The Denver Nuggets may have just changed the temperature around DeMar DeRozan’s free agency - and, with it, cooled down the dream of a Raptors reunion.
After the multi-team deal that sent Peyton Watson to Cleveland, Denver suddenly has a clear need on the wing and in the frontcourt. That kind of late-summer scramble usually leaves fewer attractive options on the board, but one name still sits near the center of the conversation: DeRozan.
NBA insider Chris Haynes said on X: “ 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.”
Denver has already been connected to interest in the 37-year-old, with the Washington Wizards and Miami Heat also mentioned. But the Raptors angle has been the one that keeps popping up this summer, especially after Toronto made another nostalgic move by trading for Kawhi Leonard once again. That naturally fueled the idea that DeRozan could follow the same path and return for a sentimental finish.
It’s easy to see why that storyline has appeal. DeRozan remains one of the biggest names in Raptors history, and there’s still a layer of emotion attached to how his Toronto run ended after the original 2018 Kawhi Leonard trade caught him off guard. A reunion would carry real meaning for both sides, even if it would be more about the final chapter than the peak years.
But the practical fit matters too, and Denver may offer more of that. DeRozan could walk into a meaningful role there, either as a bench weapon or as another creator in the offense. Given the Nuggets’ depth issues and the injuries they dealt with last season, there’s even a path for him to start.
Toronto, by contrast, feels more like a sentimental destination than a clean basketball fit. The Raptors are operating in a very different system now, and that old version of the team is long gone. Kawhi Leonard still feels like the more natural throwback fit.
That said, Denver’s fit isn’t perfect either. DeRozan doesn’t solve the Nuggets’ defensive concerns, and he isn’t the kind of dependable three-point shooter they could really use. Still, with few strong alternatives left, Denver may be the most aggressive team in the mix.
In the end, it comes down to what DeRozan thinks is best for the last stretch of his career.
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That lingering uncertainty mattered again when the Clippers and Raptors discussed a future Leonard return to Toronto, only for the deal to stall amid the unresolved investigation. For the Raptors, the appeal of revisiting a familiar star came with an obvious risk attached, and until the league finally closes the book on the matter, any Leonard-related path remains a complicated one. [Read more 🡒]