DeMar DeRozan is heading to the Denver Nuggets, with the six-time NBA All-Star agreeing to a one-year contract worth $3.9 million, according to multiple reports.
The move gives Denver another experienced scorer alongside Nikola Jokić, Jamal Murray and Aaron Gordon as the Nuggets look to return to championship contention.
At 37, DeRozan is entering his 18th NBA season but remains a productive offensive player. He averaged 18.4 points, 4.1 assists and 2.9 rebounds in 77 games for the Sacramento Kings last season, shooting 49.7% from the field.
DeRozan picks Denver over other options
DeRozan became an unrestricted free agent after Sacramento waived him earlier in the summer.
The veteran attracted interest from several teams, including the Miami Heat, Washington Wizards and New Orleans Pelicans, but ultimately chose Denver and the opportunity to compete for a championship.
[Reuters]
The contract is worth the veteran minimum of $3.9 million, making the move a relatively low-cost addition for the Nuggets.
DeRozan has never won an NBA championship despite a 17-year career that has included stops with the Toronto Raptors, San Antonio Spurs, Chicago Bulls and Sacramento Kings.
That makes Denver particularly attractive.
A new scoring option for Jokić
Denver's biggest weapon remains Jokić, but adding another proven scorer gives the Nuggets additional offensive depth.
DeRozan has built his career around his ability to create his own shot, particularly from the mid-range, while his experience should also prove valuable during the playoffs.
He arrives after averaging 18.4 points last season, ending a remarkable 12-season run of averaging at least 20 points per game.
His scoring output may not need to reach the levels it did earlier in his career in Denver.
Instead, the Nuggets can ask him to provide reliable offence when Jokić or Murray need another option.
Denver needed veteran experience
The Nuggets recently lost young wing Peyton Watson, who was sent to Cleveland as part of a multi-team sign-and-trade.
Watson had started 40 games last season and averaged career highs of 14.6 points, 4.9 rebounds and 2.1 assists.
[Bay News 9]
DeRozan offers a very different profile.
Rather than developing a young player, Denver are adding a veteran who has already played 1,264 regular-season games and scored 26,711 career points, placing him 16th on the NBA's all-time scoring list.
[Reuters]
That experience could become particularly valuable if the Nuggets find themselves in another tight postseason series.
Can DeRozan finally win his first championship?
That is the biggest storyline surrounding the move.
DeRozan has enjoyed an outstanding individual career, earning six All-Star selections and three All-NBA selections, but an NBA championship has remained out of reach.
Now he joins a Denver team built around one of the greatest players of his generation.
The Nuggets won the championship in 2023 but have failed to reach the Western Conference Finals in either of the past two seasons.
[New York Post]
DeRozan's arrival is therefore about more than adding another name to the roster.
It is another attempt to give Jokić the supporting cast capable of taking Denver deep into the playoffs.
A low-risk move with potentially huge upside
For Denver, the deal makes sense on several levels.
The Nuggets have added a six-time All-Star, an experienced scorer and a player who has remained remarkably durable throughout his career — all without committing to a long-term contract.
DeRozan has appeared in at least 70 games in each of the last five seasons and has never played fewer than 60 games in a season.
[Reuters]
The question now is whether his offensive game can translate into a meaningful role alongside Jokić and Murray.
If it does, Denver could have found one of the more intriguing veteran additions of the offseason.
DeMar DeRozan wanted a chance to compete for a championship. Denver has given him that opportunity.
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