DeMar DeRozan officially signs with Nuggets

DeRozan joins the Nuggets after spending the past two seasons with the Sacramento Kings. Sacramento waived him on July 6, making the 37-year-old a free agent after guaranteeing $10 million of his $25.74 million salary.

The veteran averaged 18.4 points, 4.1 assists, and 2.9 rebounds while shooting 49.7% from the field across 77 games last season. He now enters his 18th NBA campaign with 26,711 career points, which ranks 16th on the NBA’s all-time scoring list.

DeRozan and Denver initially reached an agreement August 21, but Tuesday’s transaction log formally recorded the signing. Multiple outlets have reported that DeRozan received a one-year veteran’s minimum contract worth approximately $3.9 million.

The Nuggets’ second-apron status limited what the team could offer an outside free agent. Denver added DeRozan after sending restricted free agent Peyton Watson to the Cleveland Cavaliers in a sign-and-trade that brought the team an unprotected 2031 first-round pick and a 2032 second-round pick.

DeRozan gives Denver another proven half-court scorer and playmaker without requiring significant financial flexibility. The Nuggets’ second-apron restrictions limited them to a minimum contract for an outside free agent, making DeRozan an affordable addition to their rotation.

The signing brings the Nuggets to 14 total guaranteed contracts ahead of the 2026-27 season. DeRozan also arrives with a strong durability record, having played at least 60 games in every season of his career.