NBA

Nuggets, Kessler Edwards Agree To One-Year Contract

Denver Nuggets, Kessler Edwards Agree To One-Year Contract

The Denver Nuggets and free agent forward Kessler Edwards have agreed to a one-year deal, league sources told HoopsHype’s Michael Scotto on Tuesday.

Denver reportedly offered Edwards a non-guaranteed Exhibit 10 deal, per Vinny Benedetto of The Denver Gazette. An Exhibit-10 contract can be converted into a two-way deal before the regular season.

However, Edwards is no longer eligible for a two-way contract because he recently completed his fourth year in the league. For him to stay put in Denver, he would have to sign a standard NBA contract.

Kessler Edwards Set To Enter Fifth NBA Season

Edwards, who turned 25 on Saturday, was selected 44th overall by the Brooklyn Nets in the 2021 NBA draft out of Pepperdine University.

The 6-foot-8 wing spent nearly two full seasons with Brooklyn before the Nets dealt him to the Sacramento Kings for David Michineau at the February 2023 trade deadline.

Edwards then joined the Dallas Mavericks on a two-way contract in August 2024. The California native has appeared in at least 36 games in each of his past four NBA seasons.

In 40 games (18 starts) with the Mavs last season, he averaged 4.2 points, 2.9 rebounds, 1.1 assists, and 15.2 minutes per contest while shooting career bests of 49.6% from the field, 40.7% from deep, and 92.3% at the foul line.

Edwards Played Well On An Injury-Riddled Mavs Squad

With several key frontcourt players sidelined for Dallas, Edwards averaged 8.7 points, 4.6 rebounds, 1.8 assists, and 24.8 minutes per night from February 10 to March 19.

Edwards started in 14 of 16 games during that stretch before reaching his two-way games played limit.

In 178 career NBA regular-season games (45 starts) for Brooklyn, Sacramento, and Dallas, he has averaged 3.6 points, 2.2 rebounds, and 12.7 minutes per contest while shooting 42.8% from the floor and 36% from 3-point range.

Per Spotrac, the Nuggets are carrying 14 players on guaranteed standard contracts, meaning Edwards could potentially make the team as the 15th man.

However, Denver is already operating above the tax line and may decide to keep that spot open to start the season. Edwards is no longer eligible for a two-way contract.

Nuggets Offseason Moves

Denver has made several interesting moves this summer, including signing veteran guards Tim Hardaway Jr. and Bruce Brown. The Nuggets also received big man Jonas Valanciunas from the Sacramento Kings in a trade in exchange for center Dario Saric.

In a cost-cutting move, Denver traded Michael Porter Jr. and an unprotected 2032 first-round pick to the Brooklyn Nets for forward Cameron Johnson.

While both players have two years remaining on their contracts, the Nuggets are able to get off Porter’s contract, which has $38.3 million due in 2025-26 and $40.8 million in 2026-27.

Johnson will make $21 million this coming season and $23 million the following campaign.

In addition, the Nuggets fired head coach Michael Malone and general manager Calvin Booth back in April. David Adelman was then named the interim head coach before he was promoted to head coach in May.

Ben Tenzer is currently listed as Denver’s interim general manager.