Nuggets Score 6-Time All-Star DeMar DeRozan on One-Year Deal
Newsweek · C · trust 56/100
0 Share Newsweek is a Trust Project member See more of our trusted coverage when you search. Prefer Newsweek on Google to see more of our trusted coverage when you search. The Sacramento Kings waived DeMar DeRozan in early July to free up cap space and let the six-time All-Star explore another opportunity elsewhere. A SoCal native, there was some optimism that DeRozan could help turn things around in Sacramento when he signed with the franchise two years ago, but after back-to-back losing seasons, that hope quickly fizzled.
Now, the 37-year-old guard will get another chance to compete for an NBA title, this time with the Denver Nuggets . ESPN's Shams Charania reported Friday that DeRozan has agreed to a one-year, $3.9 million deal with Denver, choosing the Nuggets over the Miami Heat, Washington Wizards, and New Orleans Pelicans.
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DeRozan may no longer be the All-NBA player he once was in Toronto or Chicago, but he remains one of the game's best mid-range shooters. Last season with the Kings, he averaged 18.4 points, 4.1 assists, and 2.9 rebounds per game, while shooting 49.7% from the field, 32% from three, and 86.8% from the free-throw line.
It marked the first time since the 2012-13 season that DeRozan averaged fewer than 20 points per game — a testament to his status as one of the purest scorers in league history. He still sits 16th all-time on the NBA's scoring list, with 26,711 career points, and has missed just 10 games over the past two seasons, a remarkable feat as he enters his 18th year in the league.
But amid all his accomplishments, the one thing that's eluded DeRozan is an NBA championship. Now he'll get a shot to compete for one alongside a group that won a title just three years ago.
After losing Peyton Watson to the Cleveland Cavaliers, Denver was in need of another scoring wing, and DeRozan could be the perfect fit. He fits in nicely alongside Jamal Murray, Nikola Jokic, and Aaron Gordon, giving the Nuggets a strong blend of scoring, defense, and playmaking as they look to maximize Jokic's championship window.
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