We waited, and waited and waited and finally it happened – well not a draft pick but the Nuggets made a decision.
The Nuggets traded the No.13 pick to the Utah Jazz for the No.24 pick and received Trey Lyles.
His fit with the Nuggets is an additional rotation player needed for insurance as he joins a group of Denver bigs – Nikola Jokic, Kenneth Faried, Darrell Arthur, Mason Plumlee and Juancho Hernangomez.
Denver has the cap space to absorb his $2.3-million contract. ($2.4M in 2017-18 and $3.4M (team option) in 2018-19 season.
It’s no secret that Nuggets coach Michael Malone has a liking for a big man who can defend in the post as well as extend the floor with his shooting and that’s exactly what they got with Trey Lyles.
The 6-foot-10 forward was the No.12 pick in the 2015 draft that came out of the University of Kentucky and is a traditional big man that is the perfect modern day power forward with the way he can shoot the ball.
Last year for the Jazz he averaged 6.2 points and 3.3 rebounds per game while shooting 31 percent from beyond the arc.
Lyles is still a raw prospect despite already having two years under his belt but shows flashes of progression as he is a big man that can space the floor with his shooting, rebound and run the floor, he should fit seamlessly off the bench in the Denver Nuggets fast-paced offense.