Alpha Diallo Left Millions on the Table to Sign With Nuggets

The Denver Nuggets struck a deal over the weekend with EuroLeague star Alpha Diallo to come to the Mile High on a one-year, $1.4 million deal— effectively bringing on a new piece to the rotation in hopes of bolstering their perimeter defense.

And it seems like in Diallo's arrival to the NBA for what will be his first year pro in the States, he took on a big-time pay cut to make it happen.

Alpha Diallo Took Big Paycut to Make the Jump to NBA

Per BasketNews' Donatas Urbonas, Diallo had left "millions on the table: in going from overseas to the NBA because of the deal he had on the table with Dubai Basketball.

Overall, Diallo forfeited around $2 million net in order to join the Nuggets, which comes because of the deal he left on the table in Dubai, combined with the taxes he'll be facing as he heads to Denver.

"According to BasketNews sources, the EuroLeague Defensive Player of the Year left millions of dollars on the table by exercising the NBA exit clause in his contract with Dubai Basketball and signing with the Denver Nuggets," Urbonas wrote. "Diallo agreed to a one-year veteran minimum contract with the Nuggets worth approximately $1.4 million. After taxes, his net earnings are expected to be near $700,000."

By giving up such a large sum of money, it's a major statement coming from Diallo as to why he's deciding to join Denver. Rather than looking to maximize his payday, he wants to maximize his opportunity.

Diallo, at 29 years old, will be making his first appearance in the NBA this season after coming fresh off of his best campaign in the EuroLeague. He not only posted his highest scoring average of his overseas career, but he also became the league's Best Defender for 2026 by leading the EuroLeague in steals for the year.

Feb 29, 2020; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Providence Friars guard Alpha Diallo (11) reacts after a defensive stop against the Villanova Wildcats during the second half at Wells Fargo Center. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports | USA TODAY Sports

So there was really no better time for Diallo to take the chance of trying to gain some traction in the NBA than now. Those opportunities overseas will be much more available than the 400 or so spots that are in the NBA, and there's no guarantees that he was going to have a better season in the EuroLeague than what he just put together.

Diallo also comes aboard a situation in Denver that will give him a true chance to present his value on the biggest stage in basketball pretty quickly.

Even while he's on a league minimum, he'll be a rotation player down the bench who will get minutes on a nightly basis in hopes of boosting the Nuggets' defensive versatility and helping them rise up from the league's bottom 10 defenses like they have been for the past two seasons.

And of course, Diallo comes aboard a playoff-ready team who's been a consistent force in the NBA for the past several seasons. That also comes with the opportunity of playing with one of the best players of this generation in Nikola Jokic, who's one of the top players in the league at making those around him look better when he's on the floor with them.

If Diallo can capitalize, that can lead to a second contract this time next summer, whether that be in Denver or somewhere else, and the value of that deal could eventually turn into much more than what he was set to get in Dubai.

So it's a risk to pass up on that type of money overseas, but it's calculated. And if this season can be productive for Diallo, that decision can look like a strong one in just a year’s time.

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