The Denver Nuggets weren’t finished tinkering with the roster once training camp opened, and their latest move brought in a point guard who already knows how to make life easier for everyone around him.
Denver signed 23-year-old Ryan Nembhard to a two-way contract, adding another ball-handler after his breakout rookie season. To make room, the Nuggets waived KJ Simpson. Not every fan is going to see that as a clear upgrade, but the team clearly believes Nembhard can bring something useful right away.
That belief showed up quickly in Boulder, where Nembhard joined the Nuggets for camp and got an endorsement from Cameron Johnson. The veteran forward pointed to the traits that stand out most in Nembhard’s game.
"Ryan, as a player, he can really distribute the ball," Johnson said. "He's scrappy, he's crafty, and he has a good overall feel.
I think it'd be great for him to even learn under somebody like Tyus [Jones]. He can really add dimensions to our team."
Johnson’s point about Jones makes sense. Nembhard and Jones are similar in a lot of ways as smaller guards who can handle the ball and set the table for others, and there’s at least some optimism that Nembhard could wind up being even more impactful for Denver than Jones.
The numbers from last season back up why the Nuggets took the shot. With the Dallas Mavericks, the 5'11" rookie put up 6.6 points, 2.2 rebounds, and 5.3 assists per game. He was undrafted, undersized, and spent most of the year on a two-way deal, but he still started 27 games and emerged as one of the more impressive guards in his rookie class.
His path to Denver has already been a strange one. He was traded twice, then waived, and the Nuggets ended up being the team to claim him as a free agent. For Denver, it’s a low-cost, low-risk swing, the kind of move that fits the same mold as the Cam Whitmore two-way signing.
Nembhard was quick to explain what he thinks he brings to the table after his first practice with the team.
"High-level IQ. Pick-and-roll play.
Just my understanding of the game," Nembhard said about how he fits the Nuggets. "Obviously a great offensive team, and I think I can add to that, so I'm excited to be here."
He also said he spent the summer working on parts of his game that don’t always get the same attention as his passing.
"I think I'm just working on my game overall," he said. "Defensively, I'm trying to get a lot better.
I think I've made a jump there. I've worked on my shooting.
Just being an all-around player. I've worked on a lot this summer.
I feel like I've taken a huge jump, and I'm just ready to get back into things."
It’s still unclear how much of a chance Nembhard will get while on a two-way deal and sitting behind Jamal Murray and Tyus Jones, but Denver clearly sees enough talent to give him a look. His passing, control, and feel should help deepen the Nuggets’ backcourt, and for a team willing to bet on upside, this is exactly the kind of gamble worth making.
In Other News...
David Adelman Shares What Nuggets Took From Coach Prime Visit
Deion Sanders made a stop at Nuggets training camp practice this week, bringing a little cross-sport energy to a group already settling into its preseason work. David Adelman said the visit mattered because Sanders did not just show up for a photo opportunity, but shared a message the team could take into the grind of the year ahead, the kind of reminder that tends to land when it comes from someone who has spent so much time around high-level competition.
Sanders also singled out Nikola Jokic during the visit, praising the star centers performance and reliability in the biggest moments. For the Nuggets, hearing that kind of respect from one of Colorados most recognizable coaches only adds to the sense that Jokics reputation reaches well beyond basketball, even as Adelman and company continue building toward the season with those outside voices floating through the gym. [Read more 🡒]
Ryan Nembhard Already Has A Sneaky Important Role For Denver
Ryan Nembhard may not be in Denver for the sort of headline-grabbing role that turns heads in October, but he already has a clear job in camp. Coach David Adelman said the guard will be used in practice as a quick, pesky test case, the kind of smaller ballhandler the Nuggets need to handle better as they sharpen their pick-and-roll defense. It is the sort of behind-the-scenes assignment that can matter in a league where so many problems start with a guard getting downhill too easily.
The fit makes plenty of sense after Nembhards performance against Denver last season with Dallas, when he gave the Nuggets trouble as a playmaker and scorer. Denver has been looking closely at how to defend faster guards, and rookie Alpha Diallo has been part of the defensive example the staff wants to lean on. Nembhards role may be temporary and mostly internal, but for a team trying to get sturdier at the point of attack, those reps can carry real weight. [Read more 🡒]
Christian Braun Is Suddenly A Huge Nuggets Question Again
Christian Braun entered Denvers training camp and media day with something to prove after a frustrating season that never quite got on track because of injuries. Even so, there have been promising signs around him early on, and head coach David Adelman has pointed to a player who looks more like the version the Nuggets were counting on before everything went sideways. Brauns renewed burst is especially encouraging for a team that needs more reliable two-way help around its core.
The other part of Brauns appeal is that he is trying to expand beyond the obvious role he already fills, with extra work going into his three-point shooting and ball handling. If those improvements carry over, it could give Denver more lineup flexibility and another way to lighten the load on the backcourt. For a Nuggets team that is always trying to maximize every rotation spot, Braun is suddenly back in the spotlight for more than just being a depth piece. [Read more 🡒]