Jan 19, 2025; Sacramento, California, USA; Sacramento Kings forward DeMar DeRozan (10) reacts to a missed shot against the Washington Wizards during the fourth quarter at Golden 1 Center. Mandatory Credit: Ed Szczepanski-Imagn Images
Jan 19, 2025; Sacramento, California, USA; Sacramento Kings forward DeMar DeRozan (10) reacts to a missed shot against the Washington Wizards during the fourth quarter at Golden 1 Center. Mandatory Credit: Ed Szczepanski-Imagn Images | USA TODAY Sports via Reuters Connect
The Denver Nuggets haven’t exactly had an amazing offseason thus far. Most recently, they were part of a five-team deal in which they sent Peyton Watson to the Cleveland Cavaliers. Shortly after that move, the Nuggets signed DeMar DeRozan to a contract. But DeRozan shouldn’t distract from the fact that Denver is in as bad a place as it's been in years.
Ever since the Nuggets won the championship in 2023 – literally, the summer right after – their entire goal has been to manage the payroll. They don’t want to hand out massive contracts, they aren’t afraid to let people walk, and they certainly don’t want to be above the second apron. The Nuggets have been more about money than winning.
Replacing Watson with a bigger name like DeRozan shouldn’t fix the fact that the Nuggets have been trending downward for years. The Watson trade is merely the latest example.
DeMar DeRozan shouldn't distract from Nuggets' Peyton Watson mess
DeRozan is a fine player. He’s a better ball-handler and creator than people give him credit for, and he should help the Nuggets with their shot creation outside of Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray.
But he’s firmly in the twilight of his career. DeRozan is 37 years old and his best basketball is almost certainly behind him. He can play a role for the Nuggets, but he’s not the All-Star he once was.
In reality, DeRozan may not even start for the Nuggets next year. Murray, Christian Braun, Cameron Johnson, Aaron Gordon, and Jokic may make the most sense as the starting lineup.
Regardless, DeRozan signing with the Nuggets should not distract from just how bad the Nuggets have run things since the title in 2023. All they’ve done is try to shed money.
Even in the Watson deal, getting rid of him to duck under the second apron may have made some sense, but the return the Nuggets got back just wasn’t good enough.
All they received was a 2031 first, a 2032 second, and Julian Reese, who was waived. And to make matters worse, the Nuggets didn’t even get fully below the second apron in the deal.
That’s perhaps the biggest problem of all. Denver made this deal to try to shed money, and the Nuggets still aren’t under the second-apron mark that they want to be under.
Michael Porter Jr. was moved with a pick attached to get cheaper. Even in the case of Bruce Brown and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope – two guys who didn’t play well outside of Denver – the moves were made with money on the mind.
The Watson trade is merely the latest in a string of money-first, win-later moves, and signing DeRozan does not take away from that.
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