The Denver Nuggets have earned rave reviews for their activity during the 2025 offseason. Denver added a long list of quality veterans in an effort to bolster a second unit that ranked 22nd in net rating during the 2024-25 campaign.
Of all the signings that were made, there's one diamond in the rough whose acquisition has been too easily glossed over: Kessler Edwards.
Edwards is currently in a strong position to secure the final spot on the Nuggets' roster for the 2025-26 season. He boasts an intriguing combination of positional versatility, shooting range, and general untapped potential at 25 years of age.
Signed to an Exhibit 10 deal that will allow his contract to be converted to a standard structure if he's still on the roster after training camp, Edwards will have a chance to make a strong impression.
Signing 25-year-old players who have yet to show consistent signs of NBA-caliber play is an admittedly risky endeavor. Historically speaking, the odds lean heavily toward Edwards either struggling to make the roster or ending up on the outside looking in of the rotation.
Edwards showed near the end of the 2024-25 season, however, that he's far more talented than some might presume—and may soon turn heads in Denver.
Kessler Edwards showed signs of compelling potential at end of 2024-25
Edwards appeared in just 12 of the Dallas Mavericks' first 42 games, generally receiving opportunities in the closing moments of decided outings. He turned heads in limited minutes toward the end of January, however, and began to see an uptick in playing time from there.
With injuries sustained by virtually every big man on the Mavericks' roster, Edwards played out of position at center and delivered performances that exceeded all expectations.
That includes an 11-game stretch in March during which Edwards averaged 11.0 points, 4.6 rebounds, 1.9 assists, 0.9 blocks, 0.9 steals, and 1.6 three-point field goals made in 28.2 minutes per contest. He shot the lights out at a clip of .594/.583/.900, thus revealing the true extent of his floor-spacing capabilities.
It was an extreme example of the efficiency Edwards is capable of, as he's averaged 10.6 points, 6.4 rebounds, 2.3 assists, 1.2 steals, 1.0 block, and 1.7 three-point field goals made per 36 minutes on .465/.396/.773 shooting over the past two seasons.
Edwards still needs to refine his skill set and establish himself as a reliable presence on the defensive end of the floor. For a Nuggets team that runs its offense through Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray, however, spacing the floor with a forward who can shoot with high-level efficiency from beyond the arc would be an undeniable plus.
If Edwards is up to the task, he could realistically carve out a steady role at the end of the rotation and work his way into more minutes from there.
Perhaps it won't work out in the end, but this is the epitome of a low-risk, high-reward situation. Edwards has shot 35.3 percent or better from beyond the arc in three of his four NBA seasons, and shot 40.4 percent or better on catch-and-shoot threes during each of the past two campaigns.
In the event that he makes the roster, Edwards could very well be the versatile floor-spacing forward who provides invaluable support to the Nuggets' veterans.