NBA Draft 2011: 5 Prospects Perfect for the Denver Nuggets
The Denver Nuggets have been an above average team for the last 7-8 years with Carmelo Anthony, but now with no true star player on the floor, George Karl and Co. will be looking for answers in this year's NBA Draft.
I have said before, there are only a few star players in this draft and they are all located in picks 1-5. However, that does not mean there is no talent deep in the draft, it will just be hard to find.
The Nuggets have four unrestricted free agents in Nene, Kenyon Martin, J.R. Smith, and Melvin Ely. That means the Nuggets could lose their front court and 6th man via free agency. I would expect Nene and Smith to get deals done, but that means there will still major holes in the front court as well as depth issues in the back court.
If Denver wants to get back to the Western Finals, it is going to have to start with the draft.
In a recent interview with George Karl, according to Chris Dempsey of the Denver Post (http://denver.sbnation.com/denver-nuggets/2011/6/14/2223170/nba-draft-2011-nuggets-news-trade) has reported that the Nuggets will be looking to trade up in the draft order. They currently sit at No. 22, but it seems they are not going to settle.
Here are five draft prospects that could fit well in Denver.
Kenneth Faried- Moorhead State
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Kenneth Faried has caught the eye of head coach George Karl and the Denver Nuggets. With the front court possibly gone next season, the Nuggets will most likely go for a power forward like that of Kenneth Faried.
Faried is a 6'7" power forward who is an animal on the glass. His rebounding has been compared to the likes of Dennis Rodman as he led the nation in rebounds per game, averaging just under 14. However, his offensive output on the floor and the fact that he is undersized for his position will be issues. He will have to work on his low post game if he wants to be a starter.
Now the Nuggets would have to move up in order to snag him, but as mentioned earlier that is a viable option for the Nuggets. He has been ranked as high as 11, but as low as 24, where the Nuggets would not even have to trade down. He will be a player they keep an eye on as draft day approaches.
Charles Jenkins: Hofstra
2 of 5A kid who has been gaining more and more love is shooting guard/point guard Charles Jenkins out of Hofstra. The main thing about him that the Nuggets love is his versatility. He can play the point guard position as well as the number two spot.
Pending the Nuggets decision on J.R. Smith, this kid would no doubt be a suitable young replacement for J.R. He was 42% from three point range in his final year at Hofstra, averaging about 22 points per game.
However, I do not believe the Nuggets would be able to have Raymond Felton, Ty Lawson, J.R. Smith, and Charles Jenkins. This pick is if the Nuggets do part ways with Smith.
Jenkins is regarded as a sleeper pick due to the college he played at, but the Nuggets were high on him at the pre-draft workouts in Denver. So do not be surprised if Karl pulls the trigger at No. 22 (if they stay) with Jenkins.
Tyler Honeycutt: UCLA
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I love this pick if the Nuggets choose to stay at No. 22. The UCLA Bruins' Tyler Honeycutt is a gem in this draft. Honeycutt had solid production at UCLA in his sophomore year where he averaged about 13 points and seven rebounds.
At 6'8", 190, Honeycutt has tremendous size at the small forward. This pick is great for depth, as Danilo Galinari would continue to be the starter, but Honeycutt brings a more athletic dynamic off the bench.
He would also be a serviceable shooting guard if J.R. Smith does find a new home for the next NBA season. Honeycutt's athleticism will allow him to not only post up in the high post, but to get in the lane from time to time. More of a defensive player, Honeycutt led the Pac-10 in shots blocked with his long arms.
He is projected to land somewhere in the early to mid twenties.
Jordan Williams: Maryland
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The Maryland power forward/center Jordan Williams would fit well in the Mile High City. At 6'10", 250, Williams is a beast under the rim and on the defensive side of the ball. More of a power forward at the professional level, Williams is a very strong player who attacks the rim well.
He has great post moves, but the ball doesn't tend to fall all the time. When teams go smaller in the NBA he may be versatile enough to move to the center spot, but that is a maybe. He is very good at positioning his body and grabbing boards.
A very coachable player, Williams is going to have to spend a lot of time this summer in the gym work on the medium range shots if he wants to be able to play at that power forward position. If he is able to improve his jump shot significantly he could be a Chris Kaman type of player, but that comparison can only be made if he improves down the line.
He is projected somewhere around the 25th to early 2nd round. Their is still time for his stock to rise, but, regardless, he would be a nice player for the Nuggets.
Nikola Vucevic: USC
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The Montenegro born center/power forward is another player that George Karl would love to coach because of his versatility. Vucevic is one of the few seven footers in this years draft, and he is able to use all of his length in his game.
This kid has been improving ever since his freshman year at USC, he continues to gain stock as the days roll on. Averaging 17 points and 10 rebounds a game last season, Vucevic's offense numbers have grown over his entire college career.
As a coach's player, meaning very coachable and wanting to be coached, Vucevic would be a dream come true for George Karl. He can produce in the paint and out of the paint making his versatility key. The tallest player in the draft, Vucevic is able to be a defensive force as he averaged 1.4 blocks per game.
Vucevic is projected to go as early as No. 16, when no more than a few weeks ago he was an early 2nd round pick. Again, the Nuggets may be looking to trade up and this may be their guy if they do.
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