The Denver Nuggets selected three players and introduced two of them Tuesday at Pepsi Center, but one versatile four-man, who Denver acquired in a draft night trade with Utah, comes to town with two years of service and ready to contribute from day one.
Trey Lyles, who was sent to Denver after two up-and-down seasons with the Jazz when the Nuggets traded back from 13th to 24th overall last Thursday, is looking to capitalize on the change of scenery.
“It’s an opportunity to kind of reinvent myself as a player on a different team,” Lyles said as he sat alongside Nuggets’ draft picks Tyler Lydon and Monte Morris.
Following his freshman season at Kentucky, Lyles was drafted 12th overall by the Jazz in 2015 and quickly carved out a spot in Utah’s rotation. The 21-year-old played in 80 games as a rookie (33 starts) and averaged 6.1 points and 3.7 rebounds per game, healthy stats for a first-year player contributing on a playoff-caliber team.
But in his sophomore season, as the Jazz shifted from an organization that was collecting assets and discovering who they were to a mid-tier Western Conference force, Lyles was passed up in the rotation by veterans like Boris Diaw and Joe Johnson, who Utah brought in to bolster a potential playoff run.
Lyles was suddenly the odd man out and his numbers suffered. The 6-foot-10 forward played just 16.3 minutes per game and saw his numbers generally dip across the board, only appearing in 71 contests. That demotion combined with Utah’s draft-night needs and big summer ahead made Lyles expendable.
“It’s a fresh start for me,” Lyles said. “And I’m excited to get started.”
There’s a case to be made Denver’s style of play suits Lyles more than the defense-first approach in Utah that saw the Jazz play at the league’s slowest pace last season. Lyles is a versatile power forward, someone who can stretch the defense out to the three-point line, but can also blow by his defender from the perimeter.
“It’s kind of a dribble-drive offense, guys driving and kick out to shooters,” Lyles said of Denver’s attack. “I think that plays to me quite perfectly. I’m a dribble-drive guy and I can knock down shots, too. I’m capable of making plays. So, I think I’m going to fit in this system good.”
The Nuggets are currently loaded at power forward with Lyles, Lydon (Denver’s 24th overall pick), Darrell Arthur, Juancho Hernangomez and incumbent starter Kenneth Faried all battling for playing time. But when operating at his peak level, Lyles fits well next to starting center Nikola Jokic as a do-everything, playmaking four.
“I think that me and (Jokic) on the floor at the same time can be pretty lethal,” Lyles said.
President of Basketball Operations Tim Connelly agrees. Lyles’ versatility is what attracted him to the Saskatoon, Canada in the first place.
“His positional versatility, his basketball IQ and his ability to just blend with different lineups and different positions make him a really attractive asset,” Connelly said. “He’s a guy who’s going to blend in seamlessly with our team.”
Lydon, Morris excited to be in Denver
Lydon, who Denver selected 24th overall out of Syracuse, is already getting acclimated to the Colorado lifestyle. The 6-foot-9 stretch-four already visited Rocky Mountain National Park and can tell he’ll like it here in Colorado.
On the court, Lydon’s calling card is his jumper, but the 21-year-old knows he’ll have to be more than just that at the next level.
“I love being that guy that brings energy, diving on the floor for loose balls rebounding, doing the little things to help a team win,” Lydon said. “I feel like that’s what I do, and the ability to stretch the floor, make plays for other guys.”
Morris comes to Denver via Iowa State and led college basketball in assist-to-turnover ratio last season. The heady point guard is currently sitting behind Jamal Murray, Jameer Nelson and Emmanuel Mudiay on Denver’s depth chart, but is ready to impress the Nuggets’ brass at Summer League in July and absorb the basketball knowledge from those in front of him.
“I’m willing to learn behind guys and try to get better,” Morris said. “See what they’re doing and how they approach every day.”
Both Lydon and Morris are expected to play at Summer League with the Nuggets starting July 7 in Las Vegas.
