Darrell Arthur, Player option
Age: 28 Size: 6-foot-9, 235 pounds
Career Stats: 6.7 points; 1.1 assists; 3.4 rebounds per game
Percentages: 44.4% from the field; 31.4% from three-point; 76.1% from the free throw line.
When it comes to a power forward off of the bench, it is hard to get better than how Darrell Arthur played this year with Denver. The basic stats may not show it, but his post defense is by far the best on the Nuggets’ roster. His ability to space the floor in pick-and-pop situations is vital for a team who struggles with spacing. He may be the most vocal defender I have watched, and with an added three point shot, it’s hard not to love what he has brought to the team.
Not only does he fit extremely well, but he wants to stay in Denver. Even with a player option, he will opt-out of his current contract with the TV money flooding the NBA. He has said he wants to stay, but he knows what he is looking for.
“I definitely want to be here, especially if they extend me three or four years,” Arthur told the Denver Post. “That would be great, because I love the city, I love the team, I love the direction the coach is going in and the organization. So, I want to be here.”
When talking in exact terms with the Denver Post like that, you know he means what he says. He does love Denver and wants to continue playing here, but he needs security in his next contract. Are the Nuggets up to committing to an oft-injured backup power forward in the way he wants? That is for Tim Connelly to answer.
