DENVER — Former Dallas Mavericks guard Ryan Nembhard signed a two-way contract with the Denver Nuggets on Wednesday.
After completing his rookie year in Dallas, Nembhard was shipped to the Atlanta Hawks this summer in a package that netted the Mavericks Zaccharie Risacher, who was the first overall selection of the 2024 NBA Draft.
Nembhard wasn’t in Atlanta long. In September, he and Buddy Hield were traded to the Charlotte Hornets for another former Dallas Maverick, Dorian Finney-Smith. Nembhard was subsequently waived before signing with Denver.
Ryan Nembhard’s Time In Dallas
He arrived in Dallas following the 2025 NBA Draft, where he went unpicked following a college career split between Creighton and Gonzaga. As a senior, Nembhard averaged an NCAA-leading 9.8 assists per game.
Undersized at 5-foot-11, Nembhard signed a two-way with the Mavericks directly after the draft. By late February, Dallas would convert Nembhard to a standard contract.
Nembhard made his NBA debut in the Mavericks’ season-opening loss to the San Antonio Spurs. In 15 minutes of action, he tallied 8 points on 3-of-5 shooting along with 5 assists. He’d finish his rookie season with averages of 6.6 points, 2.2 rebounds, and 5.3 assists across 60 contests while shooting 41.5% from the field, 35.6% from 3-point range, and 80.6% from the charity stripe.
His best game came in Dallas’ season finale against the Chicago Bulls. Playing 38 minutes in a 149-128 win, Nembhard finished the evening with 15 points on 6-of-11 shooting, a career-high 9 rebounds, and a career-high 23 assists. His 23 assists also set a franchise record for the most recorded by a Mavericks rookie.
Versus the Nuggets on Dec. 1, Nembhard recorded his career high in points, scoring 28 while shooting 12-of-14 from the field and 4-of-5 from three. He added 10 assists in the 131-121 win.
Nembhard And The Denver Nuggets
Denver’s other two-way contract slots are currently filled by Cam Whitmore and Bryce Hopkins, while Nembhard will be competing for minutes with a handful of other guards on the Nuggets’ roster.
Jamal Murray remains the lead guard in Denver, flanked by Julian Strawther and Tyus Jones, who was also briefly with Dallas last season. Lonnie Walker IV is another guard on a training camp deal with the team, and KJ Simpson, who played in 6 games with the Nuggets last year, was waived to make room for Nembhard.
Denver opens its preseason slate against the Utah Jazz at 6 p.m. CT on Oct. 4 at the University of Colorado campus in Boulder.
The Nuggets begin their regular season at 8:30 p.m. CT on Oct. 22 against the Oklahoma City Thunder at Paycom Center.
