Denver Nuggets: A Look At Notable Prospects From Denver’s First Pre-Draft Workouts

The Denver Nuggets have scheduled 12 prospects to work out with the team Friday and Saturday before the 2016 NBA Draft.

The Denver Nuggets hold five picks (three of the first 20) in the 2016 NBA Draft on June 23.

Starting Friday, the team will begin individual workouts with prospects that suit positions of interest for the franchise that holds the seventh, 15th and 19th picks in the first round.

Last year the Nuggets hit the nail on the head with its seventh overall pick, with All-Rookie Second Teamer Emmanuel Mudiay.

The Nuggets need scoring in the worst way. Wing help is the main priority for the team as it looks to upgrade its roster through the draft in hopes of reaching the playoffs for the first time since 2013.

There are plenty of standout scorers who thrived in college attending this weekend’s workouts.

These are some notable prospects to watch for:

“Cat” Barber: Anthony “Cat Barber,”  a junior guard out of North Carolina State, was the leading scorer in the Atlantic Coast Conference and sixth leading scorer in Division I. He averaged 23.5 points per game, shooting 43 percent overall and 36 percent from three. He is a very speedy ball handler and can lose a defender with his quick crossover moves.

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Barber is by far the biggest name and most intriguing of any of the 12 players set to workout for Denver.

Barber’s shooting percentages, although effective, dipped from his sophomore season even though his usage rate increased. Knocking down shots efficiently will be key for him at the next level.

According to Synergy Sports Technolgy, Barber relied on isolation, pick and rolls and his speed in transition to score 75 percent of the time.

He wouldn’t be controlling the ball with Denver nearly enough and his spot-up jumper is an area in need of improvement, but his shooting touch is solid enough for the NBA.

Alec Peters: Peters, a 6-9 forward from Valparaiso, is another guy to look out for in the haul of potential picks. The junior forward averaged 18.4 points per game and shot 44 percent from deep, something the team struggled with, shooting 33.8 percent on the season.

He’s a jump shooter and Denver could use more of those. His ability to knock down the perimeter and midrange shots is huge for success in the NBA.

Ron Baker: He played in a Final Four his freshman year at Wichita State and was part of the reason that school is nationally recognized now. After four seasons he hopes to get his shot in the league. Over the course of his career, he averaged 13.2 points and shot 36.1 percent from three. He could be of value in the second round.

Marcus Georges-Hunt: Georges-Hunt thrived in his senior season for Georgia Tech. He improved across the board, averaging 16.7 points on 45 percent shooting (34 percent from three) — all career highs.

Georges-Hunt would likely be of value in the second round like Baker, but possesses the ability to get his own shot. He needs to become more consistent and is not classified as a knockdown shooter but can hit open threes, something Denver’s perimeter shooters struggled to do.

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Over the next month, Denver will workout out as many prospects as possible in hopes of finding guys that can come in and compete towards making it a winning franchise again.