That last-second move by the Charlotte Hornets and Atlanta Hawks involving 23-year-old Ryan Nembhard on Tuesday apparently wasn’t the end of his trade journey. Reports claimed that Nembhard’s journey would take an unexpected turn, with the Hornets wanting to waive him after the trade. Turns out, even that isn’t the end of his offseason uncertainty. Enter the Denver Nuggets.
Watch What’s Trending Now!
According to NBA insider Marc Stein, “Ryan Nembhard is expected to have multiple suitors on potential two-ways if he is indeed waived by Charlotte. sources say, with the Nuggets prime among them.”
Nembhard is poised for a potential two-way contract once his waiver process is finalized by Charlotte. Among the suitors is three-time MVP Nikola Jokic’s Nuggets, against whom Nembhard had a breakthrough scoring performance in Dec. 2025.
“It seemed like he didn’t miss,” Jokic said of Nembhard after the 5’11 Guard’s 28-point game. “He was really good. He was getting people involved. … He was one of their best players tonight.”
The transactional for Nembhard opening arrived on Tuesday when the Hornets officially acquired veteran guard Buddy Hield, Nembhard, and cash considerations from the Atlanta Hawks in exchange for forward Dorian Finney-Smith. Hield was packaged in the Jonathan Kuminga trade deadline deal between the Golden State Warriors and Hawks. The Hawks acquired Nembhard from the Dallas Mavericks only this July.
Nembhard was an undrafted rookie for the Mavericks last season, appearing in 60 games. The Mavs sent him to Atlanta in a three-team deal that sent Zaccharie Risacher to Dallas and Luguentz Dort back to Atlanta from Oklahoma City earlier this offseason.
While Charlotte absorbed Hield’s salary, league reports from ESPN’s Ohm Youngmisuk and Shams Charania confirmed the Hornets intend to waive Nembhard to manage their 21-man offseason training camp roster.
In less than three months, when teams are gearing up for media day and training camps, Nembhard could be on his fourth team of 2026 alone if the Nuggets indeed sign him.
Where Nembhard would fit in the Denver Nuggets’ championship plan
Denver’s interest centers heavily on Nembhard’s rapid development as a potential floor general during his rookie campaign. After going undrafted in 2025 out of Gonzaga, the 5’11 guard initially signed a two-way deal with the Dallas Mavericks before he earned a standard multi-year NBA contract on February 28, 2026.
Across 60 regular-season appearances (27 starts) for Dallas, Nembhard averaged 6.6 points, 5.3 assists, and 2.2 rebounds in 19.5 minutes per game, demonstrating pace and decision-making.
The Nuggets are still struggling to surround The Joker with an adequate supporting cast. The primary motivation behind Denver’s pursuit could be to secure reliable backcourt facilitation to relieve pressure on Jamal Murray and Nikola Jokic during the 82-game marathon. The lackluster roster-building has left fans worried Jokic might exit the franchise.
Nembhard put his high-level playmaking on full display against Denver itself during his rookie year, dropping an explosive 28-point, 10-assist double-double at Ball Arena on Dec. 1, 2025. He capped off his season with a historic 23-assist performance in a 149-128 win against the Chicago Bulls in the regular-season finale, cementing his status as one of the premier young facilitators in the league.
Despite a good rookie campaign, Nembhard’s journey this summer was tumultuous. He was traded from Dallas to Atlanta before being rerouted to Charlotte, and he might now become a free agent. Nuggets fans seem to welcome the idea of the team acquiring him but are questioning if they have a two-way contract spot open. Cam Whitmore, Bryce Hopkins, and KJ Simpson currently occupy all three two-way spots.
For Denver, adding a true pass-first point guard who averaged 5.3 assists in under 20 minutes per night represents low-risk, high-reward roster building. While Nembhard will have to compete for minutes in a crowded backcourt rotation, his proven ability to orchestrate offense in pick-and-roll settings makes him an ideal developmental guard for head coach David Adelman’s system.
As Charlotte reportedly finalizes its waiver paperwork ahead of training camp on September 29, the Nuggets remain positioned at the front of the line to secure Nembhard’s signature.