We’re now less than a day away from the start of the 2016 NBA Draft, and the excitement is palpable. After half the league seemingly swapped point guards on Wednesday afternoon, this looks to be one of the most active draft days in a long time, and the Nuggets are reportedly searching for a trade more than just about anyone in the league.
That being said, there’s a fairly high probability that the Nuggets don’t end up using one or both of their 15th- and 19th-overall selections in their first round, as they could become valuable trade commodities.
But if they do decide to stay chalk and use all three of their first-round picks, here are five guys they could consider at the mid-point of the first round:
Timothè Luwawu, Mega Leks
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xFd1PmYpomA
Age: 21 years old Size: 6’7, 205 pounds
Last Season’s Stats: 14.6 points; 4.8 rebounds; 2.8 assists per game
Percentages: 39.8% from the field; 37.2% from three-point; 69% from the free throw line
Timothe Luwawu is the most underrated player in this draft. Yes, he has been skyrocketing up draft boards and many big-time draft scouts love him, but when it comes to who these prospects will be in five years, you have to be excited about Luwawu. He may have the best ratio of highest upside with the highest floor when talking about his game.
Being a prototypical size of an NBA wing at 6-foot-7 and sporting an engulfing seven-foot wingspan, the physical tools are there. Luwawu also has wonderful skills as a leaper. He can finish high above the rim and dunk with pure ferocity off of both feet or one, left or right. He is defensive minded and uses every last bit of his physical gifts to cause chaos on that end of the floor. He has the quickness and length to guard three positions immediately and could develop more strength to potentially guard four different spots.
He acted as the primary ball-handler quite often in his time with Nikola Jokic’s former team, Mega Leks. Being given the responsibility to run the offense for stretches did wonders for Luwawu’s development. Being able to run the pick and roll efficiently from the off-guard positon gives the Nuggets yet another playmaker on the floor. He still has some issues handling the ball but has the tools to develop that aspect of his game. He did shoot solid from beyond the three-point arc and will fit well next to Emmanuel Mudiay in time.
All in all, there is not a much better fit for a Nuggets team that lacks perimeter defense, perimeter scoring and athletic ability. Odds are he ends up getting taken slightly higher than 15, but if available, he would be a beautiful fit in the Mile High City.
