Denver Nuggets: Complete 2018 offseason grades
By Max Carlin
Trading for Jarred Vanderbilt
Porter was not alone in joining the Nuggets on June 21. Denver traded the rights to 43rd overall pick Justin Jackson and a 2019 second-round pick for the rights to 41st pick Jarred Vanderbilt.
Much like Porter, Vanderbilt’s stock fell precipitously during his one year as an NCAA athlete. Vanderbilt struggled with injuries, appearing in just 14 games with the Kentucky Wildcats.
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Vanderbilt remains an immensely intriguing prospect, however. He’s an extremely versatile and strong defender who profiles as a potential switchy backup 5. He was a sleeper favorite of mine before the draft.
Since acquiring Vanderbilt, the Nuggets have committed to him, somewhat unexpectedly inking him to an NBA contract.
Vanderbilt’s dealt with significant injury problems throughout his career, he may not offer Denver much in 2018-19 and he certainly doesn’t help Denver’s roster imbalance, but he’s good at basketball and projects to fill a potentially valuable role. This was a strong move.
Grade: B+