Six-time All-Star DeMar DeRozan joins Nuggets, comes off bench in preseason
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The gist
Six-time All-Star DeMar DeRozan signed a one-year, $3.9 million veteran minimum deal with Denver in August.
He had started every NBA game since his rookie year, so his bench role is the story to watch.
Background
DeMar DeRozan is a 37-year-old six-time All-Star guard-forward who spent the last two seasons with the Sacramento Kings, where he led the team in scoring. The Kings waived him in early July, and he signed with Denver for his 18th NBA season on a one-year, $3.9 million veteran minimum deal. He has started every NBA game since his rookie year — 1,250 and counting between regular season and playoffs — and had come off the bench only 12 times in his career, all in that rookie season. The Nuggets' bench was depleted after the Peyton Watson sign-and-trade, which ESPN cites in grading the signing.
How it unfolded
- Aug 21, 2026DeRozan joins the Nuggets on a one-year, $3.9 million veteran minimum deal.
- Oct 14, 2026DeRozan gets Wednesday night off for rest.
- Oct 16, 2026He is available for the preseason game against the Lakers in Los Angeles, coming off the bench while Trevon Brazile starts in Aaron Gordon's (rest) stead; DeRozan posts a 14/1/5/1/2 line.
- Oct 19, 2026After the last preseason game against the Lakers, DeRozan is asked what it's like to play with Jamal Murray and Nikola Jokic.
Who’s saying what
- Analysts
- ESPN's free-agency grades say DeRozan presumably signed knowing he'd likely be asked to come off the bench, calling him a midrange master with considerable defensive limitations who could be a somewhat clunky fit.
- Expert
- Denver Post columnist Keeler writes that if DeRozan lands somewhere between Russell Westbrook and Jeff Green, that's perfect, because coach David Adelman needs efficient, reliable scoring, another coach on the floor and a big brother off it.
- Party
- DeRozan himself says he does not think it's a challenge to play with Murray and Jokic.
Still unverified
Reports said Miami, Denver, Cleveland and Washington expressed interest in DeRozan during free agency, with Portland also mentioned; NBA insider Marc Stein reports the Trail Blazers are not pursuing him. ESPN's Shams Charania reports the Wizards have been in contact with DeRozan recently, and Yahoo! Sports' Kelly Iko reports DeRozan hoped to "accelerate" his departure from Sacramento.