League sources told Hoopshype’s Michael Scotto on Tuesday that Denver Nuggets and free agent forward Kessler Edwards have agreed to a one-year contract.
Denver reportedly offers Edwards a non-guaranteed exhibition 10 deal Vinny Benedetto of Denver Gazette. Before the regular season, the Exhibition 10 contract can be converted into a two-way deal.
However, Edwards is no longer eligible for a two-way contract, as he recently completed his fourth year in the league. To keep him in Denver, he will have to sign a standard NBA contract.
Kessler Edwards to enter his fifth NBA season
Edwards turned 25 on Saturday and was ranked 44th by the Brooklyn Nets at the 2021 NBA Draft at Pepperdine University.
The 6-foot-8 United team headed to the Sacramento Kings for the February 2023 trade deadline and spent nearly two full seasons in Brooklyn.
Edwards then joined a two-way contract with the Dallas Mavericks in August 2024. The Californian has played at least 36 games in the past four NBA seasons.
In 40 games last season (18 games), he averaged 4.2 points, 2.9 rebounds, 1.1 assists and 15.2 minutes of games while shooting 49.6%, 40.7% in Deep and 92.3% in the foul line.
Edwards excels in the injured Mavericks
From February 10 to March 19, Edwards averaged 8.7 points, 4.6 rebounds, 1.8 assists and 24.8 minutes per night as several key frontcourt players lined up next to Dallas.
Edwards started 14 of 16 games in that match before reaching his two-way game limit.
In 178 professional NBA regular season (45 games) in Brooklyn, Sacramento and Dallas, he averaged 3.6 points, 2.2 rebounds and 12.7 minutes per game while scoring 42.8% from the field and 36% from three-point shooting.
According to SpotRac, the Nuggets are carrying 14 players, meaning Edwards has the potential to make the team the 15th person.
However, Denver is already operating on the tax line and may decide to open the site to start the season. Edwards no longer qualifies for a two-way contract.
Nuggets’ offseason moves
Denver has taken some interesting moves this summer, including signing veterans Tim Hardaway Jr. and Bruce Brown. The Nuggets also received big man Jonas Valanciunas from the Sacramento Kings in exchange for center Dario Saric.
In a cost-cutting move, Denver traded Michael Porter Jr. and exchanged forward Cameron Johnson for the Brooklyn Nets’ first-round draft pick in 2032.
While the two players have two years left for a contract, the Nuggets can get rid of Porter’s contract, which has a contract of $38.3 million, which should expire in 2025-26 and $40.8 million in 2026-27.
Johnson will make $21 million this season and $23 million in the following campaigns.
Additionally, the Nuggets fired head coach Michael Malone and general manager Calvin Booth in April. David Adelman was appointed interim head coach before being promoted to head coach in May.
Ben Tenzer is currently listed as Denver’s interim general manager.
