Nembhard Brings Proven Playmaking to Denver

Ryan Nembhard’s Rookie Breakout Gives Denver a Proven Two-Way Point Guard

Written by Logan Dykhouse

Ryan Nembhard is back on a two-way contract, but he returns to the designation in a different position than he occupied a year ago.

The Denver Nuggets agreed to a two-way deal with the 23-year-old guard after Charlotte waived him late in September. Denver released KJ Simpson to create the opening.

As an undrafted rookie in Dallas, Nembhard started 27 games, led all rookies in assists per game and played his way from a two-way contract onto a standard deal.

Nembhard Went Undrafted Despite Elite College Playmaking

As a senior at Gonzaga, Nembhard led Division I with 9.8 assists per game while averaging 10.5 points and shooting 40.4% from three. Still, his 5-foot-11 frame remained a major question throughout the draft process, and he went undrafted in 2025.

Dallas quickly signed him to a two-way contract. He barely played in October, then missed eight games with a left knee sprain in November. When he returned Nov. 24 against Miami, he immediately recorded seven assists in 17 second-half minutes.

Dallas’ Guard Problems Opened the Door

Kyrie Irving was still recovering from knee surgery, while Dallas rotated through D’Angelo Russell, Brandon Williams and even Cooper Flagg as primary ball handlers.

Nembhard’s first NBA start came Nov. 28 against the Lakers. He scored 17 points on 7-for-11 shooting in 23 minutes, giving Dallas its first extended look at what his college playmaking could become against NBA defenses.

Three nights later, he produced the game that changed his rookie season.

His Best Game Came Against Denver

On Dec. 1, Nembhard scored a career-high 28 points and added 10 assists without a turnover in a 131-121 win over the Nuggets. He shot 12-for-14 from the field and 4-for-5 from three, becoming the first undrafted rookie in the modern draft era to record at least 25 points and 10 assists with zero turnovers.

Denver also got a firsthand look at him opposite one of its own two-way success stories, Spencer Jones. Jones scored 28 points for the Nuggets that night.

Nembhard followed with 15 points and 13 assists against Miami two days later. Across 13 December games, he averaged 9.2 points and 6.8 assists while shooting 48% from the field.

His Rookie Season Was Not Completely Linear

Nembhard’s early breakout did not turn into a straight climb.

Dallas had to manage the 50-game active limit attached to his two-way contract, and his last NBA appearance before being converted came Feb. 5. After the conversion, Williams emerged as another backup option, Flagg handled more creation and Nembhard occasionally became difficult to play against larger lineups.

At 5-foot-11, he can be targeted defensively, and Dallas gave him multiple DNPs during March when matchups worked against him.

The offense remained useful. Nembhard finished with 316 assists against only 85 turnovers, while shooting 35.6% from three.

Dallas Converted Him to a Standard Contract

Dallas waived Tyus Jones on Feb. 28 and signed Nembhard to a two-year standard deal with a team option for 2026-27. At the time, Nembhard was averaging 9.9 points and 6.1 assists across 17 starts while shooting 44.4% from three.

The 23-Assist Finale

Nembhard finished the season with 15 points, nine rebounds and 23 assists against Chicago on April 12.

The 23 assists set a Mavericks record for a regulation game and broke Jason Kidd’s franchise rookie mark. It also tied Jamaal Tinsley for the fourth-most assists by a rookie in NBA history.

Nembhard finished his rookie year averaging 6.6 points, 5.3 assists and 2.2 rebounds in 19.5 minutes across 60 games. His 5.3 assists led all rookies.

Two Trades Changed His Situation Quickly

Dallas appeared prepared to keep him, exercising Nembhard’s team option on June 29. Less than three weeks later, he was gone.

On July 19, Dallas sent Nembhard to Atlanta as part of a three-team trade that brought Zaccharie Risacher to the Mavericks. Atlanta received Nembhard and Lu Dort, while Oklahoma City received three second-round picks.

Then on Sept. 22, Atlanta traded Nembhard, Buddy Hield and cash to Charlotte for Dorian Finney-Smith. Charlotte waived Nembhard four days later, putting him back on the market only three months after Dallas exercised his option.

What Nembhard Brings to Denver’s Guard Room

Denver already has Jamal Murray and Tyus Jones, so Nembhard does not need to arrive as a full-time rotation point guard. His immediate value is giving the Nuggets another true organizer behind them.

Nembhard plays quickly without usually playing recklessly, sees passing windows early and can run an offense without needing a high shot volume. His 3.7-to-1 assist-to-turnover ratio as a rookie reflects the control that made him effective in Dallas.

Playing around Nikola Jokić could allow Nembhard to lean further into his decision-making. Denver can use him as a secondary creator, injury replacement or change-of-pace guard without asking him to become a scorer.

The concern remains defense. Denver now has two undersized point guards behind Murray in Jones and Nembhard, and Nembhard’s size can create difficult matchups. His path to consistent minutes will depend on whether his playmaking creates enough offensive value to offset that limitation.

Denver Knows the Two-Way Pathway Can Work

Nembhard is joining an organization that recently converted a two-way player into a legitimate rotation piece.

Spencer Jones began last season on a two-way before starting 34 of his first 46 games and earning a standard deal in February. Denver then re-signed him to a multiyear contract this offseason.

Nembhard has already followed a similar path once in Dallas. Denver now gives him another opportunity to do it.

A Deep Two-Way Room in Denver

Nembhard joins Cam Whitmore and Bryce Hopkins in a two-way group with three different profiles.

Whitmore brings explosive scoring and athleticism on the wing. Hopkins offers size, rebounding and physical finishing as a developmental forward. Nembhard supplies the traditional point-guard element neither player naturally provides.

The combination gives Denver scoring upside, frontcourt size and a proven playmaker across its three contracts. On the Two Way Talents team rankings, the Nuggets currently have the sixth-best two-way contract room in the league.

Nembhard is technically back where his NBA career started: on a two-way contract. But he is not starting over.

He has already started NBA games, earned a standard contract and set a franchise assist record. Denver is not asking whether Ryan Nembhard can make the jump from two-way player to NBA player. He already has. Now he gets the chance to make it again.