The Nuggets hope 2015 second-round draft pick Nikola Radicevic, who currently plays for Sevilla in Spain, joins the team at Summer League this July, but Sevilla will ultimately have to clear the point guard to participate, according to league sources. His status is also still up in the air as to where he will play in 2016-17, but Radicevic mentioned that as of now he plans to stay in Spain.
Radicevic saw his first action of the year after offseason hip surgery sidelined him for most of the 2015-16 season and logged just three minutes and registered two points in Sevilla’s 87-91 loss to CAI Zaragoza.
The 22-year-old mentioned that Nuggets general manager Tim Connelly was in Spain to visit with him and the help and support he’s received from the Nuggets through his entire rehab has kept him in good spirits.
Tim Connelly said on the Vertical Podcast with Chris Mannix that Radicevic will be staying in Europe next season.
Radicevic is a crafty, 6-foot-5 point guard who’s an above average finisher and possesses a capable jumper from mid-range and three. He’s not the greatest athlete at the point guard position, but his size allows him to see over the defense and make reads smaller guards can’t.
Sevilla runs a heavy diet of pick and roll, and last season 469 of the 786 possessions Radicevic used incorporated that action, per DraftExpress. He’s an intriguing playmaker who will benefit from the practice he will get in the two-man game at Sevilla.
The Nuggets may target another lead guard with one of their five picks in next month’s draft, but their backup point guard of the future may be honing his craft in Spain as we speak.
Nuggets interested in De Colo
According to Eurohoops.net, the Nuggets have some interest in Euroleague Final Four Most Valuable Player, Nando De Colo and are reportedly “ready to give him the contract and the minutes that he would like to have in order to return to the NBA.”
De Colo’s rights are currently held by the Toronto Raptors and he’s a restricted free agent with early Bird Rights this summer. CSKA Moscow will try their hardest to keep him in Russia and could make him the highest paid player in Europe. That contract would likely exceed $3 million.
The 28-year-old last played for the Raptors in 2013-14 and averaged 3.8 points in 10.5 minutes per game.
International reporter David Pick wrote back in February, that De Colo was garnering interest from multiple NBA teams but wants to re-sign in Russia.
Nando De Colo has NBA interest from multiple teams, but telling sources he wishes for CSKA Moscow extension. https://t.co/3bSUQw4tMM
— David Pick (@IAmDPick) February 26, 2016
