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Complete 2017 NBA Draft grades for all 30 teams

By Gerald Bourguet

Jun 22, 2017; Brooklyn, NY, USA; General view of the stage before the 2017 NBA Draft at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports
Jun 22, 2017; Brooklyn, NY, USA; General view of the stage before the 2017 NBA Draft at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports /
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2017 NBA Draft
Dec 21, 2016; Syracuse, NY, USA; Syracuse Orange forward Tyler Lydon (20) shoots the ball against the St. John’s Red Storm during the second half at the Carrier Dome. St. John’s won 93-60. Mandatory Credit: Rich Barnes-USA TODAY Sports /

Denver Nuggets

Tyler Lydon (No. 24), Vlatko Cancar (No. 49), Monte Morris (No. 51)

No offense to poor Tyler Lydon and his one-sided potential as a stretch-4, but what on earth happened to the Denver Nuggets Thursday night?

Not only did Tim Connelly miss out on a prime opportunity to land Jimmy Butler, but the team made a downright silly move trading down from No. 13 (Donovan Mitchell) to No. 24 (Lydon), even with Trey Lyles thrown in.

Lyles may not be a draft bust just yet and showed signs of being a stretch-4 as a rookie, but he completely fell off the map in his second season, losing minutes to an injured Derrick Favors, Joe Ingles and an over-the-hill-until-the-playoffs Joe Johnson.

Vlatko Cancar is a draft-and-stash, Monte Morris does little to unclutter a crowded backcourt that already cut Emmanuel Mudiay from its rotation and the power forward spot is even worse with Kenneth Faried, Juan Hernangomez, Lyles, Lydon and Darrell Arthur.

The Nuggets needed to either make a trade (which they tried) or draft a project player. They did neither. Hell, dumping Mudiay and drafting Mitchell or OG Anunoby at 13 would’ve been preferable to this.

Grade: D