Denver Nuggets: 5 Free Agents To Target This Offseason
Mirza Teletovic
The first curveball, Teletovic has been in the NBA for four seasons, and while he is already 30 years old, he still has potential to be unlocked.
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The most important part of Teletovic’s game is his three-point stroke. He has averaged 37.5 percent in his four years, and he brought that total up to 39.3 percent on 5.8 attempts in only 21.3 minutes per game this season, an abnormally large number for a bench big man. To put that number in comparison, here’s the list of bench players to average 35 percent from distance on greater than five attempts in less than 25 minutes per game:
Nikola Mirotic, Mirza Teletovic and C.J. Miles.
That’s quite a small list of specialized players, and one of them is a wing player in Miles. Teletovic shares many of the same characteristics as Mirotic though, and both of them average close to the same numbers across the board. Mirotic was a sensation in Europe during his time before the NBA, and his expectations were sky high coming into the NBA.
Teletovic can’t be held to the same expectation, but as a bench player to complement Kenneth Faried as the starter, he would fit the Nuggets’ biggest need for shooting. He would also complement Jusuf Nurkic very well, as Nurkic operates almost exclusively in the paint or at the elbow. Teletovic would hang out on the wings and in the corners and space the floor perfectly.
Darrell Arthur has a player option next season, and he has developed into a nice rotation piece for Denver who made most of his money on the defensive end but showed the makings of a three point shot. He has earned a nice contract next season, and he will likely opt out. If the Nuggets want to go with a cheaper option with more shooting capability, Teletovic is the guy.
Lastly, Teletovic is from Bosnia and Herzegovina, just like Nurkic. The prospect to bring a combination that will likely play for the Bosnian National Team on to the NBA stage would be a perfect fit. The two players would develop chemistry, and they could look forward to playing with each other during the season.
Overall, Teletovic won’t cost as much as other options on the market, but he fits a huge need for the Nuggets as a floor spacer and continuing to build chemistry as a team.
Next: 3-And-D Vet?