Julian Reese’s run in Denver ended almost as quickly as it began.
The Nuggets acquired the 6-9 big man from Washington in the Peyton Watson deal, but the two-way move was never built to last. On Friday, Denver made it official and waived Reese off the contract, sending him back into free agency with camp now about a month away.
Shams Charania had already flagged the plan when the trade was announced: “The Wizards also are sending Julian Reese to the Nuggets, who will waive Reese off his two-way deal.”
Reese, 23, is now looking for his next stop after a winding start to his pro career. He spent four years at Maryland, where he put up 11.1 points and 7.6 rebounds per game, then went undrafted in 2025. From there, he moved through the Lakers Summer League, a Toronto Exhibit 10 deal and the Raptors 905 before Washington brought him in on a two-way contract in late February.
The Wizards actually gave him a real look. Reese appeared in 13 games and made 10 starts, averaging 11.8 points, 10.5 rebounds, 1.8 assists and 1.4 steals in 30.9 minutes per night. He had 18 and 20 against Utah, then later posted 26 and 17 against the Jazz in a performance that helped end a 16-game losing streak.
His G League numbers were quieter: 41 games, 8.7 points and 7.4 rebounds. Still, Washington had enough of a read on him to draft Felix Okpara and treat Reese as movable.
Denver, meanwhile, never really had room to keep him. Two-way money does not count against the cap, and the Nuggets were sitting above the second apron.
That made Reese an easy piece to park, then cut, and the move opened a two-way slot for someone else. KJ Simpson and Bryce Hopkins now occupy Denver’s other two-way spots, and Reese never got a chance in orange.
There is at least one clear selling point for the next team that takes a look: the rebounding. Reese averaged 4.2 offensive rebounds in his Wizards minutes, which works out to 4.9 per 36. For a team hunting dirty-work size, that’s a useful calling card.
He’s also part of a unique family note with Angel Reese. The two became the first brother-sister duo to record a 20-rebound game in the NBA and WNBA, and both did it as rookies.
That clip will keep circulating. It just didn’t buy Julian Reese a roster spot. For now, the bad news is straightforward: Denver used him as a temporary piece, Washington used him as a starter during a tank, and Reese has to find a third landing spot before October with 13 NBA games on his résumé and no two-way contract left in Denver.
In Other News...
Wizards Suddenly Have A Two-Way Problem They Didn't See Coming
The Wizards went into the summer thinking they had at least one two-way spot settled after signing Jamir Watkins, a useful add for a roster still trying to sort out its young depth. Instead, that part of the plan unraveled almost immediately, and the back end of Washingtons roster has become one more item for the front office to manage as camp approaches.
Julian Reeses departure in the Tre Mann deal opened up another lane on the two-way chart, leaving Washington with a vacancy it likely has to address soon. Reece Beekman is among the players who could come into the conversation, and the Wizards will now have to weigh not just talent, but availability and fit after a summer that changed the outlook of that group in a hurry. [Read more 🡒]