Potential Players the Nuggets Should Target in the 2017 Draft

Most teams in college basketball have started conference play by now. The NCAA regular season is nearly halfway over and many players have come into form. Which players stand out as draft targets for the Nuggets?

Right now the Nuggets are in position for the ninth pick in the NBA draft unless they luck into a lottery pick. This is a similar position to the last three years, when they had the seventh. eighth, and eleventh pick.

It is only January, which means there are still five months until the NBA draft. A lot could happen between now and that time for the Nuggets. Their draft position could change or they could even give up picks in a trade.

Barring a major trade, it’s time for the Nuggets front office to decide where the team needs improvement. The Nuggets then need to draft players that fill these deficits. You know, basic draft stuff.

These are a few places where the Nuggets could use improvement and players in next year’s draft who would make sense to draft.

The Search for a New Point Guard

Many people are up-in-the-air on the future of Emmanuel Mudiay and the Denver Nuggets. What was supposed to be his turn-around year has turned in Mudiay producing very similar stats as last season. Although, Mudiay has looked much better than the beginning of the season.

The Nuggets might want to hedge their bets in case Mudiay does not pan out in the long run. Murray could potentially play point guard in the future or they could also target a point guard in the draft.

If the Nuggets choose the latter then De’Aaron Fox out of the University of Kentucky would be a great choice. Fox is a 6’4 freshman and arguably one of the quickest and most athletic people in the 2017 draft.

Fox averages 16.7 points, 6.4 assists, and 5.1 rebounds per game. He is also known throughout college basketball as a ferocious defender with his lightning speed on the court. Denver is desperately in need of defense as they let opponents score 111.2 points per game.

The Houston, Texas native can provide many valuable assets to the Nuggets. He would fill a defensive need and, if he can work on his jumper, could be a huge offensive threat.

Maybe Denver Needs a Stretch-Four

The Nuggets have a couple of options for what they want to do with the power forward position. The first being whether they want to draft a player who can space the floor.

Tyler Lydon is a player who can offer that to the Nuggets. Lydon is a 6’9 sophomore from Syracuse University. This year he averages 12.8 points per game, 7.7 rebounds, and shoots 43.5% from beyond the arc.

The Nuggets have Kenneth Faried and Jusuf Nurkic at the power forward position currently. This makes the Nuggets a non-factor at power forward from three-point range unless the have Darrell Arthur or Wilson Chandler in.

If the Nuggets drafted Lydon, he could open up the basket for others to drive the lane. It would also give the Nuggets’ emerging star, Nikola Jokic, room to work in the post.

Lydon is a good defender, good rebounder, and an average free throw shooter. Think of him as somewhere between Ryan Anderson and Kevin Love.

The Nuggets could also choose to go for a more traditional style power forward.

It’s Time to Draft a Traditional Forward

Harry Giles has only played six games, so it is hard to judge him just yet. The forward out of Duke University missed the team’s first eleven games while recovering from left knee surgery.

The 6’10 freshman, though, is supposed to be the real deal. He was ESPN’s number one overall recruit for this year’s recruiting class.

The 240-pound forward is only averaging 12.3 minutes while he revamps from his surgery. In those scarce minutes he is averaging 5.3 points on 43.8 percent shooting and 4.8 rebounds.

Giles is very versatile, but looks most comfortable with his back to the basket. He has not attempted a three-pointer at Duke all year, so he might not be a stretch-four style of player.

On defense he could be a good around the basket defender. His stats at Duke don’t show it, but he is a decent shot-blocker.

Depending on the direction the Nuggets want to go with the offense, Giles could provide solid play on the offensive and defensive side of the ball if he pans out.