Denver Nuggets: Torrey Craig and his huge opportunity

The Denver Nuggets are short a 3-and-D wing, as they appear ready to play Jerami Grant at power forward. Could Torrey Craig step up and start permanently?

The Denver Nuggets love Torrey Craig‘s defensive prowess, an element that causes the likes of Russell Westbrook to misfire, as Craig held him to 6-of-23 shooting in Denver’s Nov. 24 win against the Oklahoma City Thunder.

In fact, Craig is so adept at creating misses, he often does this on both sides of the ball.

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His defense changed the series against the San Antonio Spurs as he started from Game 4 on, locking up DeMar DeRozan in a switch that allowed Gary Harris to cover Derrick White.

Offensively, however, Craig shot just 29.2 percent from deep in 37 starts, a horrific mark over a sound sample size. He went without a 3-point field goal in 39 contests, which is unacceptable for a player who spends much of his time in the corner.

Yet, Craig occasionally resembled a solid marksman, which was confusing for fans and coaches alike.

In Game 4 of the Spurs series, Craig nailed a stellar 5-of-7 from 3-point range, making San Antonio regret doubling Nikola Jokic. The result? Denver won 117-103, and looked the better squad for the first time in the series.

But then in the semifinals, he dropped back to 33.3 percent (6-of-18). Combine this with his horrendous shooting in 37 starts, and Craig isn’t a consistent outside threat yet, even if he occasionally shows signs of it.

But what if he worked on this?

What if Craig shot 500 3-pointers everyday amidst his Team USA schedule, working to develop consistency from distance? What if he maintained the rugged defensive style that everybody loves, while honing his stroke to become a regular threat from deep?

The possibilities are endless with a two-way Craig, who’s already a highly-effective stopper. And there’s an open path to starting at the 3-spot, as Denver’s list of game-ready candidates is short.

Combo forward Jerami Grant would’ve fit well, but by all accounts the coaches consider him a 4. Will Barton is Craig’s main competitor, however he struggled in his starting slot last year, and would benefit from a higher-usage bench role.

Michael Porter Jr. is intriguing, but likely won’t start his rookie season, as the learning curve won’t have him ready until 2020-21 at best.

Meanwhile, Craig enters the final year of his 2-year, $4 million contract, and has an excellent chance to create his own destiny.

Will his future be that of a little-used, situational player who occasionally guards troublesome opponents? Or does he develop into a strong two-way starter, a feared defender and shooter alike, who can push the Nuggets into championship contention?

And to what extent can a hot-shooting Craig impact the Nuggets’ performance?

Last season, Craig hit 2 or more 3-pointers in 18 contests, a sample in which Denver went 15-3. Denver’s record was such because Craig’s shooting spaced the floor, punishing defenses for doubling Jokic.

Some basketball factors are gifted naturally, while others are attainable with practice and training. Craig’s 6’7” frame, sturdy build, and quick feet are areas in which he is naturally gifted, while the shooting stroke is something that can be added.

When evaluating the opportunity Craig has this upcoming year, he’d be foolish not to work on his deep game this offseason.

A hot-shooting Torrey could a) snag himself the permanent starting wing role, b) render the Nuggets championship contenders by adding shooting to his already-stellar defense and c) cash in big this summer.

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Here’s to hoping Craig hits the gym and becomes the strong, two-way starter he can be.

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