The Denver Nuggets signed Boopie Miller to an Exhibit 10 contract last week and are positioning to pursue Ryan Nembhard if roster math opens a camp slot. Miller's deal carries the $77,500 waiver bonus structure that typically precedes a G League Grand Rapids assignment. Nembhard, a 6'0" playmaker who averaged 11.9 points and 6.2 assists at Creighton last season, remains unsigned after going undrafted in June.
The sequence matters. Exhibit 10 contracts are non-guaranteed training camp invitations with a severance bonus if the player clears waivers and reports to the team's G League affiliate within 60 days. Denver has 20 players in camp, including three on two-way deals. The Nuggets carry 13 guaranteed contracts plus two-ways, leaving five players competing for the final two-way spot or practice squad positioning. Miller signed August 28; Nembhard's agent has been fielding calls from three Western Conference teams since late August, according to people familiar with the discussions.
Nembhard's file sits on Calvin Booth's desk because the Nuggets need ball-handling depth behind Jamal Murray and Russell Westbrook. Denver ran a 103.8 offensive rating in non-Murray minutes last season, the worst mark among playoff teams. Nembhard posted a 2.62 assist-to-turnover ratio as a senior and shot 37.8% from three on 4.1 attempts per game. He also ran Creighton's pick-and-roll sets at the 87th percentile in efficiency, per Synergy Sports, the kind of processing speed that translates to secondary units. The Nuggets have $4.7 million in remaining cap space but won't guarantee another roster slot unless they see camp value that exceeds the cost of a 15th man on a minimum deal.
Two other factors are in play. First, the Nuggets' G League affiliate, the Grand Rapids Gold, needs a floor general after losing last season's assignment guards to overseas contracts. Nembhard on a two-way would give Grand Rapids a lead creator while keeping him in the Denver system, which matters for midseason call-ups when Murray or Westbrook miss time. Second, the Nuggets have rotation concerns at backup center if Zeke Nnaji doesn't develop, which could push them toward signing a veteran big on a minimum deal instead of rostering a third point guard. That would close Nembhard's pathway unless Denver waives Miller and converts the Exhibit 10 into a two-way for Nembhard directly.
The other teams monitoring Nembhard are Portland, which has two open two-way slots, and Utah, which runs a developmental pipeline through its Salt Lake City affiliate. Portland has been quiet since adding Deni Avdija and Donovan Clingan in trades; Utah just signed Taevion Kinsey to an Exhibit 10 and is evaluating backcourt depth behind Keyonte George. Both teams have stronger G League-to-roster conversion rates than Denver over the last three seasons, which gives them recruiting leverage if Nembhard is choosing between two-way offers.
Watch for roster moves in the next 10 days before training camp opens September 25. If Miller gets waived before camp, Nembhard likely signs the same deal structure. If Miller makes it to camp, Nembhard's timeline stretches to late October after preseason cuts. The Nuggets also have an open practice squad slot that could become Nembhard's landing spot if another team claims him on waivers, though that requires coordination between front offices that rarely talk.
Denver has used 12 different ball-handlers in the last two seasons due to injury coverage. Nembhard's agent knows the number.