Does Jalen Smith fit into the Nuggets' emerging identity?

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 Jalen Smith?

Suddenly the Denver Nuggets cut the figure of a big and athletic basketball team. Should Denver retain Jerami Grant and ramp up the minutes for the phenom Michael Porter Jr. they feel hopeful that their aggregate length adds up to something greater than the sum of its parts on defense. As the Nuggets look to fill out the end of their bench through the draft and an unusual free agency period, perhaps there’s value in finding players that fit this emerging identity via height or length—ideally both.

Jalen Smith is an interesting name to watch. His placement varies in mock drafts, but he’s likely to be drafted somewhere in the mid to late first round. Smith is listed at 6’10” 225 lbs. with a 7’1.5 wingspan and established himself as an NBA-caliber rim protector at Maryland. He isn’t a quick or huge leaper, but strong defensive instincts accompany his big frame on the interior. He’s a bit of an old school defender in that he guards one, maybe two positions as a big — protecting the rim well but struggling in space, where big men are increasingly asked to hold their own in the modern NBA. He’s listed as a power forward in mock drafts but spent plenty of time at center in college.

Smith was a highly-touted prospect coming out of High School. As a freshman at Maryland, he averaged 11.7 points and 6.8 rebounds. Then he made a big leap in his sophomore season, putting up 15.5 points, 10.5 rebounds, and 2.4 blocks in 31.3 minutes per game. That was enough to earn a spot on the All-Big Ten 1st Team.

Smith sat down with ESPN’s Mike Schmitz for a virtual film session earlier in the month and broke down some plays. Here, you can get a better sense of Smith’s demeanor and approach to the game.

Strengths

• True rim protector, using size and instincts to turn shots away.
• Potential as floor-spacing big — shot mechanics, ability to shoot off of movement, and improvement from first to the second year suggest he could develop into a capable catch-and-shooter.
• Good touch around the rim. Solid, though unexceptional finisher.
• Decent handle for a big.

Weaknesses

• Not a great defender in space.
• Not a good passer or great quick-decision maker.
• Probably limited to 1-2 positions as a defender, with some 4’s providing a real challenge.

NBA Comparison: Myles Turner 

How does Smith fit with the Nuggets?

Offense:

When looking at any potential addition to the Denver Nuggets, step one is to evaluate the fit alongside Nikola Jokić. There’s some potential here if Smith does indeed develop into a plus shooting big who moves well off-ball. Of course, Smith is also pretty big and a capable dunker. While he’s not a particularly impressive leaper, he might still present a challenge to opposing defenses from the dunker spot.

Smith isn’t considered a dynamic roll threat, but he can finish a little down low and might develop into a nice pick-and-pop player. An admittedly unlikely spot in the rotation would come alongside a true floor general in Monte Morris and potentially Will Barton III, a good-to-great secondary playmaker. There’s a small chance his pick-and-pop ability flashes right away.

While adding a floor-spacing big might sound like a home run for Denver, the fit isn’t seamless. If the Nuggets return to their popping ways in the half-court offense, Smith could be behind the learning curve. He’s shown good instincts as a scorer, but not as a quick decision-maker, and might struggle to march to Denver’s rhythm.