The Denver Nuggets have spent much of the offseason looking for another player who can create his own shot, and they have finally found one. Veteran scorer DeMar DeRozan is joining on a one-year veteran minimum contract. This gives the Mile High basketball franchise another proven offensive weapon as he prepares for his 18th NBA season.
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Denver’s interest in DeRozan did not suddenly emerge during free agency. The Nuggets had been tracking his situation in Sacramento for months and were prepared to make a move if the Kings had bought him out earlier in the year. Once DeRozan officially became available this summer, Denver made a serious push to bring him to Colorado.
“When he became a free agent this summer, Denver put together a sustained recruitment that involved players, coaches and executives, one source close to DeRozan,” said to The Denver Post. “Aaron Gordon and assistant coach Jared Dudley were two of the key individuals with prior relationships to DeRozan who spoke with him in recent weeks.”
Denver was not alone in pursuing DeRozan. Miami, Detroit and Cleveland also remained involved during his free-agency process. In the end, however, the Nuggets’ “recruiting effort” made the strongest impression. And the 37-year-old reportedly prioritized basketball fit over chasing the biggest contract available.
Financially, the move is especially favorable for Denver. DeRozan will receive roughly $3.9 million from the Nuggets while still collecting the $10 million guaranteed to him by Sacramento. The Kings waived him in July after his previous contract, which was set to pay him $25.7 million this season, became only partially guaranteed.
For Denver, the signing comes at a relatively small cost against the salary cap. DeMar DeRozan’s addition is expected to increase the Nuggets’ cap figure by only about $2.45 million, a valuable outcome for a team already operating with one of the league’s most expensive payrolls.
The Nuggets spent the offseason searching for additional ball-handling and shot creation to take some pressure off Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray. Their interest in LeBron James was another indication of that priority. The need became even more pressing after Denver sent Peyton Watson to Cleveland in a sign-and-trade completed Thursday.
DeRozan now gives the Nuggets another experienced player who can take over possessions when Jokic is being doubled, or Murray needs a breather. Last season, the 6x All-Star averaged 18.4 points and 4.1 assists per game for Sacramento while shooting 49.7% from the field.
There are still questions surrounding how DeRozan will be used. His durability has remained impressive well into his 30s. He has played in at least 85% of his team’s regular-season games for 11 straight seasons and has missed only 13 games over the past three years.
There is also an unusual adjustment awaiting him. DeRozan has started every regular-season game he has played since April 14, 2010, a remarkable streak stretching back to his rookie season.
If Denver asks him to embrace a bench role, it would mark the first time in more than 16 years that he has entered an NBA game as a reserve. The bigger question is whether his arrival can translate to postseason success. DeRozan has not played in the playoffs since 2022, when Chicago was eliminated in the opening round.