The Nuggets open their preseason slate tonight in Phoenix against the Suns (8 pm MT, TNT) in a rematch from last year’s Western Conference semifinals. What Nugget has the most to gain this preseason? What matchup are you watching closely tonight? What rookie’s stock are you buying? Adam Mares, Harrison Wind, and Brendan Vogt discuss.
Which Nuggets player has the most to gain this preseason?
Adam Mares: Peyton Watson.
Preseason is all about Peyton Watson. If he can have the same impact this season that Christian Braun had last season, then the Denver Nuggets should be favorites to repeat as NBA championships.
No other player seems to have that level of impact on Denver’s trajectory. If Watson isn’t ready to contribute right out of the gate, then the Nuggets might look awfully thin off of the bench.
Harrison Wind: Zeke Nnaji
Zeke Nnaji and DeAndre Jordan are auditioning to be the Nuggets’ backup center right now, but it’s the position battle that was talked about the least throughout training camp. Nnaji can — and probably should — win the job with a strong preseason. If he doesn’t, it’s a bad sign regarding his long-term future in Denver. Nnaji is a better defender and offensive option than Jordan.
He says he’s way more comfortable with his re-made jump shot now than he was this time last season. But we’ll see. That always seems to be the case with Nnaji. We know Michael Malone trusts Jordan, and Nnaji has to earn more of Malone’s trust throughout the preseason.
Brendan Vogt: Justin Holiday
Here’s one scenario that’s on the table: Justin Holiday cracks the rotation for the reigning NBA champions. While he won’t approach the most minutes he’s ever played, he’s got a chance to contribute during some of the most meaningful minutes of his career.
I gather most fans prefer the young players to break out. But Holiday came here to compete for playing time and help the team win a title, even if the former was never promised. Can he earn it in the preseason?
What matchup are you watching closely in the Nuggets’ preseason opener?
Mares: Jalen Pickett vs. Phoenix’s Backcourt
If Jamal Murray plays, then Pickett might not get a lot of minutes. But if Murray sits with a sore hamstring, Pickett could get an early test against Bradley Beal, Devin Booker, and Eric Gordon. All three represent the types of players I am most worried about Pickett being able to defend at the NBA level.
Offensively, I am excited to see if Pickett can organize a second unit that desperately needs playmaking.
Wind: Peyton Watson vs. Kevin Durant
This matchup will be a great barometer for how much Watson’s game grew over the summer. He doesn’t just get to go against Durant but could match up with Devin Booker and Bradley Beal at times too. It will be an awesome test for the Nuggets’ young forward.
Watson establishing himself as a key rotation piece off the bench would answer so many questions that the Nuggets have about their second unit this season.
This matchup is a prime opportunity for him to grab momentum at the start of preseason play. It’s where Watson’s rise during his sophomore season could begin.
Vogt: Peyton Watson vs. KD (and others)
Watson produced in some ‘catch them off-guard’ minutes last season. He won’t catch anyone off-guard in this environment, where A.) Durant knows him well. and B.) Denver’s hopefulness that Watson will help the bench improve is an open secret.
Key players are resting, and Jokić might not shoot the ball. This game is a showcase for the new and young Nuggets. All eyes are on the kid from SoCal.
What rookie’s stock are you buying?
Mares: All of them
I’m pretty high on all three rookies and can see a path to development for all three of them. Strawther starts off with great size and shooting from the guard spot but what excites me about him is how much Michael Malone has raved about his defensive awareness. That’s not a compliment Malone gives up easily to young player.
Hunter Tyson appears to be shooting it as well through a week of training camp as he did in Las Vegas Summer League. And rumor has it that Jalen Pickett started off his training camp with a 10-to-1 assist-to-turnover ratio. That’s absurd for a rookie. All three guys provide fans with plenty of reason to be cautiously optimistic about their future.
Wind: Julian Strawther
Strawther played a refined role on a really good Gonzaga team over the last couple of seasons next to a bunch of future pros. It’s why I don’t think he’ll have any issues fitting into the role that the Nuggets need him to alongside the other key pieces on Denver’s roster.
Strawther has drawn positive reviews throughout the last couple of weeks, and I don’t think the NBA game is going to be too fast or foreign for him. He won’t try to do too color outside of the lines and he’ll stick to what he does well, which is shooting, moving without the ball, and getting to his patented floater in the lane. I’m excited to see him in the preseason.
Vogt: Hunter Tyson
Tyson may never look as dynamic at the NBA level as he did in Summer League. Still, he’s got two highly translatable qualities — shooting and work rate. We’ve heard great things about his shooting at training camp and in practice. We also know playing your tail off is the quickest route to Michael Malone’s circle of trust. I’ll probably hold off on the Larry Bird comp Malone is throwing around, but I’ll gladly buy stock in the Menace from Monroe.
Given the positive feedback and flashes from all three so far, it’s fair to assume at least one of these players pans out in Denver. Yet it’s highly unlikely that all three do. The Kool-Aid tastes particularly good fresh off of a title. These kids still have mountains to climb.
