Cam Whitmore Reacts to Nuggets Debut in Preseason Loss to Jazz

Forward Cam Whitmore has taken a winding road to the Denver Nuggets, and on Sunday evening he finally got to play in a Denver uniform.

Houston drafted him 20th overall in 2023, he was traded to Washington in July 2025, and this summer he was dealt to Cleveland and then waived before he ever played a game there.

Denver signed him to a two-way contract on Sept. 18, and in the preseason opener against the Utah Jazz at the CU Events Center in Boulder, he showed a little of why the team took the chance.

The Jazz won 109-97 after building a 63-52 lead at halftime, and Denver played without guard Jamal Murray, who sat out for personal reasons, and forward Spencer Jones, who has a hamstring strain.

Forward Lauri Markkanen led Utah with 17 points in 14 minutes, while forward Julian Strawther led the Nuggets with 14 points.

Whitmore came off the bench and played 15 minutes, scoring six points on 2-of-7 shooting.

Both of his made shots were threes, and he added two rebounds and an assist without a turnover, which is a solid first night for a player trying to win a job.

After the game, Whitmore told Altitude's Noah Reed that the night was a good start and that the team is building chemistry on and off the court.

When Reed asked about his mindset, Whitmore said the shots will be there and that he trusts his teammates to get him involved, but he said his first priority this year is to "get on the floor and play some defense," in a clip shared by Altitude.

That is the right answer, and it is the same thing his coach has been asking for.

Head coach David Adelman said after the first practice of camp that Whitmore has to simplify his game, drive the ball to the basket and pick up defensively, according to the Denver Gazette, and Adelman also called his athletic profile incredible.

Whitmore has heard that early praise from his coach, but on a team with title hopes, it is defense that earns a spot in the rotation, and Whitmore seems to understand that.

Whitmore is a low-risk addition with real upside, since he averaged 10.5 points per game across his first three NBA seasons, and his time in Washington was cut short when a blood clot in his shoulder ended his season in December.

Denver lost forward Peyton Watson in the summer trade that also sent Whitmore to Cleveland, so the Nuggets could use another wing who is willing to defend.

On a two-way deal, Whitmore can be active for no more than 50 regular-season games unless his contract is converted, so every preseason night is a tryout.

Adelman wants a 10-man rotation to start the year, and Whitmore is one of the players who could earn minutes if others fall short.

The Nuggets visit Utah again on Tuesday at the Delta Center, and the regular season starts Thursday, Oct. 22, at Oklahoma City.

If Whitmore keeps hitting threes and backs up his talk on defense, he will be hard for Adelman to keep out of the rotation.