I think a popular answer is gonna be David Thompson, but I think Spencer Haywood had a lot of missed potential in Denver if he wouldāve stayed.
mawfks
Ty Lawson maybe
Edit: No pun intended on him being most wasted š¤š¼
Kng_Wasabi
Itās gotta be Melo. Dude couldāve been an all time great, not just a great scorer. Instead he put his brand and his ego first each and every time.
XIII-013
Bones Hyland
All the talent, bad attitude.
Fonduemeup
Bol Bol. You shouldnāt be able to move like that if youāre 7ā3. He couldāve dominated but just didnāt have the drive to put in the work
eg14000
Emmanuel Mudiay
Rocky970
Carmelo Anthony
LotharBot
JR Smith.
There were people in the FO who believed he was by far the most naturally talented player on the Nuggets — at a time when Melo was on the team — but he just didn’t have the mentality to become the best version of himself.
CheeseSuplex
Raef Lafrentz, absent the ACL injury, he couldāve been pretty awesome
Photoverge
My vote is for Bol Bol
The-Hand-of-Midas
I’m just gonna say there’s been like 7 different answers in 7 posts, and I think that’s really interesting. This is an interesting question to think about.
I’m gonna take a unique approach and say Isaiah Hartenstein, because I’d cut off my dick to have him on the team still, and not let walk for nothing.
That’s the team’s most wasted potential. Not his, but ours.
Imagine how huge he’d be for a Wolves series. I also think Jokic is capable of playing with another big some minutes a game, and I want that orchestrated chaos.
I’m drunk. I love Basketball. Go Nuggets.
sinnr43
My vote is for my favorite player David Thompson. I was the DJ at a club he frequently visited and I knew coke was an issue. His career ended when he hurt his knee falling down the stairs at Studio 54. He was, and is, one of the greatest Nuggets, but could have been so much more.
TriumphSprint
Wasted potential Iād say Rodney Rodgers, 9th pick overall. Dude looked like he was going to be great and never got it together.
BigBuckNuggets
Melo, was on a trajectory to be the face of the league alongside lebron after Kobe but couldnāt put in the work.
hedge_it
JR Smith – athletically giftedā¦
ionictime
David Thompson or JR Smith for me. It’s tough since Thompson could’ve been a Dr J, but at least he’s a great. JR could’ve been a legend, but didn’t give a shit. ~~Leaning Thompson~~
edit: I honestly don’t know. Thompson could’ve been top 20, and JR will be remembered as a role player. Both should’ve had more
TedTran2001
somehow, also David Thompson.
broncofan1993
Gotta be JR Smith
pfeifits
Donovan Mitchell. He wasted all his potential playing for other teams.
60yodude
Think MPJ has worn out the most potential
ruggnuget
Most left on the table was David Thompson, but he at least hot a high peak.
But it is JR Smith. Nickname was ‘the prodigy’ Couldnt get out of his own way. The ego of a superstar in an inconsistent role player with high level skills. Talent out of the gym but couldnt start in Demver, and rightfully so. Some of the dumbest plays I have ever seen.
Desert_Jokic
Demarcus Cousins, for real yall
Background-Gap-1290
Yall can come after me if you want but we might be looking at this list in two years and say Jamal Murray.
spizcraft
Pasting my comment from the last thread:
Iām gonna go with Gary Harris as most unrealized potential. In 2017-18, at age 23, he averaged 17.5 PTS, 2.6 REB, 2.9 AST, and 1.8 STL, on 59.7 TS% with a 1.7 VORP. He had improved every consecutive season and was the first player on the team to āmind meldā with Jokic. He was ranked on r/nba as a top ten 3 and D SG at the time. I think all of us considered him a lock for the future core.
And the rest is history š
Averagebass
JR Smith
ShaneBroh
JR Smith or Melo
Jaws044
JR Smith
ElectricLotus
JR Swish
LamboJoeRecs
Ty Lawson
pu-in-sai
JR Smith. Although, this was not all his fault. George Karl did not help things.
joerilla1967
Brian Williams, tragic story. Changed his name to Bison Dele.
Vostin
Mahmoud is my favorite player ever but itās probably him. He was the third overall pick and unstoppable in college. He didnāt work hard or stay in shape in his first couple years, then the religious things derailed him later on.
HucktoMe
Carmelo. By a mile. Squandered so much talent with a selfish attitude.
mclovin232
JR
itstheitalianstalion
BolBol never had a chance with Jokic around but he was also just lazy af
Primary-Check-7750
Iverson or Iggy
krock753
Gonna get down voted but the only answer is David Thompson. A huge fan but he could have been so much more.
jonnyb8717
JR Smith
yungchibs7
Back in the day I thought Quincy Miller was gonna be our next star š
39 Comments
I think a popular answer is gonna be David Thompson, but I think Spencer Haywood had a lot of missed potential in Denver if he wouldāve stayed.
Ty Lawson maybe
Edit: No pun intended on him being most wasted š¤š¼
Itās gotta be Melo. Dude couldāve been an all time great, not just a great scorer. Instead he put his brand and his ego first each and every time.
Bones Hyland
All the talent, bad attitude.
Bol Bol. You shouldnāt be able to move like that if youāre 7ā3. He couldāve dominated but just didnāt have the drive to put in the work
Emmanuel Mudiay
Carmelo Anthony
JR Smith.
There were people in the FO who believed he was by far the most naturally talented player on the Nuggets — at a time when Melo was on the team — but he just didn’t have the mentality to become the best version of himself.
Raef Lafrentz, absent the ACL injury, he couldāve been pretty awesome
My vote is for Bol Bol
I’m just gonna say there’s been like 7 different answers in 7 posts, and I think that’s really interesting. This is an interesting question to think about.
I’m gonna take a unique approach and say Isaiah Hartenstein, because I’d cut off my dick to have him on the team still, and not let walk for nothing.
That’s the team’s most wasted potential. Not his, but ours.
Imagine how huge he’d be for a Wolves series. I also think Jokic is capable of playing with another big some minutes a game, and I want that orchestrated chaos.
I’m drunk. I love Basketball. Go Nuggets.
My vote is for my favorite player David Thompson. I was the DJ at a club he frequently visited and I knew coke was an issue. His career ended when he hurt his knee falling down the stairs at Studio 54. He was, and is, one of the greatest Nuggets, but could have been so much more.
Wasted potential Iād say Rodney Rodgers, 9th pick overall. Dude looked like he was going to be great and never got it together.
Melo, was on a trajectory to be the face of the league alongside lebron after Kobe but couldnāt put in the work.
JR Smith – athletically giftedā¦
David Thompson or JR Smith for me. It’s tough since Thompson could’ve been a Dr J, but at least he’s a great. JR could’ve been a legend, but didn’t give a shit. ~~Leaning Thompson~~
edit: I honestly don’t know. Thompson could’ve been top 20, and JR will be remembered as a role player. Both should’ve had more
somehow, also David Thompson.
Gotta be JR Smith
Donovan Mitchell. He wasted all his potential playing for other teams.
Think MPJ has worn out the most potential
Most left on the table was David Thompson, but he at least hot a high peak.
But it is JR Smith. Nickname was ‘the prodigy’ Couldnt get out of his own way. The ego of a superstar in an inconsistent role player with high level skills. Talent out of the gym but couldnt start in Demver, and rightfully so. Some of the dumbest plays I have ever seen.
Demarcus Cousins, for real yall
Yall can come after me if you want but we might be looking at this list in two years and say Jamal Murray.
Pasting my comment from the last thread:
Iām gonna go with Gary Harris as most unrealized potential. In 2017-18, at age 23, he averaged 17.5 PTS, 2.6 REB, 2.9 AST, and 1.8 STL, on 59.7 TS% with a 1.7 VORP. He had improved every consecutive season and was the first player on the team to āmind meldā with Jokic. He was ranked on r/nba as a top ten 3 and D SG at the time. I think all of us considered him a lock for the future core.
And the rest is history š
JR Smith
JR Smith or Melo
JR Smith
JR Swish
Ty Lawson
JR Smith. Although, this was not all his fault. George Karl did not help things.
Brian Williams, tragic story. Changed his name to Bison Dele.
Mahmoud is my favorite player ever but itās probably him. He was the third overall pick and unstoppable in college. He didnāt work hard or stay in shape in his first couple years, then the religious things derailed him later on.
Carmelo. By a mile. Squandered so much talent with a selfish attitude.
JR
BolBol never had a chance with Jokic around but he was also just lazy af
Iverson or Iggy
Gonna get down voted but the only answer is David Thompson. A huge fan but he could have been so much more.
JR Smith
Back in the day I thought Quincy Miller was gonna be our next star š