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Denver Nuggets: 5 goals for Tyler Lydon’s rookie season

By Max Holm

DENVER, CO - JUNE 27: The Denver Nuggets introduce Tyler Lydon to the media during a press conference on June 27, 2017 at the Pepsi Center in Denver, Colorado. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2017 NBAE (Photo by Garrett W. Ellwood/NBAE via Getty Images)
DENVER, CO - JUNE 27: The Denver Nuggets introduce Tyler Lydon to the media during a press conference on June 27, 2017 at the Pepsi Center in Denver, Colorado. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2017 NBAE (Photo by Garrett W. Ellwood/NBAE via Getty Images) /
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DENVER, CO – JUNE 27: The Denver Nuggets introduce Tyler Lydon to the media during a press conference on June 27, 2017 at the Pepsi Center in Denver, Colorado. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2017 NBAE (Photo by Garrett W. Ellwood/NBAE via Getty Images)
DENVER, CO – JUNE 27: The Denver Nuggets introduce Tyler Lydon to the media during a press conference on June 27, 2017 at the Pepsi Center in Denver, Colorado. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2017 NBAE (Photo by Garrett W. Ellwood/NBAE via Getty Images) /

5. Start putting on some serious muscle

Increasing strength and adding muscle is on every rookie’s to-do list. The problem for rookies is their offseason is atypical because of the draft and Summer League. They don’t get as much time in the weight room as a pro, whose season finishes in April.

Given Lydon is still kind of a tweener between the 3 and the 4, muscle is probably more important to him than guards. It’s not that rookie point guards won’t get bullied, but when you’re Lydon’s size and guarding guys like Draymond Green, lacking strength will show.

Even though he’s a sneaky athlete, he likely won’t be able to keep up with most small forwards. That’s true even for many reserve small forwards in the league. Given his ability to offer weak-side rim protection and his three-point shooting, power forward just makes the most sense.

If he’s going to earn some of the minutes behind Wilson Chandler and Millsap, he’ll have to be able to hang defensively. Adjusting to a team’s scheme takes years. If he can’t physically last on that end on top of that, it’ll be near impossible for him to see the court. Working on his body, especially if he spends months in the G-League, is crucial to his NBA development.

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