malstroem’s Denver Nuggets Draft Day Guide

Hello this is your friend malstroem. I enjoy following the draft process every year a lot. Since the draft is happening this Thursday, I have decided to make a Nuggets draft guide for people who might not follow the draft process as much. THE DRAFT IS THIS THURSDAY GUYS. So I guess here it is lol

#What needs do the Nuggets have coming into the draft?

The Denver Nuggets only have 9 players currently contracted to play next season. These are the starting lineup in Jamal Murray, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Michael Porter Jr, Aaron Gordon and Nikola Jokic, with Zeke Nnaji, Christian Braun, Peyton Watson and Vlatko Cancar to complete the 9. We can probably add Collin Gillespie to that deal as I highly doubt the Nuggets would keep him on a two way for an entire year in which he was injured without having the intention of keeping him longer term. Plus he seems like a very Malone guy. So that brings us to 10 players. For purposes of this draft guide we will be assuming Bruce Brown signs for another team and no veteran player ends up returning (even though I think there’s good chance Jeff Green comes back and maybe even DeAndre Jordan as well). Which brings the current depth chart for next season to:

PG: Jamal Murray, Collin Gillespie

SG: Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Christian Braun

SF: Michael Porter Jr, Peyton Watson

PF: Aaron Gordon, Zeke Nnaji, Vlatko Cancar

C: Nikola Jokic

So right off the bat it is very clear the Nuggets have a general depth issue, as the only non starting lineup player that is a proven rotation player would be Christian Braun. I’d expect Peyton Watson to be part of the regular season rotation, and one of Zeke or Vlatko to play as well. I think it’s very unlikely Collin Gillespie ends up being part of the rotation to start the season, as he’ll likely be on a two way contract and coming off of big injury. Which makes backup point guard and backup center the most obvious personnel needs from here. Specifically a point guard who is able to provide ball handling and playmaking to the 2nd unit, even more importantly so in case we go back to the Michael Malone hockey lineups which wouldn’t be a surprise at all. For center you just want anyone who can come in and play 10-15 minutes a game to spell Jokic. Ideally you want someone with some playmaking abilities so you don’t have to change your entire game plan, but not as necessary as having a lead guard off the bench I’d say.

I’d also say 3 point shooting is a secondary need. Not a huge one, but definitely something to be considered. The starting lineup is of course great with shooting as of now, but of course Michael Porter Jr has big injury concerns and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope is getting to the age where players start missing games here and there. If those two players were to miss any significant amount of time, our spacing would take a big hit, as Jamal Murray is the only proven high volume 3 point shooter on the roster, and even he himself has an ACL recovered knee with a significant nagging injury history to add to it. From the bench, the only shooters would be Collin Gillespie who was an excellent 3 point shooter in college and that should be his main calling card in the league, and maybe Vlatko Cancar, who has decent career percentages on quite low volume. Asides from that, all of Christian Braun, Peyton Watson and Zeke Nnaji should be considered as poor 3 point shooters.

#What assets do the Nuggets have coming into the draft?

The Denver Nuggets currently own the 40th pick in the 2023 NBA draft. They are also set to complete a deal with the Oklahoma City Thunder which is set to bring the 37th pick in the 2023 draft and a 1st round pick in the 2024 draft to the Denver Nuggets. You can find more details for this deal [here](https://www.denverpost.com/2023/06/09/nuggets-trade-draft-picks-oklahoma-city/). You should expect this trade to be made official on draft day. Per the same article from Mike Singer, the Denver Nuggets will be looking to use the 2024 1st round pick they received from the Thunder, to try and trade up into the 1st round this year.

#Can the Nuggets actually trade up into the first round?

I would say yes. I would say there is a pretty good chance of a deal to get into the 20-30 range existing. There’s a couple of teams in that range who own many picks in this draft and might see the opportunity to move their assets a year back for more roster flexibility. Some examples would be the Indiana Pacers who own the 26th and the 29th pick, in addition to 7th, 32nd and 55th this draft, the Utah Jazz who own the 28th pick, in addition to 9th and 16th, the Charlotte Hornets who own the 27th pick, in addition to 2nd, 34th, 39th and 41st, the Portland Trailblazers who own the 23rd pick, in addition to 2nd and 43rd, and perhaps even teams like the Brooklyn Nets who own back to back picks at 21st and 22nd in addition to 51st and the Houston Rockets who own the 20th pick in addition to 4th. So yeah I do think there’s a good chance there will be a deal to make to move into the 20-30 range. Higher than that I would highly doubt it. Of course for a lot it’ll depend on whichever other moves that are made on draft night around the league.

#Okay. But I don’t care about all of this. Where are the damn players at? Who the hell are we picking?

Yes. I will be dividing prospects by draft ranges based on what we know (20-30 range, 30-40 range and late 2nd round/undrafted) and by position. I will provide a brief scouting report, an availability rating based on how likely I think it is a certain prospect will be available at that range, and I’ll try to explain why I think a prospect is a good fit or a bad fit with the Nuggets. I will also provide a big board ranking, which won’t be my own but based on The Athletic’s Sam Vecenie and TheBoxAndOne’s Adam Spinella’s big boards. Let’s get started!

#Guards in the 20-30 range

#Jalen Hood-Schifino, Indiana, 6’4, 216 lbs, 20 years old, 15th on Vecenie, 12th on Spinella

Jalen Hood-Schifino is a big point guard that operates primarily out of the pick and roll and as a pull up mid range threat. Averaged 13.5 pts, 4.1 reb and 3.7 ast per game on 42/33/78 splits. He exhibits great feel for decision making and passing around the pick and roll, being able to make advanced reads all around. Has the size (should be just a bit over 6’5 in shoes) and patience to see over most defenses as a floor general. As a scorer he does most of his work in the midrange, especially loving the area around the elbows. Not great at driving to the rim, as he lacks the explosiveness and burst to consistently get into the paint, while also trying to avoid contact a bit too much, but instead has a nice floater/runner game. Very good defender especially as a POA defender on guards, has excellent size to defend around the perimeter and great defensive technique and fundamentals. Not the most quick or agile defender so might not be great against faster, smaller guards.

**How does he fit with the Nuggets?:** Hood-Schifino has many of the traits the Nuggets usually look for when it comes to guards. He has great feel for the game and is able to process the game at a high speed while having great positional size and versatility. He is more used to a PNR heavy style of offense so he might take a bit of time to adapt to the Nuggets offense, but I’d trust him as a lead guard off the bench from day 1. He does not have a good 3 point shooter, not terrible either, but between his touch in the midrange and the floater/runner game, I’d expect him to eventually become a decent spot up option.

**Availability Rating:** Longshot. He is almost universally seen as a top 15 prospect. There’s some scenarios where he might be available at the very start of the 20-30 range, but even in that case I would only expect him to last one or two picks into that range.

#Nick Smith Jr, Arkansas, 6’5, 185 lbs, 19 years old, 22nd on Vecenie, 18th on Spinella

Once considered by many the top college prospect at the start of the draft process, Nick Smith Jr suffered a knee injury that caused him to miss around half the season and universally dropped down across the NBA draft community after coming back and struggling a lot. Averaged 14 pts, 2 reb, 2 ast on 38/34/74 splits. Billed as a combo guard whose main calling card will be shot creation and jump shooting, he showed a lot of skill and touch in the mid range and in his floater/runner game. Projects more as a true scoring guard rather than as a combo guard, he is not a willing passer and does not show great feel/playmaking instinct. Needs to add weight to his frame as he struggled a lot with physicality, both on offense and defense. He displays good effort on defense, but between his lack of weight and poor technique and fundamentals, he is very often a target for opposing teams to attack. I don’t think he projects as a good defender and might be a big issue at the start of his career, especially since most likely he’ll end up playing the 2.

**How does he fit with the Nuggets?:** Don’t think he fits the Nuggets. I don’t think he’s as bad as he looked like in college and he is quite young (only turned 19 last April) but he’s not an NBA ready player, even less for a contending team. Also needs a lot of minutes and freedom to develop. Don’t hate him as an upside swing, but don’t like trading up to take a long term project.

**Availability Rating:** Decent chance he gets to the start of the 20-30 range. If the Nets keep both their picks I don’t think he makes it past them. But depending on the moves, and if teams are weary of his injury and productivity concerns, I could see him slide to the end of the 1st.

#Keyonte George, Baylor, 6’4, 185 lbs, 19 year old, 26th on Vecenie, 20th on Spinella

A textbook shot chucker, Keyonte George averaged 15 pts, 4 reb, 3 ast on 38/34/79 splits. Led his team in both shots per game and turnovers per game, while posting a negative assist to turnover ratio. Started out the college season really well and got into top 10 talks but eventually hit the freshman wall and his level of play fell off a cliff. Was a bit of a 2.5 level scorer in college, he wasn’t great at finishing at the rim or getting there, but was able to draw a lot of shooting fouls on the drive. Took a lot of very high degree of difficulty shots, is very comfortable at pulling up from the mid range and 3 point line at a variety of ways. Has real deep NBA range. Does not have the explosiveness or burst to consistently get to the rim, but might be offset if he is able to draw fouls at the NBA level. Okay passer out of set plays, but terrible feel and processing speed outside of it. Classic “he’s a good defender when locked in, terrible when not” player.

**How does he fit with the Nuggets?:** No thanks. I think George’s best future in the NBA is as a 3 point specialist who can handle a bit since he has legit shooting touch and range. In the meantime, I’d just avoid players like this. He’d need to improve on a lot of things very quickly to be a useful player for us.

**Availability Rating:** I’d say it’s very likely he’ll be there at the 20-30 range and could easily drop to the end of the first round. Only takes one dumb team to reach on him though.

#Marcus Sasser, Houston, 6’1, 195 lbs, 22 year old, 31st on Vecenie, 40th on Spinella

To put it easily for Nuggets fans, Marcus Sasser is a Bones Hyland-esque player but with actual high level defense. Averaged 17 pts, 3 reb, 3 ast on 44/38/85 splits while being one of the top players in the nation and a 1st team All American, Marcus Sasser is your classic full court pressure, ultra high effort defensive guard. Even though he is a bit on the shorter scale (about 6’2 with shoes), Sasser possesses a great wingspan at 6’7 with elite strength and a great frame at about 195 pounds. One of the best POA defenders at the guard position in college basketball and possibly the best in the draft class, very physical and disruptive, “gets in your chilli” type defender. Excellent at coming off and fighting through screens. Plays the passing lanes well while not over gambling. Very gifted 3 point shooter, both off the catch and as a pullup threat. Shot almost 46% on catch and shoot attempts this season. Quick and flashy handles that allow him to create space for pullups both in the mid range and from 3. Not a natural passer, definitely a score first guard. Because of his height he struggles at finishing at the rim, and will probably struggle a lot against NBA level size and physicality.

**How does he fit with the Nuggets?:** It’s hard to say. On one end I love the defensive effort and physicality and the 3 point shooting. The shot creation is also nice. On the other side, it’s just difficult for me to buy into the “defensive guard” archetype. Especially when said guard is barely 6’2 on shoes. At the end of the day, you can only do so much defensively at that size. If you struggled watching Bones Hyland’s shot selection, then you’ll very likely struggle watching Marcus Sasser’s shot selection. So it’s hard to say. There is some great value, and some stuff you probably don’t want to see.

**Availability Rating:** I anticipate he’ll last until the end of the 1st round without any problem. Decent chance he’ll even make it to 37th/40th because of the size concerns but if you like him enough to draft him, might as well take him here and not risk it.

#Wings in the 20-30 range

#Dariq Whitehead, Duke, 6’6, 217 lbs, 18 year old, 20th on Vecenie, 16th on Spinella

Another high profile prospect with a lot of hype at the start of the season, who suffered an injury which affected his play and caused him to drop. Seen as one of the better college prospects, Dariq Whitehead broke a bone in his foot during the offseason, ended up having surgery and managed to return just after the season started, missing only 3 games. Averaged 8 pts, 2 reb, 1 ast on 42/43/79 splits, all in just over 20 minutes per game. Had a great season shooting the the ball, mostly used as a spot up shooter by his team after his injury. Shot mechanics look great, touch looks great. Showcased some ability as a pullup shooter. Didn’t look great athletically, though a big part of it might have been the foot injury recovery. Wasn’t really seen as a great athlete pre-injury though. Struggled much more than you’d expect as a finisher. Didn’t do too well on defense either. Average to solid on ball, but you could notice the lack of athleticism. Did really bad off ball, doesn’t read the floor well and struggles with physicality and intensity.

**How does he fit with the Nuggets?:** He is a Michael Porter Jr style bet. If you think the athleticism will improve after the injury, and if you buy the shot creation potential then he is one of the best long term developmental choices at this point of the draft. Not the same type of can’t miss, blue chip talent Michael Porter Jr was, but also without the massive injury risk. You’d have to go through almost the same process, defense, staying engaged, playing time, affecting the game without scoring, etc.

**Availability rating:** Probably one of the hardest guys to predict this class. He had another surgery on the same foot after the season ended so he hasn’t been able to workout for teams. Could see him going end of the lottery as much as I could see him sliding well into the 20s.

#Olivier-Maxence Prosper, Marquette (Canada), 6’7, 212 lbs, 20 year old, 24th on Vecenie, 21st on Spinella

O-Max Prosper is someone who was barely seen as a 2nd round prospect for most of the draft process. After the combine, where he measured and tested amazingly and shone on the one scrimmage he played, where he was easily the best player on the floor, he has massively skyrocketed into first round consideration. Averaged 13/5/1 on 51/34/74 splits, mostly working as a versatile and switchable defender. Has insane size (should be at or near 6’8 with shoes) and length (7’1 wingspan) for the position, excellent fluid athlete who is able to slide without any issue at all around the perimeter. Posted the 3rd highest vertical jump at the combine (tied with Cameron Whitmore) and 2nd highest standing vertical jump. Great defensive fundamentals and technique, almost picture perfect stance, uses his physical advantages extremely well. On the offensive side, he works almost entirely off ball. Shows great feeling as a cutter and running in transition. Great finisher, not just a dunk everything style player, can finish at a variety of angles and ways. Very adept at drawing fouls. The 3 point shot isn’t there yet, but the form looks good and the free throw numbers should mean he’ll be eventually a decent catch and shoot player.

**How does he fit with the Nuggets?:** Might be a bit redundant with Peyton Watson, but you can never have enough lengthy wings in the NBA. Perhaps you’d want a bit more feel as a passer, and for the shot to be a bit more advanced. But he fits a lot inside the Calvin Booth roster philosophy. From what I’ve read he’s also a very intelligent guy and an extremely hard worker. I think if you have the chance you can’t afford to pass on him.

**Availability Rating:** Longshot. NBA teams have shown time and time again they feel perfectly comfortable paying premium for this type of size-length-athleticism combo, even if the on court product might not match the price. I’d be very surprised if he makes it into the 20-30 range.

#Jett Howard, Michigan, 6’7, 215 lbs, 19 year old, 25th on Vecenie, 22nd on Spinella

One of my personal favorites. Averaged 14 pts, 3 rebs, 2 ast on 41/37/80 splits. Another guy who started off the season real strong with a lot of lottery talk, then ended up slowing down massively during conference play. One of the best 3 point shooters in the class, excellent off the catch and on pullups, not as good but still quite competent as a movement shooter. Played a lot coming off screens and on DHO actions, showed real comfort and skill in these type of plays. His passing feel and processing speed pop out a lot especially. Doesn’t have the handle or athleticism to create for himself 1 on 1 so he will require playing with a similar type of setup. In general looked very unathletic (perhaps out of shape), he struggled a lot getting to the rim and finishing. One of the most obvious “he doesn’t have a left hand” guys in the class. Some flashes of a floater/runner game, probably has the touch to further develop that part of his game. Looked terrible on defense, some guys struggle defensively because of effort, or athleticism, or technique. Jett Howard lacked all of those things.

**How does he fit with the Nuggets?:** Jett Howard has many tools that should be valued very highly by Denver, and many other teams with offensive systems revolving around playmaking bigs. Not only that but he already played in a very DHO heavy system for Michigan so there shouldn’t be much of an adaptation period. It comes down to how bad do you think he’s gonna be defensively and how much you think you can hide him. The way Denver has emphasized defense and athleticism so far in the Calvin Booth era, I think it’ll be very unlikely we consider him seriously.

**Availability Rating:** According to general consensus among NBA draft media, he’ll be there in the 20-30 range. Because of his scheme specific skillset, I anticipate some of the teams with playmaking bigs will have him higher than consensus. Right now the 17 to 20 stretch includes the Los Angeles Lakers, the Miami Heat, the Golden State Warriors and the Houston Rockets. I find it hard to believe he’ll get past that, but if he does he’ll drop into the very end of the 1st round and possibly into the 2nd round.

#Sidy Cissoko, G League Ignite (France), 6’6, 225 lbs, 19 year old, 32nd on Vecenie, 17th on Spinella

I will start by saying Sidy Cissoko is probably my favorite choice if we were to trade up into the 1st. As you can see by the difference in the rankings, one of the more divisive prospects in the class (which surprisingly, asides from the Thompson dudes, doesn’t seem to be that many). Averaged 13 pts, 3 reb, 4 ast on 46/30/65 splits, Cissoko is a classic point forward. He has amazing feel for the game and great processing speed. Can playmake both in the half court and in transition where his great athletic tools shine. Able to make some seriously advanced reads in the half court, if there is a man open he will find him. Extremely strong for the position, feels very comfortable using his physical tools to create space for himself. Lacks touch at the rim so he needs to learn how to take advantage of his athleticism to finish a bit more. Handle needs to improve, but should be enough to work as a drive and kick creator, which will be his main calling card. Very impressive on ball defense, extremely competitive guy, can switch 2-4 quite easily and will probably be able to switch 1-4 in the future. He does need to improve his fluidity as an athlete, as he can look a bit stiff at times and is mostly a length/strength defender. 3 point shot is the big question for him. Shot almost 34% as a catch and shoot shooter from the NBA 3 point line this season, which is somewhat encouraging, but his poor free throw shooting and overall lack of touch are quite concerning. Not good mechanics either, definitely needs to put A LOT of work there.

**How does he fit with the Nuggets?:** Amazingly. Nuggets love players with this type of feel for the game. You add in the athleticism, positional versatility and competitive sprit and I think the Nuggets organization would love him. I almost feel confident in saying this is the guy Nuggets are already targeting and looking to trade up for.

**Availability Rating:** I feel it’s likely he’s gonna be there in the 20s. I haven’t seen much, if any at all top 20 hype for him. If anything he is at times projected to go in the 2nd round more often. I highly doubt he makes it to the 2nd. But he should be there in the 20s.

#Jaime Jaquez Jr, UCLA, 6’6, 226 lbs, 22 year old, 23rd on Vecenie, 31st on Spinella

Probably the most unorthodox player in the class. Averaged 18 pts, 8 reb, 3 ast on 48/32/77 splits while being one of the top players in the nation, Pac 12 player of the year and 2nd team All American. What is his role at the NBA level? Who the fuck knows honestly. Jaquez did most of his work at the college level as a 1 on 1 post up scorer. He is genuinely great at it, has legitimately amazing footwork, a large variety of moves and counters and finishes, and great touch to finish away from the basket, especially from his patented turnaround jumpshots. This is not gonna be a big part of his game at the NBA level however, because he is a power forward who lacks the size and strength to play this kind of role against NBA level defenders. Will probably be good for mismatch scoring and occasional end of the shot clock offense, but that’s about it. So how is this guy getting drafted then? Quite simply because he has elite feel for the game and basketball IQ. Projects as being an elite connective piece at the NBA level. Very willing passer, able to make advanced reads as a ball handler, can play as a drive and kick style playmaker. Can probably do great as a short roll passer, though he wasn’t used much as it at the college level. Great feel as a cutter and as an overall off ball player as well. Should be okay as a catch and shoot 3 point shooter (shot 35% off the catch this season), his free throw shooting, mid range game and overall touch are encouraging signs he’ll be at least a passable shooter you can’t leave open and sag off. As a defender, he is also quite an unorthodox player. He is slow laterally, and does not have good technique so he projects as a bad on ball defender and probably even as someone who actively gets targeted and switch hunted. His off ball and team defense is amazing. Reads the court as well as anyone, one of the very best in the class. Great anticipation when it comes to rotations and help. Classic “knows where to be” defender. Has some nice vertical pop so he is able to function as a weakside rim defender much better than you’d think. Plays with amazing effort and competitive spirit.

**How does he fit with the Nuggets?:** I don’t know. I’m sorry. I’m just not sure. I’m a huge Jaime Jaquez fan (obvious reasons for those who know me) and I believe he can be an amazing role player at the NBA level. He just really needs to go to a place where the team figures out how to use him and get creative. If he gets asked to be a traditional 3 and D wing, or a rim running PNR man, or an iso scorer, he will probably fail. If the Nuggets have a plan on how to use him, they should definitely take him.

**Availability Rating:** He will probably reach the 20s. He is getting picked before 30. Supposedly he is doing great in the workout and interview process. There is a lot of buzz going around about contending teams wanting to trade into the 1st round for role players. The Christian Braun effect you might say. Very confident this is one of those guys contending teams are actively targeting. Just an amazing character and leadership bet. Doubt he makes it out of the draft as a Nugget if I’m being honest, but if we trade up and he’s available he needs to receive very serious consideration.

#Colby Jones, Xavier, 6’5, 199 lbs, 21 year old, 27th on Vecenie, 33rd on Spinella

One of the simplest evaluations in the whole draft. Averaged 15 pts, 6 reb, 4 ast on 51/38/65 splits. Extremely well rounded, smart and fundamentally sound role player. Good size for a wing, good, decent athlete who should be about NBA average or maybe slightly above it, can do a bit of everything. Good feel for the game, was the lead guard for Xavier but probably projects more as a secondary initiator at the NBA level. Very unselfish player, great decision making, limits mistakes very well, can playmake in the half court well. The best floater/runner game in the draft. Still finishes very well at the rim regardless. Good defender. Not gonna lock opposing players down, but he will make it hard on them. Can probably switch 1-3 comfortably. Smart team defender. Only thing missing is the 3 point shot. He shot it very well this season, but has struggled before (shot 33% as a freshman and 29% as a sophomore) and the poor free throw shooting is not a great indicator. Floater/runner game shows the touch is there but will really need to prove himself as shooter.

**How does he fit with the Nuggets?:** Very well. Yeah. Colby Jones fits on pretty much every team in the NBA. Can’t think of many teams who would not want a smart, hard playing, well rounded wing like him in their rotation. Easily one of the safest picks in the entire draft.

**Availability Rating:** I’d say it’s very likely he’s there in the 20-30 range, and probably a good chance of him being available past the 25th pick. Might even drop into the 2nd round, but depends on draft day moves.

#Bigs in the 20-30 range

#James Nnaji, Barcelona (Nigeria), 7’0, 251 lbs, 18 year old, 40th on Vecenie, 36th on Spinella

Another very simple evaluation. Averaged 4 pts, 2 reb, 0 ast on 71/0/51 splits on 9 minutes per game. He is a classic rim running/rim protector big man. Elite athleticism, size and length (7’7 wingspan) combo. Extremely bouncy athlete, will do very well as a PNR roll man and playing on the dunker’s spot. Amazing shot blocker who has great feel at playing the drop coverage, and already feels comfortable playing other coverages. Should excel mostly as a weakside rim protector. Everything else, very raw and needs to develop a lot.

**How does he fit with the Nuggets?:** He does not. Effectively he is a stash (even if he doesn’t stay in Europe) because he is too raw to play minutes at the NBA level. Let alone for a contending team like the Nuggets. Stylistically he does not fit either, as he is as pure of a rim runner as you’ll see.

**Availability Rating:** Look, it’s an extremely shallow center class. After Victor Wembanyama, there is Dereck Lively who has a lot of top 10 buzz. James Nnaji should go in the 2nd, but I would not be surprised at all if after seeing Jalen Duren do great last season a team reaches for him in the 15-30 range. At worst he is a stash pick in a weak stash draft so he won’t leave the 25-30 cause there will be at least one team with too many draft picks and too little roster spots.

#Guards in the 30-40 range

#Brandin Podziemski, Santa Clara, 6’4, 203 lbs, 20 year old, 42nd on Vecenie, 38th on Spinella

One of the best pure shooters and most productive players on the class. Averaged 20 pts, 9 reb, 4 ast on 48/44/77 splits. Electric shooter who his both elite off the catch and off the dribble. Will clearly be his main tool at the NBA level. Another guy with a great floater/runner game and excellent touch all across. Has great feel for the game and playmaking instincts, very unselfish player with the ball in his hands. He is a player that requires a lot of setup to be able to handle the ball because he is a quite poor athlete and struggles creating separation as a ball handler. At college played a lot coming off screens to receive the ball and to keep him moving. Struggles a lot driving and finishing at the rim, does not project as an NBA level driver. Will struggle a lot on defense because of poor size and length for someone who will play mostly at the 2 (was originally billed as a 6’6 combo, ended up measuring just a tad below 6’4 at the combine) and a big lack of athleticism.

**How does he fit with the Nuggets?:** Decent, okay I’d say. Defensively he’s gonna be an issue at the NBA level. Offensively he’d be a good fit, he’s already comfortable playing in a constant movement style offense with a lot of DHO actions. Highly doubt he’ll ever be a primary ball handler though.

**Availability Rating:** Not gonna be there at 37th or 40th. He’s been getting a lot of late first round buzz in past weeks. Even if he falls to the 2nd round he will very likely be one of the first players taken. Don’t think we should consider him in the first round either because the size, athleticism and defense concerns are pretty big.

#Amari Bailey, UCLA, 6’3, 190 lbs, 19 year old, 38th on Vecenie, 41st on Spinella

Another guy who helped himself out a lot at the combine. Averaged 11 pts, 4 reb, 2 ast on 50/39/70 splits. Was a highly touted high school prospect, had a pretty bumpy college season after starting the year barely getting any minutes, worked hard and after a couple of injuries ended up playing big minutes towards the end of the season. Probably more of a point guard than a combo, very willing passer and unselfish with the ball, shows great flashes of playmaking ability in general, even if his processing speed might look a bit slower. Mostly looks great playmaking out of predetermined actions and set plays. Especially at the combine he looked amazing running the offense. Has some interesting scoring ability, especially as an off the dribble pull up scorer. Was decent, not great finishing and driving at the rim. Not exactly an great athlete (but not a poor one either) so some concerns there. Plays very hard on defense and competes a lot. Has good size (6’4 with shoes) and length (6’7 wingspan) for someone who will be able to play both the 1 and the 2. Can be very prone to turning the ball over, so probably not as NBA ready as some other options and needs some developmental work. Shot isn’t quite there yet, looks very good at times but it seems he does not feel very comfortable as a 3 point shooter yet.

**How does he fit with the Nuggets?:** Pretty well I’d say. Definitely has the effort level and competitive edge the Nuggets like in their players. The decision making and shot need a bit of work but nothing too crazy. One of the best bets to play some backup point guard minutes at this range.

**Availability Rating:** Reading the general consensus among NBA draft media, he should be available at 37th and perhaps even 40th. Haven’t heard any 1st round buzz on him either, even after his strong performance at the combine. I’d say probably one of the safer bets in terms of availability.

#Isaiah Wong, Miami, 6’3, 178 lbs, 22 year old, 59th on Vecenie, 52nd on Spinella

Averaged 16 pts, 4 reb, 3 ast on 45/38/85 splits while leading Miami to a Final Four appearance, he was one of the most dynamic scoring guards at the college level. A natural scorer and shot creator, was able to score at all 3 levels at the college level. A quite fast guard, he likes to play at a very high tempo and push the ball in transition. Possesses a very strong handle which coupled with his speed, means he is able to create a lot of separation in the half court. He is pretty good at getting to the rim, albeit not exactly a good finisher, since he struggles with his lack of height (measures 6’2 and a half at the combine without shoes, his functional height is lower because he has the longest neck in the class) and weight. Good athlete overall but lacks the vertical pop to finish above the rim. Pretty good mid range scorer, a great variety of moves and ways to get to his pull up jumper. Excellent off the dribble and pull up 3 point shooter, has very real deep NBA range. Acceptable passer, will find open players at an okay rate, not exactly someone who makes advanced reads very often, definitely a “score first” point guard. Defensively he competes and tries hard, but doesn’t have the size or the length or the strength to be even an average defender at the NBA level.

**How does he fit with the Nuggets?:** Offensively, I’d say he is the best bet from this class at the 2nd round you’re gonna have at finding someone who can play a bit of a lead guard off the bench from day 1, especially if you want a more self sufficient guy who can create for himself. Defensively there are would be a lot of issues, I’m not sure if the Calvin Booth office will consider someone with such size and weight concerns.

**Availability Rating:** I would be shocked if Wong has already been picked by the time we go on the clock at 40th. He is a guy that is consistently projected around the latter half of the 2nd round, and even seen by some people as an undrafted kind of guy. I think with how weak the point guard pool gets after Amari Bailey, if you like this guy you gotta take him at 40th, cause I doubt no one will take a shot at him in the 2nd half of the round.

#Wings in the 30-40 range

#Ben Sheppard, Belmont, 6’5, 195 lbs, 21 year old, 28th on Vecenie, 29th on Spinella

Yet another big combine performer. Averaged 19 pts, 5 reb, 3 ast on 48/42/68 splits. He is a classic 3 point specialist wing with some utility tools. Shot great off the catch, and even better coming off screening actions this season. Has great feel for moving off the ball and finding open spaces on the court, both at the half court and in transition. Has great measurables for a 3 and D wing (should be 6’6 with shoes and near 6’8 wingspan). Has a bit of a handle, I don’t expect him to handle the ball much at the NBA level, but could be something worth developing further. Great passing feel, unselfish player who makes the extra pass. Solid defender, above average technique and fundamentals, very smart guy who reads the floor well, did great guarding 1 on 1 at the college level. Below average level athlete for the position, not explosive or quick or fluid. Big question how he will handle the NBA level athletically and physically. Will put a cap on how much he can do on both sides of the court.

**How does he fit with the Nuggets?:** Extremely well. Should be able to fill that big 3 point shooting the Nuggets are projected to have next season, without giving up much on the defensive side of the ball. Projects to have some offensive utility beyond just being a 3 point shooter, and provides good positional size.

**Availability Rating:** Longshot. He has a lot of late 1st round buzz going around since the combine. Will be for sure someone contending teams will be targeting at the end of the 1st. The reason why I have him here instead of the 20-30 range is because I am a bit weary of his shot. Last season was his first time shooting at a great level, I don’t love his mechanics and he has never been an above average free throw shooter. I also do think he will struggle athletically at the NBA level, which is why I’d only consider him in the 2nd round range.

#Andre Jackson Jr, Connecticut, 6’6, 198 lbs, 21 year old, 29th on Vecenie, 39th on Spinella

Quite possibly the closest comparison to Christian Braun. Averaged 7 pts, 6 reb, 5 ast on 43/28/65 splits. Best character bet in the class, extreme competitor and hard worker, plays with 200% effort every single play. Considered by everyone as the leader of the UConn championship winning team. Excellent defender, both on an off the ball, elite size, length (near 6’10 wingspan) and athleticism for a multipositional wing defender, will be able to switch 1-3 flawlessly, and as he adds weight might be able to guard some 4s as well. One of the best passers in the class, regardless of position. Amazing processing skill and feel for the game, excels at handling and pushing the tempo in transition, but is able to playmake at the half court very well too, both as a a ball handler and a top of the key creator style player. Will be used mostly as a lob finisher and as an off ball cutter away from the ball. That’s about it for his scoring outlook, he does not have a 3 point shot or any semblance of it, and you should not expect him to ever develop one.

**How does he fit with the Nuggets?:** Yes. I’ve seen a bunch of draft media personalities refer to this guy specifically as “a Denver Nuggets style player” and “the Christian Braun of this draft”. That should tell you enough.

**Availability Rating:** It’s hard to predict this guy’s draft range. He is almost universally seen as an early 2nd round prospect and mocked in the 30s, sometimes even the early 40s. He is a very limited player who projects to be elite at the traits he has, so that limits the amount of teams he’d be useful for. But role players seem to be quite trendy this year and it looks like there’ll be a lot of demand for them. So who knows. I’d expect him to last until 37th. If he’s there I’m almost 100% sure we will take him.

Have to cut the post short in here because reddit character limit, so I will continue in the comments.

by n0t_malstroem