DeMar DeRozan is heading to Denver. The six-time All-Star has agreed to a one-year deal worth $3.9 million with the Nuggets, per ESPN. At 37, DeRozan passed on interest from the Miami Heat, Washington Wizards and New Orleans Pelicans to sign with Denver – a team built around the most complete player in the game.
Why Jokić and DeRozan actually make sense
The pairing is more interesting than it looks on paper. Nikola Jokić works best with players who can operate off the ball, make quick decisions in the mid-range, and punish defenses that concentrate entirely on the big man. DeRozan’s mid-range game is one of the most reliable in basketball history – floaters, pull-ups, step-backs from 15 feet. That skillset becomes more valuable, not less, when defenders cannot afford to leave him and simultaneously stop Jokić.
The $3.9 million contract makes the risk nearly nonexistent. If DeRozan produces at even 60 percent of his historic rate, Denver gets a genuine scoring option at a minimum salary. That is an exceptional return on investment for a roster that needed another proven scorer in the frontcourt rotation.
Denver’s cautious summer, and what this adds
The Nuggets have drawn criticism for a relatively quiet offseason after a first-round playoff exit. The Peyton Watson trade to Cleveland reshaped the roster slightly, but the core questions around depth and wing scoring were not addressed at the headline level. DeRozan does not solve every problem – he is 37, coming off a year that saw his scoring average dip – but he adds a legitimate scoring floor that the Nuggets previously lacked on the perimeter.
Playing 25 to 28 minutes a night next to Jokić, averaging 15 to 18 points on efficient mid-range shooting, DeRozan can be a meaningful contributor without demanding a heavy organizational role. At this price, Denver can afford to find out.
The Jokić question hanging over everything
There is an unavoidable context here. Nikola Jokić enters the final guaranteed year of his current deal, holding a player option for 2027-28, and could reach free agency as soon as next summer. The Nuggets have been notably quiet about their plans to retain him, and the franchise has done little this offseason to clearly signal it is building around him long-term.
A one-year deal for DeRozan hedges against that uncertainty. If Jokić stays, Denver has added value around him. If he leaves, the $3.9 million commitment disappears cleanly. The structure is rational even if the larger picture remains unresolved. Sources: ESPN, NBA.com
