Denver Nuggets: Three takeaways from the first two scrimmages

2. Bol Bol is going to be a problem, especially on defense

Offensively, Bol has had as confident a trigger as anyone in the league, though his shot selection and efficiency will be a point of emphasis as he continues his development and seeks further integration into the lineup. That being said, once he gets even a decent look at the basket, defenders will be hard-pressed to contest over the top of his 7’8″ wingspan.

On the other end of the floor, despite concerns that his slender, 220-pound frame would make him easily movable in the paint (concerns which may still be warranted), he’s done a remarkable job at using his overwhelming length to deter would-be shots at the rim and even stifle jump shots on the perimeter, particularly against smaller opponents.

After recording six blocks against Washington, he followed it up with another two blocks against the Pelicans, and a goaltending call caused him to narrowly miss out on a third one after swatting a Kenrich Williams hook into the next county.

Most impressive of all has been his ability to do so without fouling, and during his 67 minutes of playing time across the two scrimmages, he’s been called for just three fouls, only one of which was a shooting foul. Against the Wizards, he was called for defensive three seconds and committed one shooting foul, and against the Pelicans, he turned the ball over on a charging call a few minutes into the first quarter.

His shot-blocking prowess is in his blood as his father, Manute Bol, was as prolific a shot-blocker as anyone we’ve seen in the NBA. Papa Bol averaged at least three blocks per game in five different seasons, and he led the league in blocks twice with 5.0 and 4.3 per game respectively. Combined with what we’ve already seen from Bol Bol on offense, if he manages even half of his dad’s block averages, he’s going to be an overwhelming problem for years to come.