DeMar DeRozan agrees one-year move to Denver Nuggets

Lead

DeMar DeRozan has agreed terms on a one-year contract with the Denver Nuggets, giving the club a six-time NBA All-Star addition ahead of the new season. Source 1Source 2Source 3 The 37-year-old arrives after Sacramento waived him in early July, with one report describing the deal as a $3.9 million veteran-minimum agreement. Source 3Source 4

What happened

Reports from HoopsHype and NBA.com on 21 August said DeRozan had signed with Denver, while the reported agreement is for one season. Source 1Source 2 The move follows a period in which DeRozan was unsigned after his Sacramento departure. Source 3 Sacramento had acquired him from the Chicago Bulls in a 2024 sign-and-trade before waiving him in July 2026. Source 3

Denver’s interest had intensified after it traded forward Peyton Watson to the Cleveland Cavaliers, according to Sports Illustrated. Source 3 DeRozan had been linked with other teams, but reportedly opted for Denver because of the prospect of a prominent role alongside Nikola Jokic. Source 4 The reported salary is the veteran minimum, with the cited figure standing at $3.9 million. Source 4

Why it matters

DeRozan brings substantial experience to Denver as a six-time NBA All-Star, and his most recent game log shows a player who was consistently in the starting group. Source 3Source 5 He made 77 appearances during the 2025–26 season, with every listed appearance recorded as a start. Source 5 That record gives the Nuggets a recent body of evidence for his regular involvement, rather than merely a reputation built on earlier seasons. Source 5

The same match log includes a 41-point, 11-assist performance, illustrating that his recent output has included both high-volume scoring and playmaking. Source 5 Those elements are directly relevant to the role DeRozan was reportedly seeking beside Jokic. Source 4Source 5 The one-year structure also makes clear that the commitment announced so far is limited to a single season. Source 1Source 2

Denver’s pursuit gained momentum after the Watson trade, making DeRozan the veteran addition linked to that change in the club’s roster picture. Source 3 The agreement therefore connects Denver’s roster reshaping with a player whose latest season included 77 starts and a notable scoring-and-assist display. Source 3Source 5

What’s next

The immediate basketball question created by the agreement is how Denver will use DeRozan in the prominent role alongside Jokic that was reported as part of his appeal in choosing the Nuggets. Source 4 His 2025–26 record supplies a clear reference point: he started all 77 of his listed appearances and delivered at least one game with 41 points and 11 assists. Source 5

For now, the reported deal establishes Denver as DeRozan’s next team after his release by Sacramento and confirms a one-year term. Source 1Source 2Source 3 The move also follows the Nuggets’ Watson trade, which was identified as the development that sharpened their interest in DeRozan. Source 3

Notes

The signing itself is supported by reports from both HoopsHype and NBA.com. Source 1Source 2 The reported $3.9 million veteran-minimum figure comes from a social-media report and should be treated as reported contract information rather than a detailed breakdown of the agreement. Source 4 Sports Illustrated’s account of Denver’s interest was published before the signing reports and provides context on the Watson trade and DeRozan’s Sacramento exit. Source 3