The Denver Nuggets have now seen two members of the squad who finished the final day of the regular season as members of the team head overseas. David "Big Body" Roddy, potential fan-favorite and the star of the final two regular season games while the starters were out with rest, will be taking his talents to Hapoel Jerusalem next year, reported by Hoops Rumors, and will not return to the Nuggets.
Roddy joins Jonas Valanciunas, who parted ways with the Nuggets to play for Zalgiris Kaunas in Europe next year as well. However, in Roddy, Nuggets fans may be a little sadder to see him go than they were with Valanciunas.
Roddy took the team by storm in the final two regular-season games, showing high energy and tenacity that was missing from the team for much of the season. His energy was infectious, and fans were clamoring for Roddy jerseys to be made.
Roddy scored 21 points on 3-6 shooting from three against the Oklahoma City Thunder in the second-to-last regular-season game, and he followed that up with a 15-point, 13-rebound physical game against the starters (minus Victor Wembanyama) of the San Antonio Spurs.
Roddy will be missed, but he is very replaceable
As much as the whirlwind was for Roddy over those two games, he was out there playing with a ton of heart in an audition for a contract in the 2026-27 season. He was out of two-way options, and with his salary higher than that of a rookie coming in on a standard contract, say someone like Las Vegas Summer League sleeper Bryce Hopkins (hint, hint, Nuggets), it meant Roddy was expendable and not likely to return anyway.
Roddy really became expendable with the signing of Nuggets second-round pick Trevon Brazile. Brazile is a natural power forward at 6-foot-10, and he's the fit the Nuggets needed for the second unit next season.
Plus, Roddy is a very undersized power forward at 6-foot-5. He made up for his lack of height with his tenacity and physical play, qualities that led him to be a first-round pick out of Colorado State, but he could never make it latch on in the NBA. The Nuggets could have definitely used those qualities again this season, but only in the two-way role for Roddy.
At least by playing overseas, Roddy will get to extend his basketball career for possibly many more years, and you never know if he makes it back to the NBA. But for now, it looks like he may have played his last NBA game with the Nuggets.
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