Denver Nuggets: 2016 Offseason Grades
Draft Pick No. 2
Despite being armed to the teeth in the frontcourt with Nikola Jokic, Jusuf Nurkic, Joffrey Lauvergne and Kenneth Faried (not to mention Danilo Gallinari, who can play some small-ball 4), the Nuggets used their 15th overall pick on stretch-4 Juan Hernangomez.
However, no one should make the mistake of thinking this is anything but yet another great first round selection.
A 6’9″ power forward, Hernangomez shoots the three-ball well and averaged 10.2 points, 8.2 rebounds and 1.8 assists per game in NBA Summer League. Though he only connected on two of his eight three-point attempts, he shot 54.5 percent from the floor overall and could help the Nuggets out right away if he plays in 2016-17.
Juan Hernangomez on the offensive glass. That's one of his skills that makes him a little more intriguing than your typical stretch 4.
— Nate Duncan (@NateDuncanNBA) July 9, 2016
From his penchant for crashing the offensive glass to his playmaking abilities to well-balanced stat lines like his 14-point, 12-rebound, five-assist, two-block game against the Miami Heat in Summer League, Hernangomez represents great value at No. 15.
The frontcourt is pretty crowded at the moment (especially after re-signing Darrell Arthur), but for a team looking to develop internally, that’s a problem for a later time — especially if he stays overseas for another season.
Grade: A-
Next: Draft Pick No. 3