The Denver Nuggets are 0-2 to begin their Summer League experience this year.

It’s not that surprising though, given that the Nuggets don’t have an extensive amount of young talent on their summer roster this year. Only DaRon Holmes II (coming back from a season long absence) and Hunter Tyson represent players on the official roster, one of the lowest roster player totals around the NBA.

In addition, the two two-way players the Nuggets brought to Las Vegas, Spencer Jones and Tamar Bates, are still improving their playmaking capabilities for others.

As a result, the Nuggets are relying heavily on guards Reece Beekman, Curtis Jones, and Boo Buie to set the table for their roster guys, and that has been hit-and-miss so far.

Let’s look first at the main roster players and then focus on some names that have stood out so far:

DaRon Holmes II

All eyes have been on Holmes returning from a torn achilles during last July’s Summer League. Holmes has made a positive impression in the two games though, showing an improved jump shot, the occasional perimeter drive, and some defensive flashes. His attempts were limited, but he made the most of those opportunities in both games.

What must come next is the physicality and athleticism after so much time spent rehabbing a lower leg injury. That became evident in Holmes’ battle against Minnesota Timberwolves bigs Joan Beringer, Jesse Edwards, and Rocco Zikarsky. He appeared overwhelmed at times in those matchups battling a true center underneath the rim.

In about 25 minutes per game, Holmes is averaging 11.5 points, 5.0 rebounds, 0.5 assists, and 1.0 steals + blocks per game. He’s made 5-of-10 three-pointers but is yet to draw a free throw attempt. The shooting, especially the trail three-pointers in transition, is an important step in Holmes’ development.

Holmes may never end up being a Blake Griffin or Zion Williamson level athlete at power forward, but he doesn’t need to be that to become a starting caliber big man. Learning how to handle more physical defensive assignments will be critical, as will be improving his reaction time on both offense and defense near the baseline area. That will likely be his primary assignment as a power forward in Denver’s center-focused system.

Hunter Tyson

Tyson is the veteran leader of Denver’s summer roster but has looked overwhelmed at times against more athletic perimeter wings. Against the Milwaukee Bucks, he had a solid first half offensively but faded into the background in the second half as the rest of the team got it  going. Against the Minnesota Timberwolves, the Nuggets were constantly a step slower than the likes of Terrence Shannon Jr., Jaylen Clark, and Rob Dillingham on the perimeter, and Tyson struggled to create separation on shots for himself against that mix of defenders.

With averages of 12.5 points, 9.0 rebounds, 1.0 assists, and 1.0 steals + blocks per game, Tyson has had some good rebounding games but has struggled to make the all-around impact one might be hoping for in is third Summer League.

It’s a tough situation for Tyson because he has a lot of individual pressure to create shots for himself that he won’t create at the NBA level. Denver doesn’t have the right setup man for him, and his shooting numbers reflect that (32.1% from the field, 27.3% from three). Hopefully, the Nuggets can create some good looks for Tyson in one or more of the final three games.

Spencer Jones

Jones has been physical defensively throughout, fouling a bit too much at times but still showing some impressive traits on that end of the floor. He’s made some mistakes, but overall, he’s been Denver’s best defensive player.

Offensively is where the progression needs to happen. After Game 1 saw him score zero points on 0/3 from the field, Game 2 saw a marked improvement with 19 points on 8/12 from the field and 3/6 from three-point range. Jones’ activity on the glass was notable, and his strength around the rim helps fight through contact on cuts and drives. There’s very little playmaking involved, but Jones projects as a defensive minded role player anyway so it’s not that big of a deal.

His versatility and shotmaking will be the limiting factors for him offensively. Any step above where he’s at now will only help him contribute to lineups as a small forward connector.

Tamar Bates

Bates has been okay. The shot isn’t there from the perimeter (1/9 from three) but his slashing and finishing around the rim has been solid (8/16 from two). Shooting can be difficult to measure in a Summer League environment, so don’t be too concerned about a low percentage. Nuggets fans should be hoping for Bates to display a quick trigger on these shots and to make enough of them for opposing defenses to overreact whenever he catches the ball.

Defensively, Bates hasn’t been as impressive as he needs to be. He’s gotten lost on the perimeter and turned his head on multiple occasions, losing track of his man that caused an open shot. If Bates is going to make it in the NBA, he will have to be fully locked into both the team and individual defense. The 1.5 steals per game are solid, but they have to come with the level of disruption and deterrence expected in the NBA game today.

Other Standouts

  • Reece Beekman has been good defensively as an undersized guard, and he’s actually tied for second in Las Vegas (as of Sunday evening at 5:43 pm MT) with 8.0 assists per game. The scoring hasn’t been there, but he’s done his job as a playmaker in just under 20 minutes per contest.
  • Tyrell Harrison is 7’1″ and has done a decent job playing like it. He’s averaging 11.5 points and 6.5 rebounds in 23.7 minutes per game, along with a steal and a block. The Nuggets have been at their best with Harrison manning the middle of the floor.
  • E.J. Liddell was pretty solid in the first game and poor in the second. Both games, his rebounding stood out. In the first game, he shot it well. In the second game, he didn’t, and he also had five turnovers. He’s probably the most intriguing non-roster guy due to his profile before a major injury. We will see if he can continue to make a positive impression.
  • Donovan Williams logged two steals and three blocks against Minnesota in 13 minutes. I’m curious how real that defensive hustle and production was.
  • I want to see Curtis Jones start a game at point guard and see if the Nuggets other starters benefit from that extra scoring punch. Jones can score and space the floor, but he’s not the facilitator or defender Beekman is.