The Nuggets’ uncertain Peyton Watson situation could open the door to a very different kind of move, and one veteran name keeps surfacing: DeMar DeRozan.
Denver and Watson are reportedly still far apart in contract talks, and the possibility of a sign-and-trade appears to be growing. If that path is the one the Nuggets end up taking, they may look to turn the loss into a broader roster reshuffle - one that brings back a better backup point guard and frees up another spot for a player who can help fill Watson’s role in a different way.
That’s where DeRozan comes in.
The Nuggets have reportedly been interested in the six-time NBA All-Star since the Sacramento Kings waived him, and ClutchPoints’ Brett Siegel recently reiterated that Denver could pursue the veteran wing. “The Nuggets hold interest in signing veteran swingman DeMar DeRozan to a minimum contract, sources said,” Siegel wrote on Friday.
The catch is obvious: DeRozan and his camp are said to be looking for more than a minimum deal, while Denver’s offer would be limited to exactly that. Even so, the chance to chase a title could give the Nuggets a real shot at luring him in.
DeRozan wouldn’t give Denver the same defensive package Watson does. That part of Watson’s game is a different animal. But the Nuggets already have Alpha Diallo, Spencer Jones, and Trevon Brazile among their other forwards, so they may not need another defense-first option in that spot.
What DeRozan would bring is offense, and plenty of it. He’s older and less versatile than Watson, and the 23-year-old’s three-point shooting and above-the-rim driving give Denver a different look. But DeRozan would also come at a far cheaper price, and he’d give the second unit something it could use right away: a steady scorer who can handle the ball and set up teammates.
Last season in Sacramento, DeRozan put up 18.4 points, 2.9 rebounds, and 4.1 assists per game while shooting 49.7% from the field. He has scored at least 16 points per game in each of the past 16 seasons, and at 37, he’s still producing at a level that suggests there’s more left in the tank.
If Denver can pull that off, the bench would look noticeably stronger. The roster still needs more help in the guard rotation, though, and that part of the equation matters just as much. The Nuggets signed Lonnie Walker IV to a reported training camp deal, and he could end up being the last piece if he makes the team.
The ideal version of this offseason for Denver would be simple enough: land DeRozan, keep Walker, and use a Watson sign-and-trade to bring in a point guard. That wouldn’t solve every issue, but it would give the Nuggets a much better second unit than the one they’re currently staring at.
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The Clippers are believed to be exploring ways to land Watson through a sign-and-trade, with a broader multi-team framework discussed around the league. Denver has not confirmed any deal and is still focused on a future with Watson in place, which leaves the Nuggets balancing immediate roster needs against the possibility of turning a young wing into a very different kind of return. [Read more 🡒]
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The fit questions are just as easy to see, though, and that is where the debate gets interesting. Simmons has been away from the league, and his offensive limitations would have to be weighed against whatever he could add in a smaller role. Denver also does not have a lot of room to maneuver, with one traditional roster spot left and the possibility that it is already spoken for, so any pursuit would have to be measured against the bigger bench picture the Nuggets are trying to solve. [Read more 🡒]
Nuggets Could Face A Peyton Watson Decision Fans Wont Like
The market for starting wings has a way of tightening fast, and Peyton Watson has quietly become one of the names worth watching because of it. Cleveland entered free agency with Jonathan Kuminga as the cleaner fit, but his price has pushed the Cavaliers to widen the search, and Watson has emerged as a possible alternative if the numbers do not break their way.
For Denver, that matters because Watson is exactly the kind of young, switchable piece teams circle when they are trying to reshape a roster on the fly. Any deal would likely have to come through the sign-and-trade lane, and with the Nuggets managing apron concerns, a move like that becomes easier to imagine than it would be for a team with more flexibility, especially if Cleveland keeps exploring player and draft compensation to make the framework work. [Read more 🡒]