With the 2017 NBA season officially complete, and the draft order set, the time has finally come for some of basketball’s brightest stars to take center stage and start on their journey in the NBA.
Tonight’s NBA draft has been talked about as one of the deepest in years. Littered with all kinds of talent, teams are hoping to find and draft players that will hopefully help take their franchises to the next level.
As it stands, the Nuggets own the 13th, 49th, and 51st picks in the draft. While the 49th and 51st picks will likely be used on draft and stash guys, the Nuggets will be able to find a solid player, who could evolve into a major contributor down the line, with the 13th pick.
The Nuggets biggest need by far is defense. Time after time, the Nuggets would watch leads disappear late in games due to their execution on the defensive end. The offense was forced to carry the majority of the load last season as Denver’s defense ranked 29th out of the 30 teams in defensive rating.
The Nuggets will likely be targeting a forward who can run the floor and protect the rim, whether at 13 or if they make a trade.
Denver’s cornerstone, Nikola Jokic, is a wizard at creating scoring opportunities for his teammates, making quickness a point of emphasis with whomever they select. However, Jokic’s game does not translate to the defensive end of the floor very well, as he struggles guarding athletic big men and defending the rim.
There are bound to be some intriguing prospects available when the Nuggets hit the clock on Thursday. Here’s a look at some of the best and most realistic players Denver could select.
