Denver Nuggets: Who Will Fall To No. 7 In The Draft?

By Gerald Bourguet | May 25, 2015

Mar 27, 2015; Houston, TX, USA; Duke Blue Devils forward Justise Winslow (12) reacts after making a three-point basket against the Utah Utes during the second half in the semifinals of the south regional of the 2015 NCAA Tournament at NRG Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-USA TODAY Sports /

The Denver Nuggets may not have been able to move up in the 2015 NBA Draft Lottery, but they’re actually sitting pretty at No. 7 in the draft order. They may not be getting a franchise-altering player, but their job is simple this year: take the best available player.

With six talent-desperate teams ahead of them, the Nuggets shouldn’t have too challenging a task in front of them once they’re on the board.

Unlike some teams, Denver won’t have to deal with the mental conundrum of deciding between the best available player and a player who fills a position of need. When every position on your roster is a position of need, your job in the NBA Draft war room gets a lot simpler.

The question is, who will be the most likely candidate to fall into the Nuggets’ lap?

Though the Nuggets saw a late-season resurgence from Danilo Gallinari, and still have Wilson Chandler on the roster, nobody on this team is off limits. That means that if a talented small forward is on the board and Denver feels like making a “safer” pick, they could very well go in one of two directions.

One player that is consistently falling to the Nuggets in mock drafts is Justise Winslow, a phenomenal two-way prospect from Duke.

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Winslow’s measurements at the NBA Draft Combine didn’t blow anyone away, and there are still definite areas of his game he’ll need to improve. But he’s an elite athlete who has the potential to become a standout defender, rebounder and leader. The Nuggets would be more than happy to add this 19-year-old and watch him grow as they try to rebuild.

However, if Winslow is off the board at that point, the Nuggets could go for a potential steal of the draft with Stanley Johnson, a forward from Arizona. He’s one of the more NBA-ready prospects in this year’s draft, which is particularly impressive since he’s only 18 years old.

Though he’s not a particularly explosive athlete, he should be able to make up for it with his three-point shot, his excellent size and his uber-competitive nature.

Rounding out the list of small forward prospects that could be on the board when the Nuggets pick is Mario Hezonja, a 6’7″ wing from Croatia. Hezonja can play the 2, the 3 or the 4 spot and would help Denver spread the floor with his three-point touch.

There are more than just small forwards to choose from, however. If the Sacramento Kings should somehow pass on adding the rim protector they need in Willie Caulie-Stein, the Nuggets could very well select him as a center who could become an elite NBA rim protector.

If Cauley-Stein is off the board (which he probably will be), the Nuggets could also choose to strengthen their frontcourt defense alongside Jusuf Nurkic by taking Myles Turner out of Texas. Turner is a mobile power forward who can spread the floor and has plenty of room to grow.

And of course, this is without including the possibility — however remote it may be — that someone like Emmanuel Mudiay or Kristaps Porzingis somehow falls in the draft.

But whatever the case, the Nuggets don’t have too much pressure on them to nail their pick with a franchise player like the Minnesota Timberwolves or Los Angeles Lakers do. They’ll have plenty of options with the No. 7 pick, but with a roster that’s 100 percent replaceable, it’s just a matter of choosing whomever they deem to be the best player available.

Here’s hoping that player winds up being Justise Winslow, but even if it doesn’t, the Nuggets will take what they can get.

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