Denver Nuggets: 2017 NBA Draft grades

No. 49 — Vlatko Cancar, SF, International

As is, the Nuggets are going to have a hard time trimming their roster.

Thus, drafting a player like Vlatko Cancar was a smart move.

Cancar, by almost all accounts, won’t be in the NBA next year. In fact, it may be many years before he makes his way stateside. Regardless, his upside makes him good gamble by the Nuggets. ESPN‘s international basketball expert Fran Fraschilla is a big fan of the kid:

According to Draft Express, the Slovenian wing is 6’8″ with a 6’11” wingspan, with the following strengths:

"“Cancar’s best asset at this stage is his jump shooting potential. After shooting the lights out from beyond the arc last season, he’s connected on a serviceable 34% of his attempts this year, but 42% in true spot up situations. A capable shooter off the dribble when given space, Cancar’s lower overall mark is rooted in his still developing pull-up game and his shot selection than his actual ability to spread the floor.”"

Meanwhile, Cancar’s weaknesses, as listed by the same site, are as follows:

"“Cancar lacks the elite burst to beat wings off the dribble, and can be a bit passive in his approach. He’ll also have to continue to develop more ways to finish over length at the rim given his average explosiveness.”"

In all, it’s hard to grade a guy who’s still so early in his development, and won’t have an NBA impact for the next few years, if at all. So as far as a grade, I’m going to cop out and give him an incomplete until he’s ready to make the jump to the best league in the world.

Grade: INC