Devin Vassell would be a dream draft night get for the Nuggets

The Nuggets currently hold the No. 22 pick in the NBA Draft and the DNVR Nuggets crew is examining who Denver could pick with that selection. Make sure to mark your calendar for Wednesday, November 18, the night of the draft and DNVR Nuggets Draft Day LIVE streaming on Periscope and YouTube.

Who is Devin Vassell?

Devin Vassell is one of the top high-end role players available in the 2020 draft. He might not be a surefire All-Star talent — there’s probably not many of those players in this class — but if you’re a up-and-coming or playoff-caliber team looking to stock your roster with a potentially elite 3-and-D wing, Vassell might be your guy. The 6-foot-7 guard is currently projected as a lottery pick or mid-first round selection.

Vassell has a 6-10 wingspan, and his frame combined with his shooting acumen and defensive upside has to have teams grinning ear-to-ear. The 20-year-old was a 42% three-point shooter in college but is also one of the more active perimeter defenders in the draft. Vassell’s someone that I could see a team trading up for if he drops past No. 10 overall.

Strengths

• Defense: Really strong individual and team defender. Great instincts, his length gives him great ability to close out on shooters.
• Good off the ball defender too. Can rotate, give good help, and is a hustler.
• Shooting: Strong in the catch-and-shoot, high release, and you can see him as a good pull-up shooter.

Weaknesses

• Has a skeleton frame right now but looks like he’ll be able to put on muscle.
• Not the quickest off the dribble. Might not be a great creator right away. Doesn’t have much shake right now to his 1-on-1 game.
• Needs to get stronger to reach his defensive ceiling.

NBA Comparison: Mikal Bridges

How does Vassell fit with the Nuggets?

Offense

For Denver to trade up into Vassell’s range, they’d have to give up a pretty penny and potentially a future first round pick. The Nuggets probably don’t want to do that with stacked 2021 and 2022 draft classes on deck for the next two years. But if Denver found a way to select Vassell he’d be an A+ fit.

Vassell would be the heir apparent to Gary Harris at shooting guard but with better size. It’s tough to see him not being a really solid shooter at the NBA level and he’d be an elite kick-out threat for Nikola Jokic to hit at the three-point line. Vassell’s size and high release (he shoots it from above his head) means that he can get off his shot against almost any defender.

When Vassell’s off the ball he can be a dangerous offensive player too. Jokic loves playing with Michael Porter Jr. because of how big of a target Porter is at 6-foot-10 and how dangerous that makes the forward as a cutter. Vassell would bring a similar dynamic from the guard spot.

Defense

I think Vassell would be a really strong defensive prospect even if he was in the 6-foot-3 to 6-foot-5 range because of his instincts and motor. He’s a hustler on defense and has a knack for getting in passing lanes and anticipating what an offense is going to do. But the fact that Vassell is 6-foot-7 with a plus-wingspan means that he can be a high-end perimeter defender in the NBA.

Vassell’s length helps him cover a ton of ground on defense. He blocks jump shots from behind, closes out hard on three-point shooters and overall has a great feel for where to be defensively when he’s off the ball. Vassell’s not the quickest laterally, but again, his length helps him out there as well.

Imagine a Jamal Murray-Vassell-Michael Porter Jr.-Jerami Grant-Jokic five-man group. The length, shooting, and offensive versatility of that lineup would be tantalizing. Vassell could be rich man’s Danny Green at the two but his length raises his ceiling considerably. In this draft there aren’t many better fits with the Nuggets’ current core than Vassell.