It was only a few days ago that the Denver Nuggets traded away their promising young wing, Peyton Watson. They've now signed his replacement for the 2026-27 season. DeMar DeRozan will be joining the Nuggets, and the lack of depth on the bench just received a big boost of offensive firepower.
BREAKING: Six-time NBA All-Star DeMar DeRozan has agreed to sign with the Denver Nuggets on a one-year, $3.9 million deal, sources tell ESPN. pic.twitter.com/mGiCIcKtq1
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) August 21, 2026
DeRozan will join the Nuggets on a one-year, $3.9 million veteran minimum contract, as reported by ESPN's Shams Charania.
It was looking pretty bleak in the depth department, but the six-time All-Star, DeRozan, takes care of some of that issue right away. The 17-year, 37-year-old veteran wing should come into the Mile High City to either take over as the sixth man off the bench in the same role that Tim Hardaway Jr. occupied. Or perhaps he could even push Christian Braun into that role. Either way, the Nuggets and their bench just received quite the pick-me-up.
DeRozan can provide the offensive firepower that the bench needs
It's more likely that DeRozan is going to be coming off the bench, and he immediately brings credibility and scoring to a bench unit that just didn't have a scorer once Watson was traded. DeRozan averaged 18.4 points on 49.7% shooting last season, and 22.2 points in 2024-25 while with the Sacramento Kings.
DeRozan has a top-tier midrange jumper, and he can still get to the rim and create his own shots. He'll be a great fit around Nikola Jokic, despite what everyone thinks about his prior usage rates and always being on the ball. DeRozan has a high basketball IQ, and he'll work with Jokic to figure out the best way to fit in.
And it's possible that the Nuggets use DeRozan in more of a role like Russell Westbrook, as more of a ball-hander and attacker, because DeRozan won't be THJ in the three-point shooting department. DeRozan is an underrated passer and doesn't turn the ball over much, averaging 1.7 turnovers or fewer over the last three seasons.
The depth is still shallow, but it has improved a lot
DeRozan wasn't just the best player left on the market, but once he hit the free-agent market after his contract was bought out by the Kings, he was one of the better free agents of the season. And that's great for the Nuggets, whose best bench players are Marvin Bagley III and Julian Strawther.
After that, the additions of Alpha Diallo, a 29-year-old rookie defensive specialist with no NBA experience, rookie second-round pick Trevon Brazile, and Tyus Jones left a lot to be desired while still hanging onto Zeke Nnaji and DaRon Holmes II, who didn't crack the rotation last year.
The bench is still bleak, but the DeRozan addition will go a long way to bolstering a unit that had no depth at all.
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