2021 NBA Draft Profiles: Denver Nuggets

Summary

The Denver Nuggets had a great regular season finishing 47-25, which was good for third in the west. Nikola Jokic lead the way by winning MVP and averaging 26.4 points, 10.8 rebounds and 8.3 assists. Denver had championship aspirations after acquiring Aaron Gordon at the NBA Trade Deadline. However, their title hopes were put to a halt after their star guard Jamal Murray tore his ACL. For the remainder of the season, the Nuggets continued to win without Murray with players like Michael Porter Jr. and Monte Morris stepping up.

In the playoffs, Denver managed to get past the Portland Trail Blazers in six games. Against the Suns in the NBA Conference Semifinals, the Nuggets were swept. Their lead guard Murray was clearly missed against Phoenix. Denver’s season ended with the thought of what if Murray was healthy? Overall, the Nuggets had a successful season, especially considering what they accomplished without their second-best player. Murray’s injury forced some players like Porter to grow up. Denver has a superstar in Jokic, a near All-Star caliber guard in Murray and talented forwards in Porter and Gordon. The Nuggets can and likely will compete for a championship for the foreseeable future. As most teams do, Denver has a few holes they can address in the NBA Draft.

Picks

The Denver Nuggets have one selection in the 2021 NBA Draft.

First Round: Pick No. 26

Team Needs

Backcourt Scoring- After being swept by the Suns, the Nuggets’ backcourt depth may need addressed. Clearly, Denver’s backcourt was not going to perform at the same level without Murray. However, there was some scoring inconsistencies in their backcourt during the playoffs. Outside of Morris, the Nuggets do not have much scoring guards off the bench. At shooting guard, Will Barton is a good offensive playmaker at times. However, Barton does have a player option this offseason, so he could leave Denver. Barton’s possible departure would leave a hole at shooting guard. In addition, Austin Rivers brought some needed help to the Nuggets’ backcourt, but he will be an unrestricted free agent this offseason. Denver should look to add a talented offensive guard in the 2021 NBA Draft.

Rim Protector- Another possible need for Denver is a shot blocker.  As a team, the Nuggets ranked 21st at only 4.5 blocks per game. Jokic can do a lot, but he does have some defensive limitations. The Nuggets did acquire Javale McGee from Cleveland at the trade deadline, but McGee rarely played for Denver. Gaining a defensive anchor to backup Jokic could help improve Denver’s defense.

Projected Targets

Round 1, Pick 26: Chris Duarte, SG (Oregon)

The 2021 NBA Draft has plenty of talent in the backcourt. The only real possibilities for a shot blocker with the 26th pick is Usman Garuba and Isaiah Jackson. At 26, Garuba and Jackson will both likely be gone. The Nuggets will then likely look to select a scoring guard. More specifically, a shooting guard would be ideal for Denver since they already have Morris and Facundo Campazzo for point guard depth. Chris Duarte out of Oregon could be a great fit in Denver.

Duarte was one of the most efficient scorers in college basketball last season. He averaged 17.1 points while shooting 53.2% and 42.4% from three. Standing at 6-foot-6, Duarte brings some wing versatility being able to play either shooting guard or small forward. In addition, Duarte was a good defender at Oregon. Overall, he could be a very solid three and d player at the next level. The former Oregon Duck has a good jump shot and is a solid finisher at the rim. Duarte does have some shot creating ability, and could rise above just a three and d player.

Chris Duarte Off Dribble (Shooting) pic.twitter.com/tzyakKnHDE

— Aaron Holmes (@CoachHolmes20) July 12, 2021

As mentioned, Denver could lose Barton this offseason and they already lost Gary Harris when acquiring Gordon. Duarte would be a very nice option to fill the need for a scoring shooting guard.