DeMar DeRozan became the big name signing for the Denver Nuggets this offseason to bring some more experience and additional scoring skill to the roster and one of DeRozan's great strengths is his ability to play multiple positions, functioning well as a shooting guard, small forward or power forward. 

Positional versatility is a great thing to have at your disposal and with DeRozan's skills, he'll likely be getting significant minutes as a second option at either of those slots, if not a starter in one.

But because he can play so many positions and will demand so many minutes, there are a few players who might have to worry about their own time on the court being taken to accommodate DeRozan. 

Looking at the Denver roster as it stands today, the two players who most likely have to worry about losing their playing time are Julian Strawther and Alpha Diallo, with Strawther still being a young role player despite making improvements last season and Diallo, while having an impressive career overseas, is unproven in the NBA itself. 

Strawther has played three seasons with the Nuggets, but has made some improvements the last two seasons as his role has been somewhat more elevated. He did take a step down last season and already saw his playing time reduced last season, going from 21.3 minutes in the 2024-25 season to just 15.1 minutes per game last season.

With the amount of injuries that the major players on the Nuggets suffered last season, a circumstance that led to Peyton Watson having a far more elevated role that paved the way for his breakout season, it's remarkable that Strawther actually saw a reduction in minutes himself. 

Now, Strawther could have his minutes taken down even more by both the addition of DeRozan, who could step in front of Strawther as both a shooting guard or a small forward, as well as an overall healthier Nuggets roster.

The Nuggets signed Diallo to a one-year contract earlier this offseason and Diallo does have a lot of promise after a six season international career where he averaged 11 points, 4.3 rebounds and 2.4 assists per game, but that being said, Diallo has yet to play in the NBA, so how well his production overseas will translate to the NBA is still up in the air. 

That's why the Nuggets could go with assurance over potential by putting DeRozan ahead of Diallo when it comes to the hierarchy of small forwards in Denver. 

Diallo could see his role elevated over the course of the season if he shows that he can in fact adapt his play style to the NBA, but until the Nuggets see that potential realized in him, DeRozan is a much safer bet to turn to.