Techniques for optimizing junctions of a gate-all-around nanosheet device are provided. In one aspect, a method of forming a nanosheet device includes: forming an alternating series of first/second nanosheets including a first/second material as a stack on a wafer; forming a dummy gate(s) on the stack; patterning the stack into a fin stack(s) beneath the dummy gate(s); etching the fin stack(s) to selectively pull back the second nanosheets in the fin stack(s) forming pockets in the fin stack(s); filling the pockets with a strain-inducing material; burying the dummy gate(s) in a dielectric material; selectively removing the dummy gate(s) forming a gate trench(es) in the dielectric material; selectively removing either the first nanosheets or the second nanosheets from the fin stack(s); and forming a replacement gate(s) in the gate trench(es). A nanosheet device is also provided.