Apr 5, 2026; Sacramento, California, USA; Sacramento Kings guard DeMar DeRozan (10) walks on the court before the game against the LA Clippers at Golden 1 Center. Mandatory Credit: Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images
Apr 5, 2026; Sacramento, California, USA; Sacramento Kings guard DeMar DeRozan (10) walks on the court before the game against the LA Clippers at Golden 1 Center. Mandatory Credit: Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Thanks to Nikola Jokic and the Denver Nuggets' overall success over the last few years, Denver has become a destination for veterans to come and chase a ring. Two years ago, it was Russell Westbrook. Last year, it was Tim Hardaway Jr. Both of those veteran signings worked out well for the Nuggets despite their earlier-than-wanted playoff exits. Both players were finalists for the NBA's Sixth Man of the Year award. Can lightning strike for a third time with their DeMar DeRozan signing? The Nuggets hope so.
Westbrook, the only person ahead of Jokic on the all-time triple-doubles list, had an amazing season off the Nuggets bench, scoring 13.3 points and dishing 6.1 assists over 27.9 minutes. He slashed to the rim for easy layups from amazing Jokic passes, and kicked out his own passes from the paint to find the open player for a three.
Hardaway averaged 13.5 points, but shot a career-high 40.7% from the three-point range while also making a career-high 224 of them while playing 26.6 minutes. He finished in third place for the Sixth Man of the Year award.
DeMar DeRozan can replicate that same success
There's no reason that DeRozan won't be able to replicate that same success and give the Nuggets one of the top options off the bench in the entire league. He's averaged 21.1 points for his career. Sure, it would be an adjustment for DeRozan, who has started every game of his career outside of a dozen in his rookie year, but he could actually thrive in that role.
DeRozan has been playing against starters for his entire career. This would be the first time DeRozan could come in and use his shot-creation skills against other second units. And DeRozan would still be able to play as the high-usage on-ball creator. He's definitely the best scorer on the Nuggets bench, and the non-Jokic minutes would be in good hands scoring-wise for once.
The knock on DeRozan is his defense, or lack thereof. But that was the knock on Hardaway as well. As long as DeRozan is putting up more points than he's allowing, then it's all good. But he could have a lot of help defending the perimeter thanks to the Nuggets' addition of Alpha Diallo, the EuroLeague Defensive Player of the Year. Diallo could take the best wing out of the equation.
DeRozan should have every chance to be the third veteran in a row to excel off the bench for the Nuggets, and he'll likely flourish as the sixth man.
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