The Denver Nuggets are already lining up their replacement options after losing Peyton Watson in the 2026 offseason.
Denver could not afford to re-sign Watson and negotiated a sign-and-trade with the Cleveland Cavaliers and LA Clippers, where they received two picks back instead of losing him for nothing.
The hopeful title contenders in Denver need to address this major shortcoming at forward for next season, and the answer might be a 37-year-old former All-Star who is sitting in free agency.
Denver Nuggets looking at DeMar DeRozan as emergency replacementWith Watson’s restricted free agency dragging out till the third week of August, the Nuggets have little time to sign a replacement and are looking at DeMar DeRozan as that option, according to Chris Haynes.
“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.”
DeRozan averaged 18.4 points and 4.1 assists last season with the Sacramento Kings, but was waived this offseason as the franchise focuses on a rebuild without the 37-year-old.
DeRozan has made one playoff appearance in the 2020s, a first-round appearance with the Chicago Bulls in 2021. Outside of that season, DeRozan has not been tested in the postseason for a long time.
Photo by Scott Taetsch/Getty ImagesNikola Jokic’s playmaking prowess could help a scorer like DeRozan be impactful, but there will be questions around DeRozan’s ability as an off-ball outside shooter next to Jokic, Jamal Murray, and Aaron Gordon.
Should the Nuggets target DeMar DeRozan?The Nuggets don’t really have any elite wing options they can look at on the open market right now. Even trying to trade an existing wing like Cam Johnson with their newly acquired picks likely won’t lead to a tangible on-court upgrade at this point in the offseason.
DeRozan’s style of play isn’t similar to any wing in the Jokic-Murray era, as his mid-range-heavy style seems incongruent with the spaced-out Nuggets offense with Jokic as the primary hub.
The Nuggets right now have a wing rotation that will feature Johnson and Spencer Jones, with the latter costing Denver over $20 million in luxury tax penalties on a $6 million contract.
There is a depth problem on the Nuggets across the necessary backups on the roster, so adding DeRozan as someone who could play minutes at three positions might be very valuable.
Losing Watson and signing DeRozan in 2026 is definitely a downgrade, with Watson’s 3-and-D skillset complementing the Nuggets perfectly.
However, the Nuggets can’t find quality like DeRozan in free agency or on the trade market at this point, so signing him for a minimum might be value they can’t find anywhere else.
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