DeMar DeRozan's Media Day Comments Make It Clear Why Nuggets Signed Him

The Denver Nuggets did not have the ideal offseason, with no real indication that they actually improved after suffering a first-round playoff exit, but that does not mean they lacked good moves. Sure, letting Peyton Watson go might've been a mistake, but they immediately followed it up by signing six-time All-Star DeMar DeRozan to a veteran minimum contract.

For a Nuggets team looking to get back into championship contention, having an experienced veteran and potential future Hall of Famer like DeRozan coming off the bench feels like a cheat code. Especially when he makes it clear that his priority is to help the Nuggets win.

"My mindset is to win," DeRozan said during media day. "Go out there and compete. Be myself. Go out there, help this team in whatever way possible to win, compete. At the end of the day, I love basketball. ... Me going out there to do whatever I need to do to win, that's all I care about."

While DeRozan has not had much playoff success throughout his 17-year career, with seven playoff appearances, four playoff series wins, and one conference finals appearance, nobody should think he is not capable of helping this Denver team compete for a title.

Even though he is gearing up to come off the bench for the first time since his rookie season, DeRozan is ready to take on any role necessary to help the Nuggets win. That is why they signed him

Stepping into a playmaker role

Of course, anytime you can get a player of DeRozan's caliber on a low-risk deal feels like a no-brainer, but there are still some reasonable concerns with bringing him in. The 37-year-old forward is not the defender or three-point shooter that Denver wishes he were, but he will be an extra valuable scorer and playmaker in the Nuggets' second unit.

Feb 11, 2026; Salt Lake City, Utah, USA; Sacramento Kings guard/forward DeMar DeRozan (10) stares down Utah Jazz forward Jaren Jackson Jr. (20) during the first half at Delta Center. Mandatory Credit: Peter Creveling-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Before the DeRozan signing, there were worries about the Nuggets' bench, with a lack of ball-handlers, playmakers, and scorers. Luckily, DeRozan can provide all of that, as he talked about during media day.

"I mean, my whole career I've had the ball in my hands, had to initiate offense. Throughout my career, I've always that a priority of mine, the importance of taking care of the ball, being a playmaker. I've always felt that's been a part of my game that's been underrated and underappreciated," he said about being a ball-handler for the Nuggets. "For me, I'm all for it. Whatever I can do to take pressure off Mal [Jamal Murray] and big fella [Nikola Jokic]."

The Nuggets will need DeRozan this season. Sure, some people might view it as a nice signing that will help out the bench, but this was a seriously meaningful move that could save the Nuggets' championship hopes.

DeRozan's leadership and ball-handling alone are two obvious reasons why the Nuggets signed him this summer, and everything he said during media day made the move clearer.

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