Story perspectives

Nuggets Sign DeMar DeRozan to $3.9M Deal

8/22/2026

Summary

Story summary

Denver Nuggets signed six-time All-Star DeMar DeRozan to a one-year, $3.9 million contract.
DeRozan was waived by Sacramento after his $25.7 million deal left $10 million guaranteed.
He averaged 18.4 points, 4.1 assists and 2.9 rebounds last season, shooting 49.7%.
The deal adds $2.45 million to Denver’s payroll, about $4 million above the second apron.
DeRozan joins core of Nikola Jokic, Jamal Murray and Aaron Gordon to boost bench scoring.

History

Historical Context

The NBA introduced its first salary cap in 1984, capping team payrolls at $3.6 million and reshaping contract negotiations across the league. The 1984 collective bargaining agreement, negotiated by NBA Commissioner David Stern and the Players Association, set a $3.6 million ceiling and a 7% annual increase. Today, Denver’s $2.45 million addition for veteran DeMar DeRozan mirrors the cap-driven strategy teams employ to balance star cores with affordable bench talent. This pattern pressures franchises like the Nuggets to navigate the apron limit, influencing future roster construction and potential collective-bargaining revisions.

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Story summary

Denver Nuggets signed six-time All-Star DeMar DeRozan to a one-year, $3.9 million contract.
DeRozan was waived by Sacramento after his $25.7 million deal left $10 million guaranteed.
He averaged 18.4 points, 4.1 assists and 2.9 rebounds last season, shooting 49.7%.
The deal adds $2.45 million to Denver’s payroll, about $4 million above the second apron.
DeRozan joins core of Nikola Jokic, Jamal Murray and Aaron Gordon to boost bench scoring.

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