The NBA Draft is one of the most exciting days on the NBA calendar. This season promises to be especially eventful as there are several teams without draft picks who are desperate to make draft day trades to add young talent to their roster. This draft is also coming on the heels of the announcement that the league's salary cap is about to rise by even more than previously anticipated, giving almost every team money to spend on free agents and via trades.
Let's take a closer look at some of the basics to get you prepared for tonight's draft.
How many draft picks do the Nuggets currently have?
The Nuggets currently have five draft picks. Three in the first round, two in the second. They are:
1st round
7th overall
15th overall
19th overall
2nd round
53rd overall
56th overall
Is this draft expected to be a deep draft with lots of talent or a bit of a down draft?
Most experts expect this draft to be thin on superstar talent but flush with role-player level players. Ben Simmons and Brandon Ingram are the consensus #1 and #2 picks but after that it is wide open. There should be plenty of surprises in the draft order.
Who are the Nuggets most likely to select with the 7th pick?
This year's NBA draft is more wide open and unpredictable than most years so there isn't a consensus about who will be available when the Nuggets pick at #7.
Buddy Hield – sharpshooting 22 year old senior from the University of Oklahoma. Read the Stiffs breakdown on Hield.
Jamal Murray – sharpshooting 19 year old from University of Kentucky. Read the Stiffs breakdown on Murray.
Dragan Bender – mobile 7-foot skilled power-forward from Croatia. Read the Stiffs breakdown on Bender.
Jaylen Brown – athletic and skilled wing from University of California. Read the Stiffs breakdown on Brown.
Marquese Chriss – raw but athletic forward from University of Washington. Read the Stiffs breakdown on Chriss.
You can see a full breakdown of projected draft spots in our latest NBA Mock Draft.
Is it possible that the Nuggets will make a draft day trade?
It is VERY likely that the Nuggets will make a trade on draft night. They currently have more draft picks than they have available roster spots. They also have one of the youngest rosters in the NBA so adding five more young players to the roster is probably not ideal. There are also six NBA teams without a 1st round draft pick inlcuding the Cavaliers, Knicks, Trailblazers, and Thunder. The Nuggets have been rumored to be among the most active teams in pursuing a draft-day trade so check back here throughout the day for Nuggets news.
The most likely event is that the Nuggets trade one or more of their first round draft picks. All three could be packaged to move up in the draft or a pair of the picks can be packaged to bring in a veteran. Kenneth Faried's name has popped up in trade rumors recently. Wilson Chandler and Danilo Gallinari are among the other Nuggets veteran players that are most likely to garner interest from other teams.
What are the Nuggets biggest needs?
Shooting -The Nuggets ranked 26th in three-point FG%. They could use more shooting at nearly every position.
Versatility at power forward – Kenneth Faried has been one of the team's best players for a couple of seasons but his lack of shooting and defensive versatility make him somewhat of a bad fit alongside Emmanuel Mudiay and Nikola Jokic. The Nuggets may look to add a stretch big with a nice mid-range or three-point shot or a big that has more defensive upside.
What should I be watching for tomorrow?
Trades! At this point, it is probably more likely that the Nuggets make a trade tomorrow than that they stay put. They may make a small trade – like trading away a first round pick for a future first or for a bench level player. They may also have their eyes on some of the bigger targets on the trade market.
The Nuggets won't be the only ones making deals. A pair of big trades already went down yesterday as the Hawks, Pacers, and Jazz swapped point guards in a deal that sent Jeff Teague to Indiana, George Hill to Utah, and the #12 pick in the draft to Atlanta. The other trade saw Derrick Rose go to the Knicks for Robin Lopez.
How can I stay up-to-date on the draft?
We will have ALL of the breaking news stories here on DenverStiffs.com as well as analysis, round tables, reporting from Pepsi Center, and much much more. You can also follow us on twitter at @DenverStiffs or on facebook at facebook.com/denverstiffs.
Do the Stiffs have more in-depth information about players that will be in this year's draft?
Yes we do! We have lots of player breakdowns and analysis on all of the top players in the draft. Check it out!
Stiffs Draft Series
When is the draft?
The Draft begins at 5:30 pm and will last several hours. DenverStiffs.com is hosting a "Stiffs Night Out" NBA Draft party at Jakes Sports and Spirits. See below for details.
*****
