Denver Nuggets need outside shooting and Desmond Bane fits the bill

The Nuggets currently hold the No. 22 pick in the NBA Draft. Over the next month, the DNVR Nuggets crew will examine who Denver may 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 Desmond Bane?

The Denver Nuggets need a sharpshooter since moving on from Malik Beasley and Juancho Hernangomez at the trade deadline. With the 22nd pick in the draft, most of the premier athletes and mouth-watering talents will be off the board, but a potentially elite shooter should be available late in the first round. Desmond Bane, a four-year player and 6’6″ G/F out of TCU, shot 44.2% from deep on 6.2 attempts per game his senior season — good for seventh-best in the nation.

While the Nuggets have taken fliers on once top-ranked recruits and flashy talents in the last two drafts, Bane fits most other players’ mold in the locker room. Not a highly regarded prospect out of High School, he took no shortcuts in his path to a potential first-round draft pick in the NBA. He started as a true freshman but didn’t earn notoriety until his junior season when he was tabbed for the All-Big XII 2nd Team. He returned for a senior year, in which he averaged 16.3 points, 6.5 rebounds, and 3.9 assists per game — which was finally enough to crack 1st team all-conference.

Now, Bane is slowly creeping up draft boards thanks to his outside shooting, defensive upside, and impressive presence off the court. While he stands 6’6″ and boasts a strong frame, his wingspan of 6’4 is well below average for a shooting guard. This selection would zag away from the longbois theme but could help address a need that reared its ugly head in the Western Conference Finals: catch-and-shooting from the perimeter.

The staff at TCU took advantage of Bane’s shooting ability and neat footwork. He was one of 20 players at the D1 level to record 90+ possessions off screens and ranked first in the Big XII in off-screen scoring (2.9 ppg). He’s comfortable with the ball in his hands as well and has pick-and-roll reps under his belt. He’s not a true point guard but does possess secondary playmaking ability.

Strengths

• Outside shooting — C&S + off of movement.
• Secondary playmaking ability.
• High IQ player.
• High motor.
• Strong off-ball defender (takes away passing lanes, good help defender, active hands).

Weaknesses

• Short arms for SG/F.
• Handle leaves room for improvement.
• Not a particularly explosive athlete/limited lateral quickness.
• Already 22 years old.

NBA Comparison: Malcolm Brogdon

How does Bane fit with the Nuggets?

Offense

The Nuggets best three-point shooters in the regular season, in-order, were as follows: Paul Millsap-Michael Porter Jr.-Jerami Grant-Monte Morris. In the playoffs, only one of those players (MPJ) shot north of 35%.

The Nuggets have a noticeable lack of studs beyond the arc, which feels increasingly like a waste of franchise cornerstone Nikola Jokić’s talents. Bane shot the ball exceptionally well in college, especially when coming free off a screen. The shooting motion is a little unorthodox, but there’s no hitch, and he had no trouble getting his shot off.

Watching the Miami Heat make an NBA Finals run inspired a dialogue amongst media members here in Denver. How can the Nuggets find and then incorporate shooters like that into their offense? There’s not many Duncan Robinson’s out there, but his shooting prowess is only one half of the equation. It’s his ability to shoot off movement and Head Coach Erik Spoelstra’s ability to get him open looks that unlocked a potent component of their offense. In an optimistic projection: Bane might provide something similar.

It’s unlikely Bane would usurp anyone that just played a role in Denver’s most exciting playoff run since 2009. Still, a secondary playmaker with a lethal shot and defensive upside sounds appealing given Gary Harris’ steep drop off and propensity to pop up in trade proposals. Bane’s handle leaves room for improvement, but he’s a good passer. If he can operate as a secondary playmaker next to a primary one, he can help Denver sooner rather than later.

https://twitter.com/SKPearlman/status/1245507690698289152?s=20

Defense