The Denver Nuggets have emerged as a team to watch in the pursuit of Cam Whitmore, putting a fresh name on a search that now has a real roster deadline behind it. Denver still has one open traditional roster spot, and the front office is weighing whether Whitmore is the player to fill it before the 2026-27 regular season.
Marc Stein reported that the Nuggets are now among the teams worth watching for Whitmore, who was selected 20th overall in the 2023 NBA Draft and is entering his fourth year as a pro. The timing matters because Denver has already filled 14 traditional roster spots after DeMar DeRozan signed his one-year deal, leaving the 15th man job open for one more addition.
That is why Whitmore is on the board now. He is a young, low-cost option with upside, which fits the shape of what Denver needs after losing Peyton Watson, Tim Hardaway Jr., Jonas Valanciunas and Bruce Brown from its bench. The Nuggets do not need a splashy answer so much as someone who can either grow into a rotation role or be a cheap swing that does not block the rest of the roster.
Whitmore’s path to this point has been quick and messy. Marc Stein noted that he was recently waived by Cleveland after the Cavaliers acquired him as part of the five-team megatrade, which means a former first-round pick is once again available without the kind of trade cost that can complicate a late roster move.
That is also where the fit gets interesting. Denver wants depth, but the final spot is not just about filling a jersey. It is about whether Whitmore can give the Nuggets something useful now while still leaving room for development, and that decision may define how the team enters the season more than any other move left on the table.
For Whitmore, the next step is simple even if the outcome is not: stay in the conversation long enough for Denver to make the call. For the Nuggets, the unanswered part is whether interest turns into a deal, or whether that last opening stays open a little longer.
