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It could be a quiet Thursday at Pepsi Center.
On draft night one year ago, the Nuggets were ecstatic when potential No. 2 overall pick Michael Porter Jr. slipped all the way to 14 where Denver was selecting. The Nuggets, who were already set to bring back most of their rotation, felt comfortable taking a chance on the red flagged prospect while rival teams who needed immediate contributors passed. Denver made Porter its pick and never looked back. A year later, the Nuggets remain extremely high on Porter as his highly-anticipated Summer League debut draws closer.
Denver was also beaming about 41st overall pick Jarred Vanderbilt, who the Nuggets traded up in the second round to nab, at the end of the evening. Like Porter, Vanderbilt fell due to injury concerns and didn’t see the court much during his rookie season but has a tantalizing floor game that’s tailor-made for the modern NBA. Skilled big man Thomas Welsh at 58th overall wrapped up a productive three-player draft night.
Thursday could look a lot different.
Denver doesn’t currently possess a draft selection. The Nets own what was once the Nuggets’ first-round pick after the 2018 trade that sent Kenneth Faried and Darrell Arthur to Brooklyn in a salary dump and Denver’s relinquished its second-rounder back in 2017.
Of course, the Nuggets will stay aggressive. If Tim Connelly, Arturas Karnisovas and the Nuggets’ front office like a certain player that’s slipping, you can bet they’ll use whatever available capital they have to trade back into the draft and try and acquire him. Still, another team may have a similar line of thinking. There will be competition around the league for those cheaper second-round picks that teams hope to turn into role players.
If the Nuggets are able to acquire a draft pick Thursday, here are 13 prospects they could target in the first and second rounds:
If Denver acquires a mid/late-first round pick
Brandon Clarke 6-foot-8 big (Gonzaga)
Clarke is 6-foot-8 with a 6-foot-8 wingspan and hit a grand total of four 3s last season. So why is he on this list as a top Nuggets target in the first round? Above all, Clarke is one of the more unique prospects in the draft and possesses a skill-set and athletic profile of a lottery pick. He can be an All-NBA-caliber defender thanks to an elite IQ and all-world athletic ability that helped him place third in the country in blocked shots per game last season. Offensively, Clarke knows his role, has good touch around the rim and from floater range, and is a big-time lob threat. He and Zion Williamson led the country in most advanced metrics. Clarke is a difference maker who’s ready to play right away and if the 22-year-old starts slipping, teams shouldn’t be shy about trying to trade up for him.
Matisse Thybulle 6-6 wing (Washington)
Thybulle is the reigning NCAA Defensive Player of the Year, broke Jason Kidd’s NCAA record for steals in a season and also passed Gary Payton last year for most steals in Pac 12 history. He was one of three players (Shane Battier, Nerlens Noel) in the last 20 years to average at least two steals and two blocks in a season. Thybulle’s defensive instincts are off the charts. His numbers may have been slightly inflated by the zone Washington played which allowed him to be more aggressive in going for steals than normal, but you can’t teach his defensive awareness. He packs a seven-foot wingspan, a ton of burst and top-end speed. Offensively, Thybulle only shot around 30% from 3 last season but was above 85% from the line. His shot isn’t broken and actually reminds me of Torrey Craig’s jumper. Thybulle reads opposing guards like former Ravens safety Ed Reed read quarterbacks in the NFL for more than a decade.
Darius Bazley 6-foot-9 playmaking forward (Princeton High School)
Bazley sat out last season to prepare for the draft and has upside but will likely need some fine tuning during his rookie season. He projects as a multi-positional defender that can be a playmaking four and score from a variety of places on the court. He packs some guard skills too with a skill-set that can thrive in the modern game. Bazley could be a grab-and-go big man in the NBA a la Pascal Siakam.
If Denver acquires an early second round pick
Chuma Okeke 6-foot-8 forward (Auburn)
An ACL tear in the NCAA tournament knocked Okeke’s draft stock and he may not play until January or February of his rookie season. That’s fine by Denver who doesn’t need its draft pick(s) to contribute next year. At 230-pounds with a seven-foot wingspan, Okeke has ideal measurables for a present-day forward and projects well as a shooter and floor spacer that can attack the rim. Think of Okeke as a high-level role player at the four that does a little bit of everything. He can pass, shoot and dribble, defend and has an NBA-ready body.
Grant Williams 6-foot-7 forward (Tennessee)
Williams has the look of one of those guys who’s been in college forever but is only 20 and young for a junior. He was incredibly productive at Tennessee and averaged 18.8 points last season while knocking in 33% of his 3s and can do a little bit of everything on offense. Williams is also a strong multi-positional defender who isn’t your prototypical NBA athlete but makes up for it with his elite basketball IQ.
Johntay Porter 6-foot-10 big (Missouri)
He’s Nuggets 2018 first-round pick Michael Porter Jr.’s brother and a clearance rack version of Nikola Jokic at the center position, so what’s not to like? Well, like Michael, injuries have followed Johntay over the last few seasons. He tore his ACL in October, then tore it again this spring and could miss all of next season. But Johntay is skilled and can pass, shoot, dribble and initiate offense like Jokic. He could be worth a second-round investment.
KZ Okpala 6-foot-9 wing (Stanford)
I’m not sure what Okpala does well, but he fits the archetype of a modern 3-and-D wing that shot 37% from 3 last season in his sophomore year after remaking his jump shot. He has the defensive tools to be a multi-positional factor on that end of the floor and can handle the ball well for someone his size. Scouts haven’t been impressed with his feel for the game and Okpala plays like he still has a lot to learn. If a team can afford to take a flier and has a good player development program he could hit.
Isaiah Roby 6-foot-9 forward (Nebraska)
Roby was inconsistent in college but has ideal size and skills for an NBA four-man. He’s bouncy with a good second jump and the 21-year-old shot 33% from 3 while playing out of position for most of the season as one of Nebraska’s few big men. When he plays aggressive, he looks like a first-round pick. When he’s passive, Roby leaves you wanting more.
If Denver acquires a mid or late second round pick
Deividas Sirvydis 6-foot-8 wing (Lithuania)
Sirvydis has size, shooting and looked the part coming off screens as a 19-year-old in the Lithuanian league. He boasts a strong offensive IQ but also a slight frame and could use some more seasoning overseason.
*Potential stash candidate
Admiral Schofield 6-foot-6 wing/forward (Tennessee)
He’s a hard-nosed player with an efficient 3-point shot who knows how to play the game. Schofield is a high-character four-year player too that will come into the league with an NBA body and could be an attractive small ball option for teams at the four.
Charles Matthews 6-foot-6 wing (Michigan)
Matthews is one of the better defenders in the draft but lacks a 3-point shot. He also tore his ACL in the pre-draft process and could slide out of the second round. The Nuggets worked out Matthews last summer before the 22-year-old chose to go back to school.
Terrance Mann 6-foot-7 wing (Florida State)
Could the Nuggets double-dip on two Seminole prospects in four seasons? Denver struck gold with Malik Beasley at 19 overall in 2016 and Mann is another Florida State prospect who has a chance of sticking in the pros. He’s a great finisher inside thanks in part to his NBA-level athleticism and is a tenacious defender on the perimeter. Mann hit 39% of his 3s last season after three years where he showed little as a shooter.
Yovel Zoosman 6-foot-7 wing (Israel)
Zoosman is a 20-year-old wing with a good-looking 3-point shot and a high basketball IQ who’s currently playing for Maccabi Tel Aviv. He burst onto the NBA radar last summer when he won MVP and led Israel to the gold medal at the Under 20 European Championship.
*Potential stash candidate
