One Veteran the Nuggets Could Still Sign Before Opening Night

The Denver Nuggets roster could be trending pretty close to the final version that we'll see heading into opening night come time for October.

When adding up the Nuggets' current roster, their two recent signings of Tyus Jones and Marvin Bagley, both of Peyton Watson and Spencer Jones who are likely returnees, and their 35th-overall pick of Trevon Brazile, that leaves Denver with 14 traditional roster spots filled up ahead of next season.

Barring any further moves and potential trades, that leaves the Nuggets with one more roster spot to utilize. Denver has limited flexibility in terms of cap space, but with a championship-level roster ready to head into next season, they could still have a situation that's able to lure the right free agent onboard to a one-year veteran minimum deal.

And if they were interested in adding that final touch to the roster via free agency in the days and weeks ahead, there's one name still left up for grabs that could make sense for the Nuggets to pursue: that's eight-year veteran guard Gary Trent Jr.

Why Gary Trent Jr. Should Be on the Nuggets' Radar

While the Nuggets have remained quiet thus far in free agency, they have faced one key departure within their second unit as Tim Hardaway Jr. signed to the Miami Heat on a one-year, $6.5 million deal.

Free agent sharpshooter Tim Hardaway Jr. has agreed to a deal with the Miami Heat, sources tell ESPN. pic.twitter.com/XUU03NO7O0
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) June 30, 2026

That's a big hit to the Nuggets' scoring production in the second unit. Hardaway Jr. was in the running for Sixth Man of the Year during his one season in Denver as a great off-the-ball weapon and three-point sniper that'll be missed as a key part of this rotation.

Finding a serviceable replacement on the wing with a comparable skillset to Hardaway's would be worth looking into on the market for a cheap deal. Of the names left up for grabs, Trent Jr. could be a strong fit to help fill those minutes in the second unit.

Last season with the Milwaukee Bucks wasn't exactly his best. He played 65 games to average 8.1 points on 36.0% from three, both of which were some of his lowest numbers since his rookie year back in 2019.

However, he was stuck in a less-than-ideal situation with a dysfunctional Milwaukee roster, and was also left to less than 22 minutes a night–– also his lowest average since his first year in the league.

Jan 27, 2026; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Milwaukee Bucks guard Gary Trent Jr. (5) reacts after a score against the Philadelphia 76ers during the second quarter at Xfinity Mobile Arena. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Trent is only entering his age-28 season, though. So there's a good chance that a team like the Nuggets can bring out a bit of a career resurgence out of the veteran guard to key back into his role as a perimeter shooting threat and reliable presence off the bench.

With a poor season in the rear-view mirror as well, that could be exactly what the Nuggets could need to plug him into their cap sheet on a bit of a discounted rate, and try and strike gold on a veteran minimum contract, as they did with Hardaway Jr.

Depending on how the market develops surrounding Trent Jr., and whether or not another team is willing to offer more than the Nuggets are able to, remains to be seen. If someone's willing to fork over a larger deal or sign Trent on via their mid-level exception, then Denver might be out of luck to bring him over to the Mile High.

However, if he is willing to sign on for a veteran minimum with the Nuggets to try to pair up with a playoff-level supporting cast led by Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray, it could be a perfect fit for both sides entering next season, and for Denver, provide a much-needed boost to their second unit.

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