Nuggets Sign Marvin Bagley to 1-Year Deal: What It Means

After an extended wait of no activity from the Denver Nuggets in this year's free agency period, the team has finally made its first new signing.

That signing just so happens to be the No. 2 pick from the 2018 NBA Draft, Marvin Bagley III.

According to ESPN's Shams Charania, the Nuggets and Bagley have agreed to a one-year, veteran minimum deal for the 2026-27 season, effectively providing some solid depth in the frontcourt.

Free agent center Marvin Bagley III has agreed to a one-year deal with the Denver Nuggets, sources tell ESPN. A critical frontcourt addition for the Nuggets. pic.twitter.com/enHBVxgfYl
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) July 2, 2026

With Denver's first free agency signing now officially in the books, here's what the move to bring in Bagley might mean for the Nuggets moving forward into free agency and this offseason, as well as entering next season.

Marvin Bagley Brings Frontcourt Depth to Denver's Lineup

Bagley split his time between the Washington Wizards and Dallas Mavericks this past season to put together one of his better years of production in recent memory.

In the 60 combined games he played, Watson averaged 10.5 points, 6.1 rebounds, and 1.4 assists while shooting a career-high 61.8% from the field and 46.2% from three on a little less than one attempt per game.

Bagley's a big who's game centers more around his offensive skillset. He spent most of his time shooting last season at the rim or in the mid-range, shooting a stout 64.1% on two-pointers last season that can bring a bit of an interior presence into Denver's frontcourt.

Mar 27, 2026; Portland, Oregon, USA; Dallas Mavericks forward Marvin Bagley III (35) warms up before a game against the Portland Trail Blazers at Moda Center. Mandatory Credit: Troy Wayrynen-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Defensively, he leaves a little bit more to be desired. And he's still not quite the most impressive three-point shooter, even coming off his most efficient season from deep.

But for the cost of a veteran minimum contract, he acts as a nice budget-friendly addition who can shoulder some of the load offensively, and has shown value as an offensive rebounder as well. It's tough to find much better for the price Denver's paying.

While entering the league slotted in primarily as a power forward, it's been in the past few seasons that Bagley's settled in more as a full-time five; having spent 95% of his minutes during the 2025-26 campaign playing at the five.

That might give you a bit of a hint as to how the Nuggets plan to use him this next season, though they might also have some stretches where he's placed alongside Nikola Jokic at the four for a bit of a larger frontcourt lineup.

The Writing's On the Wall for Jonas Valanciunas

Looking at what Bagley's addition might mean for the Nuggets' current roster, no one in the picture gets more impacted by Jonas Valanciunas.

Valanciunas was Denver's primary backup behind Jokic at the five last season following his trade from the Sacramento Kings, and entered this offseason with an uncertain future because of his contract situation.

The veteran big man has an expiring $10 million contract heading into the 2026-27 season, but one that's not fully guaranteed, giving the Nuggets the opportunity to release him and save $8 million, while incurring a dead cap hit of $2 million that can be stretched over multiple years.

Apr 20, 2026; Denver, Colorado, USA; Denver Nuggets guard Tim Hardaway Jr. (10) and center Jonas Valanciunas (17) react in the first half against the Minnesota Timberwolves during game two of the first round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs at Ball Arena. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Such a move can give the Nuggets further cap flexibility that they'll need this offseason to re-sign key pieces like Peyton Watson and Spencer Jones, which to this point haven't been done, but becomes a bit easier now that Denver can take that next step in pivoting off of Valanciunas.

Perhaps Denver might also look deeper into a trade involving Zeke Nnaji, now that they've got a cheaper option in Bagley that might even sit ahead of him on the initial depth chart. However, it remains to be seen if the Nuggets have any takers on the two years remaining on his contract. To this point, they haven't found anyone to bite.

When factoring in Valanciunas and Nnaji though, Bagley's addition now brings the Nuggets to a total of 10 players signed onto traditional contracts for the 2026-27 season.

That leaves them with four open spots left to utilize in the days and weeks ahead. How they decide to use that space remains to be seen, but at the very least, the Nuggets' long-awaited first offseason signing has now officially come to light.

Sign up for our free Denver Nuggets On SI newsletter, and get breaking Nuggets news delivered to your inbox daily!

Add us as a preferred source on Google