Denver Nuggets: Torrey Craig is filling a void

The Denver Nuggets opted to fill their need on the wing with a two-way contract player. So far, the Torrey Craig signing has worked out for both sides.

The Denver Nuggets have solid depth at nearly every position. Unfortunately, the “nearly” part has troubled them since the season started. After trading away Danilo Gallinari, the Nuggets were troublingly thin on the wing. The team opted to swap Jameer Nelson for Richard Jefferson the day after their first game, but Jefferson has barely played all season.

For all of their depth at power forward, the team only has one true small forward in Wilson Chandler. While Chandler has been capable (but often inconsistent) as the starting small forward, the Nuggets did not have other options on the wing — especially after Juan Hernangomez‘s early-season struggles with illness.

Enter Torrey Craig. The 27-year-old made headlines by quickly finding his way into the starting lineup for the Nuggets. While he has been playing a smaller role in recent weeks, Craig has already proven himself as one of the league two-way contract success stories.

Defensive Presence

Torrey Craig is not much of an offensive dynamo, but he is competent enough on that end. He is careful with the ball (Craig has committed just eight turnovers this season), and makes good choices with his shot selection. Despite being a poor 3-point shooter, Craig’s True Shooting Percentage (54.8 percent) is close to league-average.

The main source of Craig’s value is his defensive acumen. At 6’6″ and 215 pounds with potent athleticism and a sizable wingspan, Craig is one of the few players on the Nuggets who can capably switch onto anyone from point guards to power forwards.

While the positional designations are somewhat confusing (Craig has played 80 percent of his minutes at small forward per basketball-reference), Craig ranks 27th out of 105 qualified shooting guards in Defensive Real Plus-Minus, per ESPN.com.

While the Nuggets have been far better on defense this year than last (ranking 21st in Defensive Rating, per NBA.com), defense is still this team’s weak point. Craig has already proven himself on that end of the floor. He may earn more minutes if he continues to defend well.

Future outlook

Despite starting three games for the Denver Nuggets in early December, Torrey Craig’s role has shrunk in recent weeks. He’s missed two the team’s last three games and his minutes are down in January. With the trade deadline approaching, Craig could see his role change heading into the All-Star break.

Craig’s role may also change once Paul Millsap returns. The Nuggets can embrace more of a defensive identity with Millsap back on the fold, which could help Craig. Alternatively, Mike Malone could decide that the team does not need Craig’s defense as much once the team’s defensive anchor is healthy.

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Torrey Craig has capably filled a void in the Nuggets’ roster since he joined the team on Dec. 15. While his role has declined in recent weeks, his defensive acumen could still earn him a long-term contract. Given Denver’s lack of talent at small forward, the team could certainly do worse than their newfound two-way treasure.