Nobody had a bigger NCAA Tournament than Duke’s Justise Winslow. The small forward emerged as a star player under Mike Krzyzewski and provided Duke with 14.3 points and 9.3 rebounds per game, helping the Blue Devils win their fifth national championship. Winslow’s breakout play in March has turned him into a potential top ten pick in the upcoming NBA Draft, and the Nuggets will have him in town on Wednesday to see if he is worthy of their No.7 selection.
#Nuggets, who worked out Willie Cauley-Stein today, are expected to have Duke's Justise Winslow in for a workout on Wednesday.
— Chris Dempsey (@chrisadempsey) June 8, 2015
Many experts love Winslow in a Nuggets uniform, including ESPN’s Chad Ford who sees Denver taking Winslow without hesitation if he is still available at N0.7. The Nuggets, according to Ford, need the “high-energy, high-character game” that Winslow provides.
Bleacher Report’s Daniel O’Brien is of the same mind, and is a fan of the defensive intensity and physicality that Winslow could bring to the Nuggets. O’Brien says it’s “imperative for contending squads to have a swingman stopper who is not only multifaceted, but committed to slowing down top-tier playmakers.” The Nuggets could certainly use an upgrade to their defense that was tied for 27th in points per game last year.
Winslow would bring much more to the rebuilding Nuggets than defense, however. Winslow is an efficient offensive threat who uses his 6’6″, 220 lb frame to drive into the lane and either finish with his strong left hand, or dish to an open teammate. Winslow is also proficient in his jump shot which he worked to develop more over the offseason. He won’t shoot 42% from beyond the arc like he did at Duke, but he would provide the Nuggets with some much needed floor spacing if they choose to draft him.
The Nuggets need a physical, tough, and talented scorer and Justise Winslow could be that player. Drafting Winslow would be the first step on the road to rebuilding in Denver.
The 2015 NBA Draft takes place on Thursday, June 25th in New York.
Jordan Gillmore, a Mile High Sports intern and CU-Boulder student, contributed to this report