DeMar DeRozan may be stepping into a Nuggets offense that fits him almost too neatly.
Denver doesn’t race. It settles in, works through the half court, and leans on the three-point shot at one of the league’s highest rates.
The Nuggets were 21st in pace last season, and with the same starting five back plus DeRozan, there’s little reason to expect much movement there. Transition play made up just 16.2% of Denver’s total points, which tells you exactly what kind of team this is: one that lives in the half court.
That’s right in DeRozan’s wheelhouse. In 2022 with the Chicago Bulls, he told then-coach Billy Donovan that he "loves to survey the half court from the middle of the floor and find teammates." That feel for reading defenses was sharpened during his three seasons with the San Antonio Spurs under Gregg Popovich, and it has remained part of his game ever since.
That makes the backup ball-handler role behind Jamal Murray especially interesting. DeRozan could give Denver a different look when Murray sits, and if the Nuggets use him that way, head coach David Adelman gets a few more lineup options to play with.
One version would put DeRozan at the one with Julian Strawther sliding in at the two. The defense in that backcourt would be shaky, no doubt, but Denver could counter by bringing in rookie defensive specialist Alpha Diallo to handle the opponent’s best scorer and help cover for the weakness.
That would also let Strawther work more as a movement shooter, filling the Tim Hardaway Jr. type of role from deep. He hit 38.7% from three last season and can also use a head fake to get downhill, where he has the touch for a floater or the strength to finish at the rim.
Diallo brings a strong basketball IQ and knows how to move without the ball to create chances near the basket, where he finishes at a high rate. In that kind of setup, DeRozan would be the one picking apart the defense and feeding those opportunities in the half court.
In Other News...
Nuggets May Face Another Roster Squeeze Before Camp Begins
Ryan Nembhards path to Denver could open soon enough if the Hornets move on from him, and the Nuggets are already being mentioned as one of the teams most interested in bringing him in on a two-way deal. The appeal is easy to see. Denver has spent the offseason looking for workable depth and a little more backcourt help, and Nembhards background makes him a logical camp candidate for a team that values steady guard play and low-maintenance fit.
The catch is that Denvers two-way spots are already spoken for, which means any addition would force a shuffle before camp even gets rolling. The Nuggets would have to make room somewhere on that part of the roster, and that creates another small but real decision for a team that is trying to balance development, depth and flexibility as the season approaches. [Read more 🡒]
Nuggets Face A Christian Braun Decision With Real Roster Consequences
Denvers roster math has become part of the basketball conversation again, and Christian Braun is at the center of it. The Nuggets are currently over the NBAs second apron threshold, and Brauns contract is a major reason why the books are so tight. What makes the discussion more interesting is that it is not coming from the court, but from the cap side, where every move now carries consequences beyond the box score.
One speculative framework making the rounds came up on Yossi Gozlans podcast and would send Braun to Memphis in a deal built around Ty Jerome and a future first-rounder. The appeal is obvious from Denvers perspective: a path to more roster flexibility and less tax pressure in a league where apron restrictions can shape everything from depth to deadline options. For now, though, it remains the kind of front-office thought exercise that says as much about the Nuggets long-term bind as it does about Braun himself. [Read more 🡒]
David Adelman Enters A Season That Could Decide His Nuggets Future
David Adelman is back on the sideline in Denver after a 2026 playoff run that ended in the first round, a disappointing finish for a team that had otherwise put together a strong regular season. The Nuggets still had the leagues top-ranked offense, but the other end of the floor remained a problem, with Denver finishing 21st in defensive rating and leaving plenty of room for concern as the new season approaches.
The pressure now is not just about bouncing back, but about proving the group can be more complete under Adelmans watch. Denver addressed that issue by bringing in Dave Joerger as the top assistant to help reshape the defense, and the bar around the coach is already clear enough: the Nuggets need to look like a team capable of winning at a high level deep into the spring, or the conversation around his future is only going to get louder. [Read more 🡒]