With the Denver Nuggets offseason in full effect, the front office has now set out to dissect the upcoming NBA Draft and the vast amount of players that are set to hit the market as free agents this year.
And as the Nuggets go, so do all of us here at Mile High Sports.
So over the next month we will be going position-by-position and breaking down the top five draft choices and potential free agents and their fit in Denver.
Today’s breakdown will be of the deepest position in the 2016 NBA Draft: power forwards. With lots of different options and vastly different skillsets the Nuggets have a plethora of options if they are looking to add a power forward to the current roster.
Marquese Chriss, Washington
Age: 18 years old Size: 6’10, 233 pounds
Last Season’s Stats: 13.8 points; 5.4 rebounds; 0.8 assists
Percentages: 53.1% from the field; 35% from three-point; 68.5% from the free throw line
In this day and age everyone is looking for the next big “modern day power forward.” Marquese Chriss fits that mold about as perfectly as anyone in the 2016 NBA Draft. He brings with him a ceiling that is right below Brandan Ingram and Ben Simmons with a skill-set that is just as desirable. Having a power forward that can step out to three-point range, beat you off of the dribble, and than add high-flying dunks and blocked shots to the mix and you have the potential for a monster.
Chriss has been blessed with extreme athletic ability. While he is still learning how to most efficiently use his athleticism, it is already easily translated to the NBA. He is an elite leaper, off of either foot, individually or both feet, and is arguably the quickest leaper in this draft, which shows in his 3.6 offensive rebounds per 40 minutes last year. Chriss also moves his feet staggeringly well, at times, considering his size and age. His footwork when attempting to contain guards on the perimeter or stepping into a jump shot is crisp. Combining that with his 7-foot wingspan and it is simple to see why his potential is through the roof.
Chriss also brings with him an NBA ready jump shot. He shot 35 percent from three-point range last year and with every viewing of him stepping into a three-point shot you can see how fantastic his mechanics already are. He uses his footwork coming off of screens to create his rhythm before the ball has even been passed his way. Once the pass is caught he is setting his feet, squaring up his body, rising up and shooting the ball at its highest point. Chriss has almost no extra movement to his jumper mechanics and because of his release point his shot is borderline un-blockable. He also is not just a three point shot specialist. Chriss biggest attribute may be his ability to face-up his opposition. Chriss has a deadly turnaround jump shot that he can take over either shoulder. Adding a semblance of a post game, even if not back to basket, has opened up his game immensely to use his quickness and physical, football-like mentality going towards the rim.
While Chriss’s game is highly versatile and sought after, he does not come without blemishes. Chriss is one of the worst defensive rebounders at his position. He is skinny and is lacking is basic fundamentals defensively. He has some issues staying focused and needs a lot of polishing on his entire game. The biggest issue with Chriss is that he has only played around four years of actual competitive basketball. Almost every issue he has could be worked out by just gaining more and more experience. It is hard to create shots for your teammates when you haven’t even played long enough to fully understand the dynamics set into play on the court which led to him having an awful ratio of 26 assists to 69 turnovers.
The skill-set Chriss brings to the table is a match made in heaven for the Nuggets. It will take time and probably a D-League stint or two to get him on the right path, but with his biggest need being good coaching, I see him as much less risky than many other prospects in the draft. While taking Chriss on as a project does not help the Nuggets get back to the post-season immediately, he does represent more promise than most of the prospects in this draft. If Chriss is available to the Nuggets with the seventh pick I would imagine Tim Connelly and Co. will be thinking long and hard about taking the versatile power forward.
Dragan Bender, Maccabi Tel Aviv
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IffAjKkyPBE
Age: 18 years old Size: 7’1, 225 pounds
Last Season’s Stats: 2.1 points; 1.4 rebounds; 0.6 assists
Percentages: 33.3% from the field; 25% from three-point; 50% from the free throw line
The Croatian Dragan Bender has a skillset unlike any player in this draft. He brings solid handles, an ever-improving three-point shot and the ability to run the floor, all while being 7-foot-1 with a 7-foot-2 wingspan and elite foot quickness. That combo of length and quickness has led to the potential of him guarding 2-5.
His versatility is what is unmatched when discussing his ceiling. He can play either forward position and, depending on the lineup he is facing, he could even play small ball center. Add in a three-point shot, above average handles and his effortless playmaking ability and you have someone special. Dragan’s diversity has created the potential to play three different positions offensively and guard four different positions defensively.
Most importantly, his skillset is perfect for the Nuggets. Adding another playmaker and shooter to the frontcourt of Danilo Gallinari and Nikola Jokic creates an incredible amount of mismatches to exploit on the offensive end. It would also put four shooters around Emmanuel Mudiay and allow the Nuggets to switch everything on the defensive side of the ball. The same way Oklahoma City pushed the Warriors to game seven. Building a team around versatility, length and shooting is the way the NBA is headed and if the Nuggets somehow find themselves drafting Dragan Bender this year, they will be one massive step closer to that goal.
Skal Labissiere, Kentucky
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RF_cWYmUZVw
Age: 18 years old Size: 7’0, 215 pounds
Last Season’s Stats: 6.6 points; 3.1 rebounds; 0.3 assists
Percentages: 51.8% from the field, 0% from three-point; 66.1% from the free throw line
Skal Labissiere is as mysterious of a prospect as anyone. While his natural ability is undeniable, he constantly under-performed at Kentucky. Like Marquese Chriss, Labissiere has not played a ton of competitive basketball. What he does bring with him is being 7 feet tall with a 7-foot-2 wingspan. He is a fluid athlete, has a jump shot that apparently reaches NBA three-point range and the defensive potential to be a solid two-way player.
Labissiere has a lot of versatility to his game. He has a very light shooting touch from all around the floor with clean footwork. He is able to go down into the low block and score using jump hooks with either hand as well as face up his opponent and hit turnaround jumpers over either shoulder. He can run the floor like a gazelle, catches lobs with ease and finishes them with strength. His shooting mechanics are sound and he uses his obnoxious wingspan to keep his jump shots from getting blocked. He has elite two-way player potential with his blindingly quick feet and 7-foot-2 wingspan. His ceiling may be just as high as Ben Simmons or Brandan Ingram.
Like Chriss, Labissiere’s potential going forward is going to be a direct correlation to the coaching he receives. When a player has played less than five years of competitive basketball, they are still just as much of a sponge as a toddler. He still needs to learn basic fundamentals such as not leaving his feet and ball watching on defense and trying too hard to force the issue offensively. He needs a coach that will help him learn to play within his own game. If Skal is coached badly or in the wrong environment the world may never see what Labissiere could become. If he is put into the right situation he could become the destructive force he was marketed as when coming to Kentucky.
Deyonta Davis, Michigan State
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7pw_bc95O2c
Age: 19 years old Size: 6’10, 240 pounds
Last Season’s Stats: 7.5 points; 5.5 rebounds; 0.7 assists
Percentages: 59.8% from the field; N/A from three-point; 60.5% from the free throw line
From the Defensive Mastermind School of Tom Izzo comes Deyonta Davis. Having a 7-foot-1 wingspan with bouncy athletic ability, paired with great agility and timing, usually equates to an epic defensive presence. In Davis’s case that is all true.
Davis is a rim-running, high-flying, shot-blocking maniac that somehow finds his way to be everywhere at once. He is gobbling up 12.1 rebounds per 40 minutes and is constantly throwing down monstrous tip-in dunks. Davis is also in the top five in rim protection in this draft, even as a power forward. His motor is non-stop and his defensive versatility is among the best in the draft at the ripe age of 19.
When it comes to offense, Davis leaves a bit to be desired. He is slowly diversifying his offensive arsenal, but it is not up to par quite yet. His physical gifts do show an ability to be a solid roll man in the pick and roll. Davis has also started to develop a low post game and scored 0.98 points per possession. He is also shooting a scalding 66 percent at the rim. If he can continue to develop a mid range jumper he could become one of the better defensive role players in the NBA.
He does foul quite a bit — five fouls per 40 minutes — and can loose focus on both sides of the ball. He is slowly developing his jumper, but as of right now he only shot 5-13 from midrange this past season, so in terms of spacing he offers none. If he can clean up his defensive tendencies and add a mid-range jump shot, then look for Davis to have a long career as a role player in the NBA. In terms of fit with Denver, he really does not fill a need. If he falls to 19 the Nuggets may take him as a “best player available” selection, but past that, the fit does not seem too enticing.
Domantas Sabonis, Gonzaga
Age: 20 years old Size: 6’10, 238 pounds
Last Season’s Stats: 17.5 points; 11.8 rebounds; 1.8 assists
Percentages: 60.6% from the field; 35.7% from three-point; 76.8% from the free throw line
While, on paper, Sabonis looks like one of the higher-end prospects in the draft, the reality could be much different than that. Sabonis brings a high basketball IQ, strong rebounding instincts and offensive scoring, but his biggest issue is his physical nature.
Sabonis is a post-heavy machine on offense. He has a hodgepodge of post moves and counter moves coupled with footwork so clean it could be mistaken for a dance. He finished the season with a staggering 66 true shooting percentage and 1.15 points per possession in the post. Sabonis adds ball fakes and head fakes to his pristine footwork and post moves to draw his defender into fouling. He averaged 7.1 free throws per 40 minutes.
Sabonis also improved his jump shot and extended it to three-point distance. He was 5-14 from three-point and 22-45 on all jumpers this past year. He can take his man off the dribble in a straight line and is a smart passer. He rebounded incredibly well to the tune of 15.1 rebounds per 40 minutes and used his motor to pull down 3.9 offense rebounds per 40 minutes. He has a fantastic motor and plays with fire, but can all of these positives outweigh his massive negatives?
Sabonis is only 6-foot-10 with a 6-foot-10.5 wingspan. He plays largely below the rim and will have lots of issues guarding power forwards or centers. He plays very stiff and, while he is strong, he is narrow and gets pushed out of position offensively and defensively. He does not protect the rim and will struggle mightily when switched off onto a guard on the perimeter. Being that he does not cover ground well, he is very foul prone. His chance to become a NBA rotation player will rely heavily on if he can extend his perimeter game into a much greater strength than it is now.
When it comes to his fit with the Nuggets, he seems quite redundant with Lauvergne and Jokic on the roster. His physical limitations also make him even less of a chance to get selected by the Nuggets. Chalk me up as a skeptic of seeing Sabonis in a Nuggets jersey.