserved before his firing as GM along with coach Michael Malone, he did bring to the Nuggets Holmes and Watson.

Watson was one who got away from Oklahoma City. The Thunder drafted him 30th overall in 2022, but traded him to the Nuggets for a 2027 first-round choice, JaMychal Green and two second-round picks. Peyton, still just 22, seemed to be ready to rise this time a year ago, but he suffered a hamstring injury just before training camp and didn’t participate in exhibitions. Then he strained his right knee Jan. 31 and was shut down until March. He was out briefly again, but remained inconsistent the rest of the regular season and the playoffs.

So Watson worked out in Denver the past two months hoping he would earn a sixth or seventh spot because of his blocks and improvement on both ends. However, following the roster changes he will have to go harder for extended minutes at small forward. Peyton even visited the Summer League and claimed that he is anticipating the challenge.

Holmes, selected 22nd in last year’s draft by his home-state Suns, immediately was sent to the Nuggets for four picks. He signed July 9, but tore his Achilles in the first Summer League game and hadn’t played since until this first Summer League game. The 6-foot-10 Dayton Flyer proved he was special for 110 minutes in four games before smartly being held out of the finale. He was near a double-double average at 13 points and 9 ½ rebounds and produced a 19-point, 17-rebound performance. Vegas games aren’t the end-all with rookies and undrafted free agents, but DeRon’s inside game (and accurate three-pointers) ended all debate about his health.

One invited undraftable, Curtis Jones, didn’t appear to be the best Jones on the Nuggets’ lengthy roster. Spenser Jones divided time in Denver and Grand Rapids last year, collecting trash time in 20 regular season games and playoff blowouts.

Curtis didn’t receive a scholarship offer out of high school and attended a community college. He wound up his college career as an outstanding sixth man at Iowa State and with 26 points in an NCAA tournament game. The Nuggets gave him a chance.

This Jones played in all five exhibitions and managed a 22-5-8 line in the last and four double-digit scoring games. And there’s that 10 of 21 from beyond the arc. No doubt the Nuggets will sign Curtis to a two-way contract and include him at camp.

To Holmes, Watson and Jones, the game is afoot.