What happened?
Denver Nuggets reshaped their roster this offseason, acquiring veteran scorer DeMar DeRozan while sending young wing Peyton Watson to the Cleveland Cavaliers. The moves signal a win-now approach as the franchise looks to maximize Nikola Jokic's prime years. Losing Watson creates financial flexibility but removes a key two-way contributor from the 2025-26 squad that secured the No. 3 seed in the West.
Why it matters for Denver Nuggets
The Nuggets now sit as the league's only team above the salary cap's second apron, forcing difficult roster construction decisions. Adding DeRozan, 37, brings instant offense averaging 21.1 points per game career-wide, but sacrifices the floor-spacing Watson provided. Watson shot 41.1% from three on double the volume last season, a loss of perimeter gravity that could impact Jokic's efficiency in the paint.
What comes next?
Denver's front office can now theoretically use the unprotected Cavaliers draft pick acquired in the Watson trade to target different talent. Jamal Murray and Aaron Gordon remain valuable trade chips alongside Jokic, but the Nuggets must navigate the second apron constraints to build around their core. The team's continuity from their 2023 championship run faces its toughest test yet in a reshaped Western Conference.
Last result: Minnesota Timberwolves 110-98 Denver Nuggets (2026-05-01). Recent form (last 5): 2W-0D-3L (LLWWL, most recent first); lost the last 2. Denver Nuggets will rely on the mastery of three-time MVP Nikola Jokic and elite continuity to navigate a difficult path through the Western Conference standings. The franchise's pair of moves this week - dealing forward Peyton Watson to the Cleveland Cavaliers and signing veteran guard DeMar DeRozan to a one-year deal - define this offseason's philosophy. Adding the 37-year-old DeRozan, a 21.1 points per game scorer throughout his career, replaces the scoring punch Denver lost but at the expense of floor-spacing around Jokic. Watson shot 41.1% from 3-point range last season on nearly double the volume of DeRozan's 2025-26 with the Sacramento Kings. The Nuggets are currently the league's only team above the second apron, forcing creative roster construction to escape luxury tax penalties. Zach Kram's grade: Nuggets earn 'D' for Watson sign-and-trade. Losing Watson means the Nuggets don't get to reap the long-term rewards of developing him from a raw reserve into a bona fide contributor. Amid a host of failed draft picks in the 25-40 range over the last half-decade - Jalen Pickett, Julian Strawther, Hunter Tyson, Bones Hyland - Watson was the one standout, and Denver clearly missed his two-way ability in its shocking playoff loss to the injury-ravaged Timberwolves last spring. Now the Cavaliers will benefit, because they were able to create enough financial wiggle room to dip below the second apron and add Watson, while the Nuggets were not. The Nuggets' draft pick compensation is sufficiently enticing that this deal isn't an unmitigated disaster. Now the Nuggets, who didn't have any tradeable firsts before Wednesday, can theoretically use this unprotected Cavaliers pick to trade for a different player. From Ben Golliver's offseason lessons piece: Denver is clinging to the status quo. Jamal Murray and Aaron Gordon, Denver's most obvious trade chips, appear to be more valuable alongside Jokic than they would be for most outside suitors. Not making a trade is preferable to making a bad trade. Although it's frustrating to watch years pass without advancing past the first round, the front office believes maintaining chemistry outweighs the risk of standing pat. The Nuggets' draft compensation provides some consolation, but the loss of Watson's defensive versatility leaves a noticeable gap in a rotation that already struggled to contain Minnesota's balanced attack. Denver will look to DeRozan's veteran presence to stabilize second-unit scoring, but the trade-off in perimeter spacing could dictate whether the Nuggets repeat as Western Conference contenders or fall further in the playoff bracket.
