Nuggets Could Pursue Ryan Nembhard If Hornets Waive Him

Denver has emerged as a leading candidate to sign guard Ryan Nembhard on a two-way deal should Charlotte part ways with him, per Marc Stein.

The Denver Nuggets have picked up their roster activity recently after a quiet start to the offseason, adding Boopie Miller on an Exhibit 10 deal Tuesday after landing Cam Whitmore on a two-way contract. Those moves followed the arrivals of DeMar DeRozan, Marvin Bagley III, and Lonnie Walker IV.

Guard Ryan Nembhard could be next on Denver's radar. Marc Stein of the Stein Line reports that the Nuggets are a leading option among teams expected to pursue the 23-year-old on a two-way contract if the Hornets release him. Stein noted that Nembhard scored 28 points with 10 assists in a game at Denver as a rookie and dished out 23 assists against Chicago in the season finale.

Charlotte acquired Nembhard, along with Buddy Hield and cash, from the Atlanta Hawks on Tuesday in a deal that sent forward Dorian Finney-Smith to Atlanta. Dallas had traded Nembhard to the Hawks in July. He went undrafted but appeared in 60 games with 27 starts for the Mavericks, posting averages of 6.6 points, 2.3 rebounds, and 5.3 assists across 19.5 minutes.

If Denver lands him, playing time would be difficult to find in a backcourt that also includes Murray, Braun, Jones, Strawther, Simpson, DeRozan, Walker, and Miller. The Nuggets are seeking additional depth following the departures of Watson, Hardaway, Valanciunas, and Brown.