It’s draft day, and the 2021 NBA Mock Drafts are constantly changing due to various bits of information leaking out to reporters late in the process.
Rather than have Nuggets fans go searching, I did it for you. Here are the latest Denver Nuggets mock draft selections with the 26th overall pick around the internet.
Less individual analysis on each of these guys this time around. If you are interested in reading about these players more in-depth, check out our 2021 NBA Draft Profiles.
SB Nation – Ricky O’Donnell, July 28
26. Denver Nuggets – Joshua Primo, G, Alabama
No additional analysis from O’Donnell on this draft pick, but the most important thing here is that Primo is long (6’5” with a 6’9” wingspan), athletic (37.5” max vertical, fast lane agility time at the draft combine), can shoot (38.1% from three-point range in college) and is the youngest player in the draft class. He won’t turn 19 years old until December 24th.
If the Nuggets believe in his skill set and development, he has a chance to be a long term option as a starter next to Jamal Murray. His defense is solid, and his offensive game is malleable.
Check out the full SB Nation mock draft here.
ESPN – Jonathan Givony, July 29
26. Denver Nuggets – Quentin Grimes, SG, Houston
Adding depth on the wing will likely be a priority for the Nuggets, who are slated to be without Jamal Murray for all or most of next season and will see several rotation players enter free agency. Enter Grimes, one of the best shooters in the college game, who showed a lot more versatility as a passer than he had previously gotten credit for in what was an outstanding week of play at the NBA combine. Grimes looks physically ready to help a team after playing a major role taking one of the best defensive teams in college basketball to the Final Four.
This pick feels very safe with some upside if Grimes unlocks some of his skill set. He shot over 40% on eight threes a game in college, played good defense, and did some on-ball creation.
Check out the full ESPN mock draft here.
The Athletic – Sam Vecenie, July 29
26. Denver Nuggets – Joshua Primo, G, Alabama
Another pick that remains from last week’s mock. One thing the Nuggets are known for is pre-drafting players they think might be a year away from going much higher in the draft the next season. Primo is a prime pre-draft candidate, and there is even a thought that he could be off the board a bit earlier than this. Still, Denver would be a really strong fit for Primo given how great the organization is developmentally, and given that it has time to spend on him with how deep the Nuggets’ guard rotation is in front of him once his fellow Torontonian Jamal Murray gets healthy
Vecenie sticks with Primo as the pick, which also sticks with what Denver’s general mentality is: draft for upside and don’t worry about rookies playing in the first season. The Nuggets just opted into a G League team, the Grand Rapids Gold, for the first time in ages. Primo would be the first high profile player to make use of the opportunity in all likelihood.
Check out the full The Athletic mock draft here.
Bleacher Report – Jonathan Wasserman, July 28
26. Denver Nuggets – Josh Primo, G, Alabama
Another Primo pick. Scroll above for additional thoughts on Primo.
Check out the full Bleacher Report mock draft here.
The Ringer – Kevin O’Connor, July 29
26. Denver Nuggets – Isaiah Todd, F, G League Ignite
The Nuggets have never hesitated to take big swings on players, from Michael Porter to Bol Bol. Todd fits the same profile. He was a top high school prospect whose stock fell during his G League season. Even today, his draft range is all over the place, from the late first round to the late second. But he’s big, with scoring chops off the bounce. He’s only 19, and though he may not have matched expectations last season, Denver could always use more upside.
KOC notes that Todd has shades of Chris Bosh, Michael Beasley, and Marvin Bagley in his game. Given that the Nuggets have selected high profile high school players before, this fits. I’m skeptical though. The Nuggets really don’t need another power forward. It often feels like their roster is made up of point guards, power forwards, and Nikola Jokić sorting everything out. Todd needs seasoning and time to develop, but so do Porter, Zeke Nnaji, Vlatko Cancar, and Bol Bol.
Check out the full Ringer mock draft here.
Yahoo – Krysten Peak, July 26
26. Denver Nuggets – Josh Primo, G, Alabama
Primo is the youngest player in this draft class, not turning 19 until December. He was one of the best guards at the NBA draft combine and is a player who could have been a lottery pick next year if he had elected to return to school.
We’re now 4 for 6 on mock drafts that feature Josh Primo at 26th overall.
Check out the full Yahoo Sports draft here.
CBS Sports – Gary Parrish, July 23
26. Denver Nuggets – Kai Jones, PF/C, Texas
This deep in this draft, Denver probably can’t pass on the opportunity to take a big swing on a prospect like Kai Jones. It’s a bet on his upside, sure, but the two-year product from Texas has a chance to be a stretch-big at the next level considering he made 13 of the 34 3-pointers he attempted as a sophomore.
Wowza. Kai Jones to the Nuggets is a weird pick. Upside pick for sure. If Jones slips, this is a good value selection for Denver, but it genuinely doesn’t make sense from a positional standpoint unless he can play power forward next to Jokić in addition to center when Jokić sits. That was supposed to be what Zeke Nnaji was for.
Check out the full CBS Sports mock draft here.
