Get to know the Nuggets' Summer League roster

 

The 2016 NBA Summer League tips off tomorrow from the campus of the University of Nevada – Las Vegas and BSN Denver will be there for around the clock coverage.

The Nuggets boast one of the more interesting Summer League rosters, comprised of young up-and-comers, first-round picks, local Colorado talent, and journeymen looking to make an NBA roster. Much of Denver’s young core, Emmanuel Mudiay, Gary Harris, and Jamal Murray, will be featured heavily, as will international draftees Juan Hernangomez and Petr Cornelie. Nuggets fans will also be pleasantly surprised with the amount of shooting that will be on display from this group. The team’s Summer League coach Micah Nori plans to leverage that strength and trot out plenty of small-ball lineups.

The Nuggets first test is against the Minnesota Timberwolves on Friday, July 8 at 6:30 p.m. MST. The game will be televised on ESPN.

Here’s a look at Denver’s Summer League roster, with notes on what each player will be looking to accomplish.

RETURNING NUGGETS

Emmanuel Mudiay, G – The second-year point guard is back for his second Summer League after an uneven rookie season that ended much better than it started. Mudiay put up 12.0 points and 5.8 assists per game last year in Vegas and he’s on a mission to prove he’s the man to take the reins of this franchise. July is a big month for the 20-year-old as his Summer League will be followed immediately by the Team USA Select Team practices. We’ll get our first glimpse of any improvement he’s made so far this offseason on his jump shot and command of the offense starting this weekend.

Gary Harris, G – Harris followed up a quiet rookie season with a breakout sophomore campaign, earning the starting 2-guard role and showing flashes on offense and steady perimeter defense. The selection of guard Jamal Murray with the No. 7 pick last month should put some pressure on Harris and motivate him to work on his game this summer to remain a starter . Keep an eye on his 3-point shooting and off-ball movement; he can become a great release valve for Mudiay and we’ll also see if he’s added strength when opposing guards try to post him up.

Axel Toupane, F – Due to a rash of injuries and his own hard work in the D-League, Toupane was a good story last year as a mid-season call-up and he finished the year as a key part of the small forward rotation, clocking at least 20 minutes per game three times down the stretch. Toupane is on a non-guaranteed contract and thus is fighting to keep his spot on a deep Nuggets roster, but could find a niche as a 3-and-D guy. To do that, Toupane needs to be a more consistent defender and improve his efficiency from beyond the arc.

JaKarr Sampson, F – The Nuggets picked up Sampson after he was waived by Philadelphia at the trade deadline, joining Toupane in the forward rotation. Sampson relies more on athleticism than long-range shooting on the offensive end and his contract is also non-guaranteed, so either he or Toupane could be cut before the season starts. One of the great things about Summer League are these cutthroat competitions for final roster spots. Expect Sampson to bring it when he’s on the floor in Vegas.

2016 DRAFT PICKS

Jamal Murray, G, (Kentucky) – Nuggets fans are thrilled Murray fell to them at No. 7 in last month’s draft and his picturesque jump shot is a well-known commodity while his ability to score in a variety of ways could make him a standout at Summer League. Murray struggled a bit defensively at Kentucky due to his lack of quickness and it’s something he’s been working on. This is his first NBA test.

Juan Hernangomez, F, (Spain) – Another potential draft day steal, Hernangomez has the size at 6-foot-9, shot, and rebounding chops to develop into a potent stretch four in the NBA. He had one of the best seasons ever for an under-21 player in Spain’s top league last year and will look to continue that success at Summer League. Hernangomez could be stashed overseas for at least one year unless he has a big showing at Summer League.

Malik Beasley, G, (Florida State) – The Nuggets third and final first-round pick in June, Beasley vaulted out of relative obscurity in his freshman season at Florida State and brings character, work ethic and a lethal jump shot to the Nuggets organization. He may be slated for a quiet rookie season due to Denver’s backcourt depth and a late-season leg injury which will force him to miss Summer League, but we’ll get a chance to see if he’s made a full recovery later on during the regular season.

Petr Cornelie, F/C  (France) – Cornelie, Denver’s second-round pick, will certainly remain overseas next season. He’s a raw talent with great size at 6-foot-11 and a skinny 20-year-old frame. He’s shown a tantalizing shooting touch for a player his height although he could get bullied in the post in Vegas. Cornelie was a fantastic lottery ticket with the 53rd pick in the draft.

FREE AGENTS

Jimmer Fredette, G, (D-League) – Ah, Jimmer. The former college sensation at BYU has yet to find a real NBA home thanks to his defensive limitations but caught on with the Nuggets this summer. After brief stints with Sacramento, Chicago, New Orleans and New York, Fredette will try once again to land in the right situation in the NBA. His 3-point prowess would seem to be a benefit to the Nuggets, but the additions of Murray and Beasley scratch that itch while bringing a higher ceiling to the table.

Josh Scott, F/C, (Colorado) – The former Buff and Colorado native earned an invite to the Nuggets Summer League roster after leading CU with 16.3 points and 8.8 rebounds per game during his senior season. He attended pre-draft workouts with Denver, as well as Dallas, Sacramento, and others, although his prospects of making a roster out of Summer League remain bleak. The Nuggets center rotation is pretty jammed as well, and Scott hopes to catch on somewhere else with an impressive summer.

Antwan Scott, G, (Colorado State) – Scott was a shooting guard for the Rams in college, but at 6-foot-1 will need to transition to the point guard position at the next level. He figures to get some playing time in relief of Mudiay at Summer League and also worked out for the Nuggets prior to the draft before going undrafted.

Josh Adams, G, (Wyoming) – The University of Wyoming product and Parker native also earned a Summer League invite after working out for the Nuggets before the draft. Adams can fill it up, averaging a lights-out 24.2 points per game his senior season. He can shoot the three but his 6-foot-2 frame likely kept him from being drafted.

Ondrej Balvin, C, (Czech Republic) – Balvin is a 7-footer from the Czech Republic that has played for Baloncesto Sevilla in Spain since 2011-12. He averaged 10 points and 7 rebounds last season. Balvin’s worked out twice for the Nuggets and recently took in a Colorado Rapids game with Beasley and Hernangomez.

Antonio Barton, G (D-League) – Barton played with Denver’s Summer League squad in 2015, contributing just three points in two appearances. He’s is another undersized 2-guard that has 3-point range and will likely have trouble getting playing time with all the guards ahead of him on the roster.

Mateusz Ponitka, G/F (Poland) – Ponitka is a swingman from Poland who went undrafted in 2015. He scored 13.5 points per game and shot a blistering 48 percent from three in last year’s Eurocup. A notable Summer League showing could get the 22-year-old signed and stashed.

Follow BSN Denver’s Harrison Wind on Twitter @NBAWind and Dan Fatigato @DNFonNBA for around the clock coverage at Summer League live from Las Vegas.