What Nuggets Should Do With Final Roster Spot for 2026-27 Season

After signing DeMar DeRozan, the Denver Nuggets seem to have their lineup figured out for the 2026-27 season. However, they still have one more standard contract to use, meaning they could add another player before training camp, which starts later this month.

As it stands, the Nuggets have a championship-caliber roster built around three-time MVP Nikola Jokic and All-Star point guard Jamal Murray. Still, we could certainly see them adding another player to round it out. Who, though? Here are the three most obvious scenarios for the Nuggets' final roster spot:

Leave it open

Apr 25, 2026; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Denver Nuggets head coach David Adelman reacts to a call in the second quarter against the Minnesota Timberwolves at Target Center. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Unfortunately for those fans wanting the Nuggets to add another depth piece, the most likely scenario is for them to stand pat and keep the final spot unused.

It is common for teams to go into the regular season with an open roster spot. The Nuggets, especially, are in a position where that could benefit them. As it stands, they are the only team in the NBA in the second apron. This season, they will be striving to get under the dreaded apron and cut down their luxury tax. Keeping a spot open gives them extra flexibility in trades, while saving them the $3+ million that another contract would add to their payroll.

Convert Lonnie Walker IV

Apr 1, 2025; New York, New York, USA; Philadelphia 76ers guard Lonnie Walker IV (16) during the first half against the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The second-most-likely scenario is for the Nuggets to give the final standard contract to Lonnie Walker IV. The Nuggets have already signed the 27-year-old guard to a training camp contract, allowing them to convert him to a standard $3.3 million deal for the 2026-27 season if they feel he is a good fit.

His last NBA stretch came with the Philadelphia 76ers in the 2024-25 season, where he averaged 12.4 points, 3.2 rebounds, and 2.5 assists through 20 games and seven starts. It is no secret that the Nuggets could use some extra guard depth, and Walker IV feels like a good fit for an offensive boost off the bench.

Sign a new point guard

Mar 5, 2026; Denver, Colorado, USA; Denver Nuggets guard Tyus Jones (5) controls the ball against Los Angeles Lakers forward Rui Hachimura (28) in the first quarter at Ball Arena. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The most obvious roster need in Denver is at point guard. Sure, they have All-Star Jamal Murray to lean on, but behind him, they only have Tyus Jones and two-way KJ Simpson. They could certainly stand to use an extra point guard.

The free agency point guard market is grim at this point in the offseason, with notable guys like Gabe Vincent, Cameron Payne, and Nick Smith Jr. as some of the only options left. Fortunately, if the Nuggets do not sign another point guard, DeMar DeRozan can function as a primary ball-handler in the second unit to help Jones.

What should they do?

While it would be great to see the Nuggets bolster their guard depth with a new signing, it feels unlikely. We should expect them to go into the season with just 14 players on standard contracts, but is that really what they should do?

With an uninspiring free agency market, it would be good for the Nuggets to at least keep Lonnie Walker IV on the roster heading into the regular season. Walker IV is talented enough to provide a playmaking and scoring boost off the bench, while still taking some pressure off guys like Tyus Jones and Julian Strawther.

The next best option would be to simply go into the season with an open roster spot, with the hope of improving things down the line, given the extra flexibility. It is hard for the Nuggets to make everyone happy with their final roster spot, but keeping it open gives them the best chance to get below the second apron.

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