The Denver Nuggets may have created room in the shuffle, but they still have work to do.
After Peyton Watson was moved in a five-team deal Wednesday night, Denver’s roster picture changed quickly - and so did the team’s options. The trade sent Watson to the Cleveland Cavaliers, with Denver set to receive Cleveland’s 2031 first-round pick and a 2032 second-rounder from the Sacramento Kings.
Cleveland, meanwhile, moved Max Strus to the Los Angeles Clippers, a move that opened the door for the Cavs to sign Watson to a four-year, $88 million contract. The transaction also involved the Washington Wizards and Charlotte Hornets to get everything finalized.
The move helped Denver from a financial standpoint, but it didn’t exactly solve the bigger problem. The Nuggets are still working through a tough salary-cap situation, and Watson’s departure leaves another hole to patch. That’s why attention has started shifting toward DeMar DeRozan.
“The Denver Nuggets are pivoting and have their eyes directed on six-time All-Star DeMar DeRozan who remains a free agent in demand for contenders, league sources tell me,” NBA reporter Chris Haynes wrote.
DeRozan became available after Sacramento waived him on Monday, making him one of the most notable names still on the market.
“The Sacramento Kings have waived DeMar DeRozan, the team announced Monday, making the six-time All-Star one of the top free agents on the market. DeRozan had a partial guarantee on his contract for next season, but he and Sacramento worked on his release to allow him to find a new home,” ESPN wrote.
For Denver, the fit is obvious enough. DeRozan would bring a veteran scoring punch and another player who knows how to get buckets without needing everything run through him. With Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray already in place, the Nuggets would be looking at a proven offensive option who could slide into a useful role if the money works.
And the money matters. DeRozan has already made $305 million in his career, while Denver doesn’t have much to spend. If the Nuggets can land him on an affordable deal, it would be a practical swing - and one that gives them another reliable scorer to pair with their two-time MVP.
In Other News...
Nuggets Fans Have Every Reason To Worry About Denvers Cap Crunch
Denvers roster math is getting harder to ignore, and Peyton Watsons departure only sharpens the concern. The Nuggets were already navigating a tight salary picture, with contract commitments piling up around a core that still has to be built out if the team wants to stay competitive in the West. Losing a young piece like Watson leaves another empty spot to fill, and it comes at a time when every move seems tied to the same financial squeeze.
Christian Brauns long-term extension has only added to the pressure on Denvers front office, especially as questions linger about whether the price tag will match the production going forward. For a team trying to balance present expectations with future flexibility, that kind of commitment matters. The Nuggets now have less room to maneuver, and the next roster decision could say a lot about how much risk they are willing to take to keep this group intact. [Read more 🡒]
David Adelmans Bench Decisions Could Make Or Break Denvers Depth
With the Nuggets roster turning over around him, David Adelman is being asked to solve one of the trickiest parts of coaching in the NBA: keeping the floor steady when the starters sit. Denver lost key rotation pieces and now has to fold in younger, less experienced options, including rookie Alpha Diallo and second-round pick Trevon Brazile, while Tyus Jones is penciled in as the backup point guard. For a team that expects to play deep into the spring, those non-star minutes can matter as much as any late-game possession.
Adelmans task is less about simply finding bodies and more about finding the right pairings, especially on a bench that has to hold up defensively without giving away too much offense. The Nuggets will also lean on assistant coach Dave Joerger to help build out the second unit, giving Denver a little more structure as the rotation takes shape. The early read on how those combinations work could go a long way toward determining whether the Nuggets depth becomes a strength or a concern. [Read more 🡒]