The Denver Nuggets are adding DeMar DeRozan because they need another player who can create a credible shot without depending on Nikola Jokić or Jamal Murray to manufacture it for him.
The reported agreement is a one-year contract worth the $3.9 million veteran minimum, according to The Associated Press. Because Denver is making such a small financial commitment, DeRozan does not have to recover his All-NBA peak to make the deal worthwhile. He has to stabilize possessions, punish favorable matchups and give coach David Adelman another late-game option.
That is a useful job for a 37-year-old who still averaged 18.4 points and 4.1 assists over 77 games last season. It is also a narrower job than DeRozan has traditionally held—and accepting that distinction will determine whether the fit works.
DeRozan gives Denver a different kind of creator
The Nuggets’ offense is built around Jokić’s passing and his two-man partnership with Murray. When both are available and controlling the game, Denver can generate advantages through dribble handoffs, post actions, cuts and Murray-Jokić pick-and-rolls.
The problem comes when the first action stalls, Murray rests or an opponent pressures Denver deep into the shot clock. DeRozan remains comfortable creating from a static possession. He can attack a switch, get to his pull-up jumper or draw help before finding a teammate. His NBA shooting profile reflects how heavily his scoring still depends on jump shots and pull-ups rather than three-point volume.
That style does not modernize Denver’s offense. It gives the Nuggets a release valve when their preferred offense breaks down.
DeRozan can also run bench-heavy minutes while Jokić or Murray rests. Denver identified secondary ballhandling and perimeter scoring as needs entering the offseason in its NBA.com draft profile. A minimum contract for an experienced scorer is an inexpensive answer, even if it is not a complete one.
He should not be treated as Peyton Watson’s replacement
The timing invites a misleading comparison. Denver agreed to add DeRozan shortly after sending Peyton Watson to Cleveland in the offseason’s expanded five-team trade, but the two players solve different problems.
Watson supplied length, athleticism and difficult defensive assignments. DeRozan supplies half-court shot creation. Replacing Watson’s minutes with DeRozan’s minutes would make Denver more skilled with the ball but less equipped to contain dynamic wings and guards.
That tradeoff puts more defensive responsibility on Christian Braun, Aaron Gordon and Cameron Johnson. It also argues against assuming DeRozan must start simply because he has started almost every game of his career.
A starting group featuring Murray, DeRozan and three frontcourt players would have considerable playmaking and scoring experience, but Braun’s defense and ability to work without the ball may better complement Jokić and Murray. DeRozan could then become the primary creator for the second unit while remaining available for closing lineups when Denver needs another scorer.
The best arrangement may change by opponent. Against a defense that switches and forces isolation possessions, DeRozan’s shot-making could earn him a closing spot. Against a fast, perimeter-heavy team, Braun’s defense and transition speed may matter more.
Jokić can simplify DeRozan’s job—but spacing remains the concern
Playing beside Jokić should produce easier opportunities than DeRozan had to create for himself in Sacramento. Defenders cannot casually abandon Jokić, Murray or Denver’s cutters to crowd DeRozan’s midrange game. DeRozan’s passing also gives Denver another player capable of finding Gordon on cuts or returning the ball to Jokić after the defense shifts.
The tension is that opponents will still prefer DeRozan taking contested two-point jumpers to Jokić finishing inside or Denver’s shooters taking open threes. DeRozan shot 49.7% from the field last season, according to NBA.com’s report on his Sacramento release, but his shot selection can compress the floor when he does not have the ball.
Denver therefore cannot use him as a stationary spacer and expect the offense to retain its normal shape. He needs purposeful touches, screening actions or cuts. When those touches are not available, lineups around him need enough shooting and defense to absorb his limitations.
The contract makes the experiment sensible
Sacramento released DeRozan in July, turning the six-time All-Star into an unrestricted free agent. Denver is now reportedly getting him for one season at the veteran minimum rather than making a multiyear commitment to an aging scorer.
That changes the standard for judging the signing. DeRozan does not need to become Denver’s third star. If he carries portions of the bench offense, preserves Murray’s workload and wins a few difficult possessions in playoff games, the contract can provide substantial value.
The questions are basketball questions rather than financial ones: Will DeRozan accept a flexible role? Can Denver protect him defensively without overloading Braun and Gordon? Will his midrange creation complement the Jokić offense or interrupt its spacing?
Training camp should answer the first question quickly. The more important answer will arrive when Denver faces a defense capable of disrupting the Murray-Jokić partnership. That is the moment the Nuggets are paying DeRozan to solve.