With the 2015 NBA Draft officially in the books, every last “expert” across the Web has weighed in with clairvoyant analysis of how each team fared. The Nuggets, unsurprisingly, received high marks from virtually every outlet. Here are grades and article snippets from some of the more notable publications on the Internet…
ESPN’s Chad Ford praised the Nuggets with an A:
The Nuggets were hunting for a second first-round pick in hopes of landing a point guard. They couldn’t believe their good fortune when possibly the best point guard in the draft landed in their laps. Mudiay is a tremendous get for the Nuggets at No. 7. He has elite size for his position, he’s a great athlete, a good defender and excels at getting to and finishing at the rim. He’s also a gifted passer and competitor. Had he not skipped SMU to go to China this year, I believe he would’ve been a top-3 pick. Radicevic is another big point guard. He’s talented, but he’s not a great athlete. Look for him to stay in Europe for a while.
Bleacher Report concured with a solid B+:
The Denver Nuggets clearly went with the top prospect available in Emmanuel Mudiay, who could have just as easily gone No. 3 to the Philadelphia 76ers.
Chances are this pick means the end of Ty Lawson in Denver. Mudiay ultimately offers All-Star potential fueled by 6’5″ size, a 200-pound frame and above-the-rim athleticism.
At No. 7, the Nuggets got terrific value in Mudiay.
USA Today even proclaimed the Nuggets had the second best draft of any team:
Speaking of draft steals, the Nuggets got one too in NBA ready point guard Emmanuel Mudiay (No. 7). He has a Dwyane Wade-type craftiness and should star right away. Serbian point guard Nikola Radicevic (No. 57) is the other pick here.
SBNation gave the Nuggets a B:
The Nuggets acquire a pure point guard in Mudiay, which opens the door for them to deal Ty Lawson for a handsome trade package. At 6’5, Mudiay will be able to outmuscle many Western Conference point guards. Like Lawson, he is a speed demon in the pick-and-roll with intelligence. He is advanced at probing and finding the open man or driving and finishing at the rim. Mudiay needs to overhaul his jump shot mechanics, which will create problems for him if he plays off-ball.
CBSSports.com eched SB Nation with another B:
Mudiay is a higher-risk than others, and his shooting is problematic in the modern NBA, but he’s going to have weapons on offense and will excel defensively under Mike Malone.
Sports Illustrated handed the Nuggets a B+:
Mudiay is a phenomenal prospect. He’s big, athletic and was compared by Larry Brown—the point guard whisperer who recruited Mudiay hard out of high school—to John Wall. He had a forgettable season in China, largely due to injury, but he has explosive offensive potential. It remains to be seen how Denver wants to play; the Nuggets have a roster built for up-tempo and a coach, Mike Malone, known for a more methodical style. And this clearly means Ty Lawson’s days in Denver are numbered. But getting Mudiay here is a nice pick for GM Tim Connelly.
Yahoo!Sports thought the Nuggets deserved an A:
Either Denver intends to play two point guards whose strength is attacking off the dribble, or Ty Lawson may be on his way out. Mudiay is an elite point guard who originally signed with SMU but skipped college and played professionally in China last season. He is a big and strong but an erratic shooter.
Sporting News also deemed the Nuggets worthy of an A:
Mudiay is a scoring point guard who is dynamite in pick-and-roll and in transition. He’s a fantastic facilitator and has an NBA-ready build that will allow him to start immediately.
As for what happens with Ty Lawson, The Denver Post’s Benjamin Hochman thinks he’ll be gone by training camp while Mark Kiszla wants him out of town even faster.
Stay tuned to BSNDenver.com for more draft news and analysis as it pours in over the next few days.
