Reporter: Cai Houwei / Comprehensive Report

　　After being released by the Sacramento Kings, six-time All-Star DeMar DeRozan, 37, wasted no time finding a new home. According to ESPN's Shams Charania, DeRozan is signing a one-year, $3.9 million veteran minimum contract with the Denver Nuggets, where he'll team up with Nikola Jokić and Jamal Murray in pursuit of a championship.

　　Over the past two seasons with the Kings, DeRozan averaged a steady 20.3 points, 4.3 assists, and 3.4 rebounds. But Sacramento's cap crunch forced their hand—after trade talks stalled, they cut him loose. His 2026-27 salary of $25.7 million had only $10 million guaranteed, making him a free agent.

　　Once on the market, DeRozan drew interest from the Heat, Wizards, and Pelicans. Miami's Bam Adebayo, in fact, was calling him all summer. But when the Heat pivoted to pick up the recently bought-out Klay Thompson, and the Nuggets shipped young wing Peyton Watson to Cleveland in a multi-team deal, DeRozan's arrival neatly filled their need for a forward rotation piece and a secondary ball-handler.

　　Last season, DeRozan played 77 games (missing just five), shooting nearly 50% from the field while averaging 18.4 points and 4.1 assists. He's played at least 70 games in each of the last five seasons—his durability and skill level remain impressive.

　　He's not just a secondary playmaker alongside Jokić and Murray. When Jokić sits, DeRozan can take over the second-unit offense—long considered the Nuggets' Achilles' heel. His elite isolation scoring and mid-range game should stabilize a bench that's often gone cold.

　　Sure, his outside shooting (career 32.5% from three) doesn't exactly mesh with Denver's typical spacing-and-movement system. But head coach David Adelman is expected to mix things up, using DeRozan alongside Cameron Johnson and Aaron Gordon to form a savvy, veteran frontcourt.

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