Nuggets Reportedly Want Ryan Nembhard: Why Denver Is Eyeing the Waived Ex-Mavericks Guard

Every NBA offseason has a few quiet moves that end up mattering more than the headline trades, and this one might be shaping up as exactly that. Ryan Nembhard, the undrafted 5’11” guard who surprised people as a rookie in Dallas, is suddenly available after a whirlwind summer, and the Denver Nuggets are reportedly first in line to sign him. It’s not a blockbuster. It’s the kind of small, smart, low-cost gamble a contender makes when it has one obvious hole and a superstar center who can make almost any passer look good.

The reference for this story is The Sporting News’ report on the Nuggets’ interest, and this piece pulls together what we know, what it would mean for Denver’s roster, and whether the fit actually makes sense. If you’re also following the NFL, our recent breakdown of what’s wrong with Drake Maye and the Patriots’ turnover problem is worth a read, and you can find everything else we publish on the MediaAtLife homepage.

Who Is Ryan Nembhard?

Nembhard is a 23-year-old point guard who went undrafted in 2025 out of Gonzaga. He comes from a basketball family and plays like it: he’s a pass-first guard with quick hands, good vision and a knack for changing speeds. At 5’11” he’s small by NBA standards, which is a big reason he slipped through the draft, but he’s spent his whole career proving that size doesn’t have to be a dealbreaker for a smart playmaker.

He signed a two-way contract with the Dallas Mavericks after the draft and gradually earned more responsibility. He appeared in 60 games as a rookie, started 27 of them, and in those starts averaged 9.4 points, 2.9 rebounds and 6.8 assists per game while shooting 44.2% from the field and 40.4% from three, according to Sports Illustrated’s Nuggets coverage. Those are efficient numbers for a young guard who was asked to run an offense, and they helped him earn a standard multi-year NBA contract on February 28, 2026.

That’s a fairly rare path. Undrafted guards who begin on two-way deals and end the year on a real contract don’t come along every summer, and the rise is a big reason teams around the league noticed when his name hit the transaction wire.

How He Ended Up on the Market

The reason Nembhard is available at all is a chain of offseason moves that has bounced him around quickly. Dallas sent him to Atlanta as part of a three-team deal that also brought Zaccharie Risacher to the Mavericks and sent Luguentz Dort back to the Hawks from Oklahoma City. Then Atlanta packaged him with Buddy Hield and cash in a trade to Charlotte for Dorian Finney-Smith. According to reporting from ESPN’s Ohm Youngmisuk and Shams Charania, the Hornets planned to waive Nembhard right away, largely to manage their offseason roster count, and they made that official on Saturday.

If he clears waivers, Nembhard becomes an unrestricted free agent, and that timing lines up with the first day of Denver’s training camp on Tuesday. As Yardbarker noted, he could end up on his fourth team of 2026 alone if the Nuggets sign him. That’s an unusual amount of movement for a player who was arguably the most promising young guard on the Mavericks’ roster last season, and it says more about the mechanics of salary matching than about his talent.

Why Denver Is Interested

The Nuggets’ interest is not really a mystery. According to NBA insider Marc Stein, Nembhard was expected to draw multiple suitors on two-way deals, and Denver was among the most prominent. Several outlets, including Heavy and Sports Illustrated, have described the Nuggets as the most likely destination.

The logic starts with the roster. Denver’s backup point guard situation is thin. Tyus Jones and KJ Simpson are the two options behind the starters, and neither is a natural creator who can consistently take pressure off Nikola Jokic. A team built around the best passing big man in the league needs guards who can move without the ball, hit open shots and make quick decisions. Nembhard is a good fit for all three.

There’s also the financial angle. Heavy described the contract as a bargain, and Yahoo’s headline put the figure around $2 million. For a team that hasn’t had a splashy offseason and is still trying to contend with Jokic, adding a cheap, high-upside guard is an efficient way to improve depth without touching the salary cap in a meaningful way.

The Roster Puzzle in Denver

The tricky part is where he’d actually fit. The Nuggets’ three two-way slots are already occupied by KJ Simpson, Bryce Hopkins and Cam Whitmore, so adding Nembhard would require a move. Sports Illustrated has laid out two realistic paths.

Option one: use the last standard contract spot. If Denver has one open, it could offer Nembhard a real deal and keep all three current two-way players. That gives him the most security and lets him compete for a rotation spot in training camp, but it also uses a valuable roster slot.

Option two: waive KJ Simpson for a two-way slot. SI has called this the “painfully obvious” move. Simpson, 24, averaged 7.8 points, 3.0 rebounds and 3.1 assists as a rookie with Charlotte, and that was enough to earn the Nuggets’ interest last season. But Nembhard’s rookie numbers were stronger, and the roster fit is nearly identical. Swapping one for the other is a lateral move on paper that could turn into an upgrade.

A third possibility is a training camp deal, which would let Denver evaluate him without committing to a spot. If he outplays the other guards, the roster decision becomes easy. If he doesn’t, the cost of trying is minimal.

What Nembhard Brings on the Court

Set the roster math aside and look at how he plays. Three things stand out.

Playmaking. He averaged nearly seven assists per game as a starter, and he does it without taking a lot of risks. He’s comfortable running pick-and-roll, he sees the floor well and he keeps the ball moving. That’s exactly the profile that thrives next to Jokic, who prefers teammates who cut, space and make quick decisions.

Shooting. A 40.4% mark from three in his starts is a strong number, especially for a young guard. If it holds up, it makes him a legitimate threat off the ball, and it gives Denver more spacing around Jokic’s post-ups and dribble handoffs.

Craft. Scouts describe him as shifty, meaning he changes direction quickly and uses angles to get to his spots. That helps a smaller player get into the lane and create for others, and it’s part of why he’s been able to produce despite his size.

The Defense Question

The main concern is defense. Sports Illustrated raised the obvious question: do the Nuggets want another point guard who can be picked on at that end? At 5’11”, Nembhard will be targeted in switches and post-ups, and opposing offenses will hunt him in the playoffs.

To be fair, SI also noted he’s not as bad on defense as his size would suggest. That’s a fair reading, though there’s a ceiling on what any undersized guard can do against bigger players, and Denver’s defense has already been a talking point in recent seasons.

That’s part of why a low-risk deal makes sense. If he can hold up well enough in a limited role, the offense he provides is worth it. If opponents exploit him, Denver hasn’t invested much in finding out.

How He Could Fit Next to Jokic

The pairing with Jokic is the most exciting part. Denver’s offense revolves around a center who is also the primary playmaker, so the ideal guard alongside him is someone who can move without the ball, knock down catch-and-shoot threes and make good decisions in the flow of the offense. A pass-first guard who is happy to trade the ball for a better shot fits that mold.

It’s also worth noting how Nembhard would help the second unit. When Jokic sits, the Nuggets need someone who can keep the offense organized. A guard who can run a pick-and-roll and keep turnovers low is valuable in that role, and Nembhard’s track record as a young starter suggests he can do it.

A Whirlwind Year: Three Teams in a Summer

It’s worth pausing on how strange Nembhard’s 2026 has been. In roughly a year he’s gone from an undrafted free agent to a two-way player, then a standard-contract guard, and then a piece in offseason trades that touched three franchises. Being traded so quickly after earning a real contract isn’t a comment on his ability. It’s a side effect of how teams use young players with modest salaries as matching pieces in larger deals.

For Nembhard, though, the constant movement isn’t ideal. Young guards benefit from continuity: the same coaches, the same system, the same teammates. Every move resets that clock. If Denver signs him, it would be a chance for him to settle in with a team that has a clear identity and a stable core, which is something few players in his position get.

What the Nuggets Have Been Doing This Offseason

The Nuggets’ summer has been relatively quiet. Outlets covering the team have described it as a modest offseason for a franchise that still expects to compete for titles with Nikola Jokic. That context matters, because it explains why a small move like this one has drawn so much attention. When a contender doesn’t land a major addition, the fringe of the roster becomes the place to find value.

Denver has already used its two-way slots on KJ Simpson, Bryce Hopkins and Cam Whitmore, so this isn’t a team with a lot of open spots. That’s why the reports have focused on trade-offs rather than simple additions. Any deal for Nembhard means giving something up, whether that’s a roster spot or a player on the fringe.

Why Two-Way Depth Matters for Contenders

Two-way contracts have become one of the most important tools for contending teams. They allow a club to keep extra young players in the pipeline without using standard roster spots, and they give coaches a way to develop guards and wings who might grow into rotation players. For a team like Denver, which has limited cap flexibility, the ability to find useful players on two-way deals is a real competitive advantage.

Nembhard is a good example of what that can look like. He began his career on a two-way deal, earned his way onto a standard contract and produced as a starter. A team that can find another player like that at low cost is essentially adding a rotation-caliber piece for the price of a roster experiment.

The Bigger Picture for Denver’s Backcourt

The Nuggets’ backcourt has been a topic of discussion for a while. They have proven veterans and a handful of young players trying to earn minutes, but no single guard has locked down the backup role. Adding Nembhard wouldn’t solve every issue, but it would create real competition, and competition tends to sharpen a roster.

If Nembhard comes in and outplays the current options, Denver gets an immediate upgrade. If he doesn’t, the team can go back to its existing plan with little lost. That asymmetry, small downside and meaningful upside, is why so many analysts have described the potential signing as a smart, low-risk move.

What Would Success Look Like?

For a player like Nembhard, success in Denver wouldn’t mean becoming a star. It would mean being a reliable, efficient backup who makes good decisions and helps the second unit stay organized. A few benchmarks would define that:

• Assist-to-turnover ratio. His value comes from creating for others without giving the ball away.
• Three-point percentage. Holding something near his 40% mark would make him a real spacing threat.
• Defensive positioning. He doesn’t have to be elite, but he can’t be a liability that costs the team possessions.
• Chemistry with Jokic. The best backup guards for Denver have been the ones who understand how to play off him.

If he checks most of those boxes, he’d have a real chance to hold a rotation spot for years.

Buy or Sell?

Sports Illustrated ran a “Buy or Sell” column on the rumor, and the broad conclusion was that it would be great to give Nembhard a chance and see how he performs in training camp. That seems like the right approach. The Nuggets don’t need him to be a star. They need him to be a reliable backup who can space the floor and make simple plays.

On the “buy” side: he’s young, cheap and productive, and his skill set matches what Denver needs. On the “sell” side: the roster is crowded, the defensive concerns are real, and it’s fair to ask whether adding another small guard solves the team’s biggest problems.

How Nuggets Fans Are Reacting

Reaction among Denver fans has been a mix of curiosity and caution. Some are excited about adding a young playmaker with good shooting numbers, and they see a natural fit next to Jokic. Others worry that the team is stacking the same type of player at the same position and that the defensive cost could show up against physical playoff opponents.

There’s also a group that simply wants to see more from the front office this offseason. When a team has a championship-caliber core but doesn’t make a major move, every smaller decision draws extra scrutiny. In that sense, Nembhard has become a symbol of a larger question: can Denver find enough incremental improvements to keep pace with the rest of the West?

What If the Nuggets Miss Out?

It’s worth remembering that this isn’t guaranteed. Reports said Nembhard was expected to have multiple suitors, and other teams with two-way openings could make competing offers. If Denver’s roster math gets complicated, or if another team offers a clearer path to minutes, Nembhard might choose somewhere else.

That wouldn’t be a disaster for the Nuggets. They’d still have Tyus Jones and KJ Simpson as backup options, along with the rest of their young players, and they could look for other ways to add guard depth as camp unfolds. But losing out would mean giving up a chance to add a productive player at almost no cost.

Timeline and What Comes Next

As of now, the move is still a report rather than a done deal. Nembhard needs to clear waivers, and then he has to agree to a contract. Training camp begins Tuesday, so decisions will come quickly. If Denver does sign him, expect the team to announce it soon after camp opens, and expect a corresponding roster move if the deal involves a two-way slot.

Even if it falls through, it’s a useful reminder of how NBA teams build rosters at the margins. A contender with a superstar and limited cap flexibility can’t afford to waste depth spots, and finding a productive young guard for close to the minimum is the kind of move that can separate a good bench from a great one.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who is Ryan Nembhard? A 23-year-old, 5’11” point guard who went undrafted in 2025 out of Gonzaga and became a productive rookie with the Dallas Mavericks.

Why was he waived? Charlotte acquired him in a trade with Atlanta and planned to waive him, largely to manage its offseason roster limit.

Which team wants to sign him? The Denver Nuggets, according to Marc Stein and multiple other reports.

What did he average as a starter? In 27 starts, he averaged 9.4 points, 2.9 rebounds and 6.8 assists per game, shooting 44.2% overall and 40.4% from three.

Would he be a two-way or standard player? It’s unclear. Denver could use its last standard spot, sign him to a two-way contract by waiving another player, or start with a training camp deal.

Is the deal official? No. As of this writing, it is reported interest.

Is defense a concern? Yes. His size will be tested, though he isn’t considered a liability by all evaluators.

The Bottom Line

Ryan Nembhard is exactly the kind of player a contender should be interested in: young, cheap, skilled and available. The Nuggets reportedly want him because he fits the offense around Nikola Jokic and because they lack a proven backup point guard. The obstacles, a full roster and a defensive question mark, are real but manageable.

If Denver pulls the trigger, this won’t make national headlines for long. But if Nembhard plays the way he did in Dallas, it could turn out to be one of the more useful additions of the offseason.

Sources: The Sporting News, Sports Illustrated, Yahoo Sports, Heavy, EssentiallySports/Yardbarker, ESPN. Statistics and reports are as published by those outlets.