Nuggets add strong big, sign former second overall pick

The Denver Nuggets’ first move of the offseason is here and it’s a big one — in the nature of who’ve they’ve signed.

Free agent center Marvin Bagley III has agreed to a one-year deal with Denver, ESPN’s Shams Charania reported Wednesday night. The deal is for a veteran minimum contract.

It’s a move that directly addresses a long Nuggets need — who plays behind Nikola Jokic? Last year the answer was Jonas Valanciunas, who did admirably, but Denver is expected to waive him to save money against the luxury tax and he seems to have something lined up in Europe. Inking Bagley tells us the writing is indeed on the wall with Valanciunas.

Enter the 27-year-old Bagley. The former No. 2 overall pick split 2025-26 between Washington and Dallas, averaging 10.5 points and 6.1 rebounds per game in about 20 minutes of action a night. He went to the Mavericks in the Anthony Davis trade. He shot a blistering 46% from three on low volume and showed improved defensive chops — a far cry from the “bust” label that trailed him out of Sacramento after they passed on Luka Doncic to take him.

Bagley gives the Nuggets something they need (and did not have on the roster last season) pic.twitter.com/I0RfEGwonO

— Ryan Freemyer (@RFreemyer) July 2, 2026

I flagged Bagley as a top free agent target on Shapiro and Piro this week. He’s got good feet, he’s a capable scorer and he should hold his own on defense. Those are the tools that made him so coveted out of Duke and have kept him in the league for 349 games despite his Odyssey-like journey as a pro.

Bagley may have had an up-and-down career thus far but he’s coming off a truly productive season that was lost because it was for some bad teams. Still, the big market has been hot as free agency has opened and many capable centers, like Bagley, signed for much more money.

The signing comes as the Nuggets look to bounce back from a first-round exit against Minnesota. Even though the team built their depth last year and it was some of the best of the Jokic era, they’re having to re-build that bench all over again with many expected departures.

Bagley has played both the four and the five in the pros. He could be the long-wanted guy who can both play behind Jokic and with the three-time MVP. Aaron Gordon has done a good job of that but Denver will be looking to take as many minutes off the key forward’s legs as possible. Denver also slipped big-time rebounding the ball last year and Valanciunas was already one of the team’s top glass-cleaners. Getting Bagley to snag some boards will be huge for a Nuggets team that circled size and athleticism as needs and have now hit on it both during the NBA Draft and with their first signing of the summer.

Look for Bagley to run with DaRon Holmes II, or Trevon Brazile in a two-big frontcourt off David Adelman’s bench.

It’s also worth noting that Bagley, like Peyton Watson, is a Klutch client — another link to LeBron James, who has been tied to the Nuggets.

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