The Denver Nuggets may have a path to fill their last open roster spot with a swing at upside, and Cam Whitmore is now firmly in the conversation.
Marc Stein reported on The Stein Line that Denver has become a team to watch “in pursuit” of the 2023 first-round pick as the final stretch before the 2026-27 regular season approaches. Stein wrote, “The Nuggets, I'm told, have emerged as a team to watch in pursuit of Cam Whitmore,” adding that Whitmore, “selected 20th overall in the 2023 NBA Draft, was recently waived by Cleveland after the Cavaliers acquired him as part of the five-team megatrade that landed Peyton Watson in Northeast Ohio.”
For Denver, the timing makes sense. The team has 14 traditional roster spots filled since DeMar DeRozan signed his one-year deal, leaving one opening to sort out before the season begins next month. With that spot still available, Whitmore fits the kind of low-cost, high-upside gamble the Nuggets can make without overcommitting.
That need is sharper when you look at what Denver lost off the bench. Peyton Watson was shipped to the Cleveland Cavaliers.
Tim Hardaway Jr., who had been in the Sixth Man of the Year conversation, signed with the Heat. Jonas Valanciunas is overseas.
Bruce Brown has also moved on, heading to the New York Knicks on a training camp contract.
That leaves the Nuggets looking for scoring help on the second unit, and Whitmore checks several boxes. He is 22, a former highly regarded Villanova wing with real scoring talent, and he has enough recent NBA experience to be more than just a flyer. At the same time, his path has been uneven, with injuries and movement around the league leaving him available now.
Whitmore’s last season came in Washington, where he appeared in 21 games and averaged 9.2 points and 2.8 rebounds while shooting 45.6% from the field and 28.6% from three. His year ended early because of a blood clot in his right shoulder, but he appears to be trending toward 100% for the 2026-27 campaign.
If Denver wants him, the price tag could be modest. A veteran minimum deal or even a training camp contract would give the Nuggets a chance to see whether Whitmore can supply the offensive jolt they need.
The risk is small: if it does not work, he can be cut before the regular season and the team can pivot, potentially to someone like Lonnie Walker on a training camp deal. The payoff, though, is obvious - a young bench scorer who could turn into a useful rotation piece for very little money.
He may not solve every issue in Denver’s backcourt, especially behind Jamal Murray, but as a wing scorer who could help round out the roster, Whitmore looks like the kind of bargain move worth exploring.
In Other News...
Nuggets Add Intriguing Wing With Something To Prove In Camp
The Nuggets used their final two-way roster spot to bring in another wing with NBA experience, adding a player who has already logged meaningful minutes for both Houston and Washington. Cam Whitmore arrives as he heads into his fourth season, carrying a career average of 10.5 points and 3.3 rebounds across 119 games, and he gives Denver another look at a young player still trying to carve out a steady role.
For the Nuggets, the move is as much about flexibility as it is about upside. A two-way deal lets the team keep a developing perimeter option in the building without giving up much roster room, and camp will offer Whitmore a chance to show he can fit into Denvers system while proving there is more to his game than what he has already shown around the league. [Read more 🡒]
Nuggets Just Took A Low-Risk Flier With Real Upside
Cam Whitmore is heading to Denver on a one-year two-way deal, giving the Nuggets a low-cost swing on a former first-round talent with plenty left to prove. The 20th overall pick in the 2023 NBA draft, Whitmore had been moved from Washington to Cleveland before being waived by the Cavaliers, and now gets a fresh start with a team that is always looking for value around the edges of the roster.
For Denver, the move comes with little downside and some real upside if Whitmore can settle in and turn his draft pedigree into production. The signing also locks up the Nuggets' third two-way roster spot for the 2026/27 season, so this is a decision with immediate roster implications even if the bigger question is whether Whitmore can carve out a longer-term place in the organization. [Read more 🡒]
Peyton Watson Exit Leaves Nuggets With One Frustrating What-If
Peyton Watsons move to Cleveland closes the book on one of the Nuggets more intriguing developmental stories, and it comes with a familiar sort of regret for a contender that has spent years trying to maximize every young piece around Nikola Jokic. The sign-and-trade sends Watson out on a four-year, $88 million contract, a deal that reflects how much his stock rose after seasons spent learning in Denvers system.
Watsons new start also invites the same nagging question that has followed plenty of role players through Denver: how much more might he have become with a longer runway here? In his introductory press conference, Watson praised Jokics impact on his growth, but the clearest glimpse of his ceiling came when Jokic was sidelined last season and Watson suddenly looked like a much bigger offensive option, leaving the Nuggets to wonder what that version might have looked like over a full stretch. [Read more 🡒]