The first round of the 2024 NBA Draft begins next week on Wednesday, June 26th. A second round takes place the next day. The Denver Nuggets currently possess the 28th and 56th overall picks. With the Nuggets coming off of a painful second round defeat in the playoffs, there’s no telling what General Manager Calvin Booth and the Nuggets brain trust decide to do. Will they keep the picks, trade up, trade down, or move them for a veteran contributor? Everything’s on the table, so let’s discuss a wide variety of players in this week’s NBA Draft Positional Previews.
Other Position Previews
Point Guards | Shooting Guards | Small Forwards
Five Power Forward Prospects
Tyler Smith – G League Ignite
Age: 19 | Height: 6’9″ | Weight: 224 | Wingspan: 7’1″
Per Game Stats: 22.0 minutes, 13.4 points, 1.1 assists, 5.1 rebounds, 1.0 blocks, 1.2 turnovers
Shooting Splits: 48.1 FG%, 36.5 3P%, 72.5 FT%, 62.9 TS%
Tyler Smith is a physically gifted forward with shooting talent out to three-point range. His size and athleticism (6’9″ with a 7’1″ wingspan) are the first draws for most teams. He had a solid shooting season for G League Ignite, but there were other questions about his game and the versatility. Smith showcased strong athleticism on the move as a roll man, but he didn’t often create shots for himself. His defense is also concerning, according to the experts, showing a lack of toughness.
Smith appears to be a good example of a talented prospect that may not fit what the Nuggets need right now. He will need some time to develop and become a professional, but there’s hope that the finished product is way more refined and skilled to go with exceptional athleticism. Can the Nuggets afford to wait? If they can, Smith would be an interesting player in the long term to play power forward inside and outside next to Nikola Jokic and on second units.
Bobi Klintman – Cairns Taipans
Age: 21 | Height: 6’8.8″ | Weight: 212 | Wingspan: 6’11”
Per Game Stats: 21.6 minutes, 10.1 points, 0.9 assists, 4.7 rebounds, 0.5 blocks, 1.7 turnovers
Shooting Splits: 43.4 FG%, 33.7 3P%, 81.3 FT%, 57.1 TS%
Bobi Klintman appears to be the prototypical modern forward for most NBA systems. Klintman played one season at Wake Forest before going to the NBL in New Zealand. He stands tall and has long arms, switching onto guards and bigs to contest as many shots on the ball as possible. He’s a bit skinny to truly be a five position defender, but he’s close, and that versatility is alluring. Offensively, the skill set needs some work, but there are reasons to be excited for his growth on that end.
Klintman is probably closer to Peyton Watson than anyone else on the Nuggets current roster, and if the Nuggets are going to develop Watson, it may not make sense to draft the Swedish forward. Still, a team can never have too many athletic, defensive minded, switchable 6’8′ guys, and Klintman whas potential to grow into a better offensive player in the right environment. If the Nuggets believe in his defensive impact, he’s an interesting pick.
Keshad Johnson – Arizona
Age: 23 | Height: 6’6.3″ | Weight: 224 | Wingspan: 6’10.3″
Per Game Stats: 27.6 minutes, 11.5 points, 1.8 assists, 5.9 rebounds, 0.7 blocks, 1.6 turnovers
Shooting Splits: 53.0 FG%, 38.7 3P%, 71.0 FT%, 61.6 TS%
Keshad Johnson is a five-year college player who spent his first four seasons at San Diego State before transferring to Arizona. There, he contributed to a very strong squad, playing a complementary forward role and doing a variety of things to help out the team. He maintained great efficiency, collected steals and blocks, and was a solid rebounder. Before Arizona, his shooting wasn’t this good though, and he’s a career 30.2% three-point shooter and 64.2% free throw shooter. If he can’t space the floor, his all-around impact becomes less important.
The Nuggets ran into size and rebounding issues on their second unit this past year, and there’s no doubt Johnson would help there. He’s a bit undersized at 6’6″, but he’s a hard-nosed, physical player willing to do the dirty work. Using the 28th overall pick on that skill set feels like a reach, but he’s a solid flyer later in the draft. If he’s on the board at 56th overall, he’s an ideal two-way contract guy who can prove if his shooting at Arizona is for real at the NBA level.
Jonathan Mogbo – San Francisco
Age: 22 | Height: 6’6.3″ | Weight: 217 | Wingspan: 7’2″
Per Game Stats: 28.9 minutes, 14.2 points, 3.6 assists, 10.1 rebounds, 1.8 turnovers
Shooting Splits: 63.6 FG%, 0.0 3P%, 69.2 FT%, 64.8 TS%
Jonathan Mogbo is an extremely unique mid-major talent for San Francisco, showing off strong athleticism and physical traits while handling the basketball. He’s a playmaking forward, using his size and athleticism to create shots inside the arc for himself and all over for his teammates. The problem? He couldn’t shoot at all at the college level, attempting just two three-pointers in his last two college seasons, and according to the video below, over 80% of his shot attempts occurred right at the rim.
Whether he will be able to shoot at the NBA level is a reasonable question. If he can, Mogbo suddenly becomes very intriguing. Mogbo is a strong, versatile defender, and he sees the floor well on the offensive end. His skill set might be too unique for where the Nuggets are right now though. Teams will have to adapt to his skills and provide some stability for him. That might be fine in a rebuilding situation, but the Nuggets are looking to win right now. Perhaps Mogbo can fit into those plans, but it would be a surprise to see Calvin Booth go this direction.
Enrique Freeman – Akron
Age: 23 | Height: 6’7″ | Weight: 212 | Wingspan: 7’2″
Per Game Stats: 32.5 minutes, 18.6 points, 1.6 assists, 12.9 rebounds, 1.7 blocks, 2.5 turnovers
Shooting Splits: 58.4 FG%, 37.0 3P%, 72.8 FT%, 64.3 TS%
Enrique Freeman is a five-year forward for Akron, another mid-major talent who shined in the pre-draft process to rise up draft boards. He grew steadily as a scorer, rebounder, and defender over his five years, and that looks to have paid off when he played well in scrimmages vs other NBA prospects at the combine back in May. He didn’t shoot threes in his first four years but shot reasonably well this year and appears to have taken a leap there. That adds to his defensive skills, athleticism around the rim, and even some playmaking flashes.
That seems like enough to get drafted, and perhaps the Nuggets could take him with their second round pick. He would be a developmental prospect as he continues to iron out his jump shot, but the defensive skills, the tenacious rebounding, and the athleticism in the open floor could all be helpful immediately, as would his post game against undersized matchups.
