Five NBA D-League prospects that should be on Nuggets radar

 

Thursday’s NBA trade deadline was a quiet one around the league compared to last year’s final hour of madness, but it was a productive one for the Denver Nuggets.

Denver was able to ship veteran guard Randy Foye to the Oklahoma City Thunder for D.J. Augustin, Steve Novak and two 2016 second-round picks.

After the deadline, ESPN.com’s Marc Stein reported that the Nuggets are planning on buying out both Novak and reserve big man J.J. Hickson‘s contracts. Yahoo! Sports’ Adrian Wojnarowski also reported earlier this week that the Nuggets were likely to buy out Hickson’s contract if they were unable to trade him, and his prediction looks to soon be reality.

ESPN sources say Nuggets have agreed to work with newly acquired Steve Novak on a contract buyout to keep him playoff eligible for next team

— Marc Stein (@TheSteinLine) February 18, 2016

ESPN sources say Denver, in addition to Steve Novak, will grant contract buyout to J.J. Hickson before March 1 playoff-eligibility deadline

— Marc Stein (@TheSteinLine) February 18, 2016

Bobby Marks of The Vertical (a Yahoo! Sports venture) also noted on the The Vertical’s Trade Deadline Show at the 1:27:00 mark, that the Nuggets could buy out Augustin’s contract as well. That seems unlikely, given the status of Jameer Nelson’s left wrist, but something to monitor.

Without Hickson and Novak, Denver’s roster, which can have a maximum of 15 players, would sit at 13 — and without Augustin, that number could shrink to 12 — meaning the Nuggets will likely sign two or three unrestricted NBA free agents or they could look to the NBA’s D-League.

Here are five D-League options the Nuggets should consider:

1. Sean Kilpatrick

The 26-year-old had a good eight-game run with the Nuggets over two 10-day contracts in January and early February. He could be back with the team for the rest of the season, according to Marks. Kilpatrick, who’s arguably the best shooter in the D-League right now, shot 4-17 (23.5 percent) over his eight games with Denver, but was shooting 43.8 percent through 25 games for the Philadelphia 87ers in the D-League this season.

Kilpatrick was liked by his teammates here in Denver and made a strong impression on coach Michael Malone:

“[Kilpatrick] is everything that we are trying to be in terms of: culture, character, hard work, good teammate. He has shown, to me, that he belongs in the NBA. It has been a pleasure coaching him and getting to know him.”

 

2. Erick Green

Nuggets fans have a soft spot in their hearts for the one-time Denver Nugget, and nearly threw a parade when the Utah Jazz decided not to sign the 24-year-old for the rest of the season after his second 10-day contract expired earlier this week. Green is now back in Reno, awaiting a possible late-season call-up and the Nuggets could reach out, especially if they do buy out the newly acquired Augustin.

Green didn’t see the floor much with Utah during the six games he was under contract for, but was a terror in the D-League this season. Green averaged a whopping 26.7 points on 53.3 percent shooting from the field and 48.1 percent from three.

Green is not your classic pass-first point guard and frankly, that’s fine. He’s a slasher who likes to get to the rim, but is also a threat from beyond the arc.

3. Xavier Silas

You might not recognize Silas’ name, but you should keep him in your NBA rolodex. Silas nearly made the Washington Wizards opening night roster last season, but was the team’s final cut after the preseason due to the guaranteed salaries the Wizards carried at the time. Silas is also synonymous with the Connelly family, spending last summer on the East Coast and working out with Joe Connelly, brother of Nuggets general manger Tim Connelly.

Silas started the year abroad but recently returned to the D-League to get one step closer to the NBA. The 28-year-old is averaging 17.9 points on 42.9 percent shooting and is converting on 36.4 percent of his threes in 11 games for the Bakersfield Jam this season. He’s become an absolute knockdown shooter that could seemingly help any NBA team looking for a classic 3-and-D guard.

Last summer, Connelly described to me the work that Silas has put in to get back to the League.

“Xavier’s ball handling is vastly improved and he is just now starting to use his athleticism to explode to the basket. Xavier has a legitimate NBA-ready skill in his jumper. Add his defensive prowess, his work ethic and just the type of person he is and you have someone who’s an ideal candidate for a team in need of a knockdown shooter.”

“Xavier is a gym rat, and I don’t use that term lightly, but he literally lives in the gym. He has challenged himself to take his game to another level and the results are becoming apparent. He’s become an even deadlier shooter with a quicker release and has NBA range and beyond. He’s made a conscious decision to become a lockdown and conscious defender on every possession, both on and off the ball.”

4. Vander Blue

Blue is a 2015 D-League All-Star who’s a ball-hawking defender and avid slasher. He stands at just 6-foot-4, but makes up for it with his athletic prowess and ability to put the ball in the bucket.

Blue projects as a combo guard off the bench who can score, but also can defend his position. He’s averaging 25.6 points on 44.4 percent shooting this season. He has been on Upside & Motor’s and the D-League’s Top 25 Prospect Watch all season after appearing in three games for the Boston Celtics in 2013-14 and two games for the Los Angeles Lakers in 2014-15.

5. Raphiael Putney

Putney, 25, was a undrafted in 2014 but found a home in the D-Leauge with Rio Grande after a couple brief stints overseas, and has been flourishing with the Vipers.

The 6-foot-10, 185 pound Putney is a lanky stretch four in the D-Leauge, but projects as a small forward at the NBA level. He’s shooting 38.9 percent from 3-point distance this season and is pouring in 18.5 points while grabbing 7.3 rebounds per game.

He’s a bit of a tweener, very raw, but has some upside. He’s been in and out of Upside and Motor’s D-League Player Rankings all year. He might be worth a flier as a high upside and versatile three or four man.