Denver Stiffs - 2017 NBA Draft: Full coverage of the Denver Nuggets’ rumors, picks, and trades

A Denver Nuggets NBA draft day disaster in three parts

2017-06-23T01:01:14-06:00

Locked on Nuggets podcast

In this episode of the Locked On Nuggets podcast, I recap a frustrating night at Pepsi Center as the Denver Nuggets made a strange trade, missed out on some big opportunities, and put themselves into a difficult situation as free agency approaches.

Q&A: Get to know Nuggets first round pick Tyler Lydon

2017-06-22T23:27:36-06:00

Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images

Tyler Lydon from a Syracuse fan’s perspective

For many Nuggets fans, selecting Tyler Lydon from Syracuse with the #24 overall pick not only came as a surprise but left a lot of unanswered questions. Luckily, our friends over at Syracuse’s SB Nation blog Troy Nunes Is An Absolute Magician are here to help answer some of these questions and help us get to know Lydon a bit better.

Much thanks to John Cassillo for taking the time to offer his unique perspective!

Who is Tyler Lydon as a person? Are there any good stories about him or his personality?

Tyler's actually a pretty fun dude. He once hit a key three with one shoe on in the Elite 8 upset vs. Virginia. Lydon had a mustache named Rico, which took on a life of its own for one glorious month during the 2015-16 season. While helping us get to the Final Four last year, he had a lot of fun moments, including this one of him blowing a kiss out of a golf cart. Really, he's one of the more fun players we've had on the team in recent years.

Related to last story, here is what Tyler Lydon has to say to those lingering haters: pic.twitter.com/eADKodOytD
— NunesMagician.com (@NunesMagician) March 31, 2016

Who would be a comparable NBA player for Tyler Lydon?

I'd call him a more athletic Ryan Anderson or a perhaps Nikola Mirotic with better leaping ability. Lydon has a nice trajectory on his jumper, and has the length to really create some space and make plays as a stretch-4. His defense will probably leave some folks skeptical, but he has his moments. He does need to add some size to rally play the 4 well at the NBA level.

How do you feel Lydon's defensive game will translate to the NBA? Does he have the tools to succeed on defense outside of the Syracuse zone?

The 2-3 zone's been a bit deceptive for some NBA folks. It's a zone, of course, but Jim Boeheim has changed the way he recruits to it. He brings in a lot of length and athleticism and favors players that can move and react with man-to-man principles at times. Lydon's not a great defender, but his length and athleticism will help him effort his way into some improvement at the next level. It's not talked about as much, but he's a quality shot blocker, which should be helpful.

What do you think his ceiling is?

If he can add the weight and get a little more aggressive on both ends, he can be an effective stretch-4 in the NBA. He'll never be an all-star defender, but his jumper and rebounding ability should help him carve out playing time. Perhaps he could thrive as a sixth man-type. But he'll need help from a capable point guard to really hit his ceiling. Lydon was rarely a shot creator for himself, so some assistance from the PG spot could be huge for him.

Anything else we need to know?

If you're willing to give him the time, he'll develop into a quality rotational player and maybe eventually start in the right coach's system. He's a bit of a gamble in the eyes of some, but his shooting ability and skill on the boards should be enough to (hopefully) reassure Nuggets fans they've got an NBA player on their hands.

Roundtable: No. 51 pick Monte Morris

2017-06-22T22:53:45-06:00

James Lang-USA TODAY Sports

The Iowa State point guard was the final pick for the Nuggets of the 2017 draft - here’s what we think of him.

With the No. 51 pick in the 2017 draft, the Denver Nuggets selected Monte Morris, a senior point guard that played at Iowa State University. Here are our thoughts on the Nuggets new point guard.

What grade are you giving the Nuggets for their selection of Morris?

Daniel Lewis (@minutemandan): He’s by far the best player I think the Nuggets selected tonight. I thought that it would be prudent for the Nuggets to select a backup point guard to groom in case they moved Emmanuel Mudiay or decided to move on from Jameer Nelson once his contract was up. I’ll give the Nuggets an A for this pick.

Gordon Gross (@GMoneyNuggs): I wanted a defensive point guard in the second round, but once again the Nuggets decided to go another way. Morris seems to be a terrific caretaker of the basketball, though, a basketball IQ pick rather than a tools projection. That’s fine with me (and having watched him play in college probably helps my feelings a bit). Solid B for a team that is dying for good backup play. Not sure that he’s any better than Josh Adams who played on our Summer League squad last year, but we’ll see how it plays out.

Ashley Douglas (@AshleyNBAHoops): If the Nuggets are able to make good on the Eric Bledsoe trade, or another trade for an experienced point guard other than Jameer Nelson I like the Morris pick. He looks to be a valuable asset and can certainly add some more firepower to the Nuggets roster. It seems as though the Nuggets have planned to forego defense and simply rely on outscoring the other team—a strategy that works for some NBA teams.

Will Morris spend more time in the G League or in the NBA?

Lewis: I’m hoping the Nuggets announce they are launching their own G League franchise at their next press conference, but it wouldn’t be formed until 2018. Morris will likely spend a majority of his time with the Sioux Falls Skyforce next season, which should be fine, because that’s a great place for him to continue to see game action.

Gross: The Nuggets are going to have to work out deals with other NBA teams to find places to put all these G Leaguers who need playing time to develop. Not having a G League squad is gonna hurt, but I’d wager he’ll get more G League time than NBA time.

Douglas: That all depends. If the Nuggets plan to play Murray at the point then I believe Morris will likely spend a fair amount of time in the G-League. However, if the Nuggets can move Will Barton and play Murray at the 2 behind Harris, Morris may be a good off the bench guard in development.

Does this signal anything about the Nuggets feelings for Emmanuel Mudiay?

Lewis: There was a rumor that Mudiay could have been moved to Phoenix with the No. 13 pick for Eric Bledsoe, and it seems like he is extremely movable at this point. The Nuggets seem to like Jamal Murray’s talent going forward, but I think it’s still too early to give up entirely on Mudiay. I think the Nuggets will continue to be patient with Mudiay, and Morris just gives them some insurance.

Gross: The Nuggets are covering bases. If Mudiay has to fear the 51st pick in the draft any time soon that’s his problem, not Morris’s and not Denver’s.

Douglas: I think this move mean the Nuggets are officially no longer putting their eggs in the Emmanuel Mudiay basket, but I think that’s a foregone conclusion. If the Nuggets are going to move Nelson they’ll likely need to include Mudiay in a trade deal for another experienced guard. Mudiay is not a lost cause, but he’s definitely the guy the Nuggets are building around meaning he’s expendable.

What’s something you like about Morris’s game? Dislike?

Lewis: I like that he is extremely skilled at not turning the ball over. He is the all-time leader in NCAA history for assist to turnover ratio, with a 4.65:1 rate. He projects to be a solid backup point guard, and that’s something I think has good value. I don’t like that he lacks the ceiling to ever be a starter except in case of an emergency, but with the No. 51 pick, I didn’t have the highest of expectations for that selection.

Gross: He has a mature game, which is impressive for a pace-based team in college that required a lot from its point guard in terms of space reads and distribution. I don’t care that he’s not the best athlete or the best shooter - as long as he makes the right decisions that can be enough to steady a bench squad or fill in for an emergency. And if he gets to be better than that, I’ll take it.

Douglas: I like that Morris spent all four years in college before coming to the NBA. This level of experience will prove very useful as he makes his way to the NBA so the Nuggets may be able to use him sooner than normal. It takes time for a guard to build confidence and poise, and while Morris will still need time to develop as a rookie, his college years will prove very useful as he matures. On the flip side, I am disappointed that Morris doesn’t add any defensive strength to the Nuggets’ roster. While Morris may complement the Nuggets’ offense, he also doesn’t help solve any problems on defense.

Check out this video breaking down the strengths and weaknesses of Morris.

Monte Morris draft prospect scouting report
How about this kid to grow into a reserve PG role?
Posted by Raptors HQ on Tuesday, June 13, 2017

5 things to know about: Monte Morris

2017-06-22T22:46:14-06:00

Morris to the Nuggets makes the Bledsoe trade look even better.

In a sudden change up, the Nuggets decided not to draft another power forward for their 51st pick, going instead with Monte Morris, a point guard from Iowa State. If the Nuggets are able to acquire Eric Bledsoe and move Jameer Nelson, Morris may make a good back up guard behind Bledsoe and Jamal Murray.

Below are five cool facts about Morris:

1. Morris was born in Grand Rapids, Michigan and was given the name “man-man” by his mother Lationa.

2. Morris led his high school basketball team in scoring, assists and steals in all four of the years he played.

3. At the end of his senior season at Iowa State, Morris broke the NCAA record for assist to turnover ratio at 5.21.

4. Last season, Morris averaged 16.4 points, 6.2 assists, and 4.8 rebounds in 35 minutes per game.

5. In 2013, Morris was named Michigan’s Mr. Basketball after leading his high school team to back to back Class C Michigan state titles.

Morris looks to be a solid choice for the Nuggets, but I remain skeptical about his ability to make defensive contribution to the team. Perhaps the Nuggets have a plan to teach everyone how to play good defense in a couple years’ time.

The steal of the second round is Monte Morris. Will be an excellent back up PG for a long time. @CycloneMBB #assistmachine
— Paul Biancardi (@PaulBiancardi) June 23, 2017

Round table: 51st pick Vlatko Cancar

2017-06-22T22:42:22-06:00

The Nuggets go back to the European well once more

What’s your level of shock that the Nuggets drafted another European draft-and-stash in the second round?

Gordon Gross (@GMoneyNuggs): I would have been shocked if they hadn’t added one. The Nuggets are nothing if not predictable, but as a general rule I think teams should stash a Euro player with a second rounder every year. Sometimes it pays off, and it’s better than cash considerations.

Adam Mares (@Adam_Mares): This is easily the least surprising pick the Nuggets could’ve made. Figured this was the pick when he magically rose up Draft Exrpess’s mock draft earlier this week.

Daniel Lewis (@minutemandan): Draft Express had him at 51 to Denver, which means one of the Nuggets scouts told Cancar’s agent, “Hey, we’re taking you in the second round,” and then the agent told a Draft Express guy, and then all the intrigue was gone once they updated their mock draft. He plays for the Adriatic League team formerly known as Mega Leks, which means he was basically a lock to be a Denver Nugget.

Cancar at first glance looks like the European version of Tyler Lydon in terms of unpolished physical skills and some offensive touch. How do you feel about adding yet another power forward in this draft with the same skillset?

Gross: Cancar rates a big fat zero from me as far as interest level, but since he’s a draft-and-stash I don’t care about the duplicated skillset as much. He’s another straw to draw in case the first couple fail. That’s all right.

Mares: I feel somewhat confident that Cancar will not cause a logjam at power forward this season, or next, or the next one after that.

Lewis: Cancar will cause as many problems for the Nuggets as my 1971 Ford Mustang causes for me - and I don’t have a 1971 Ford Mustang. I don’t think it’s a non-zero chance that he is a contributor someday, but it’s not a double digit chance.

Will Cancar come to the NBA at all this year? Juancho played well enough to have the Nuggets bring him over even though his minutes were severely limited, and Joffrey Lauvergne forced a midseason jump. Can Cancar do the same?

Gross: I would bet money that he will not come over this year. He seems far more like Petr Cornelie, who needed to work on his body and was nowhere near ready. Cornelie still looks like a tall 8th grader on summer vacation and may never come over - I have Cancar in that vein.

Mares: I would be shocked. First, because he was the 51st pick. Second, because the Nuggets just don’t need him.

Lewis: I sincerely doubt that. I think if Nuggets fans want to see him play in person, they’ll have to travel to Europe.

As far as moving the needle this is about a 0.5 on the Richter Scale, right? Were you disappointed to see all of the college picks drafted right before him that might have moved the needle more?

Gross: Yup. It felt like deja vu to the first round, where the guys I wanted were departing the board right before we drafted. There was plenty of defensive help in this draft and the Nuggets got none of it. Developing potential future offensive players as draft-and-stashes doesn’t exactly raise my pulse.

Mares: For sure. This draft was always going to be disappointing. The Nuggets picks weren’t in a great spot and the only thing that would’ve saved it would’ve been a trade. For the third year in a row, that trade never happened.

Lewis: There was a snowball’s chance in hell the Nuggets weren’t using one of their picks on a draft and stash candidate. Will he ever play for Denver? Maybe? I don’t expect him to.

5 things to know about: Vlatko Cancar

2017-06-22T22:21:42-06:00

Nuggets look to Mega Leks for their latest recruit.

With the 49th pick in the second round, the Nuggets have selected Vlatko Cancar, and the forward position gets even more crowded in Denver.

Welcome to the team, Vlatko Cancar! pic.twitter.com/E9chp8t7By
— Denver Nuggets (@nuggets) June 23, 2017

Here are five things to know about the new recruit:

1. Cancar is originally from Koper, Slovenia and his native language is Slovenian.

2. He currently plays for Mega Leks which is an agent-owned team based in Serbia.

3. Cancar has played professionally in Europe since 2015 signing a five year contract with Union Olympija before moving to sign with Mega Leks.

4. Cancar is one of only 10 international underclassmen in the draft this year.

5. His uniform number is 31. This is the fifth-most interesting fact we currently know about Cancar.

It’s likely that the Nuggets will let Cancar continue to play professionally in Europe for a year or two to see how he develops. For now he’s a draft and stash player, but it will be fun to keep an eye on his progress.

Vlatko Cancar will be stashed in Europe, but will he ever come stateside?

2017-06-22T22:20:45-06:00

The Nuggets did a Nugget-y thing in the second round on Thursday night.

Looking to make a big splash int he 2017 NBA Draft, the Nuggets traded down, selected Tyler Lydon, then selected Vlatko Cancar with the 49th pick of the draft.

Writing was on the wall with the Cancar/Denver pick. Dropped out of Eurocamp, stayed in as an early entrant. Solid length, shoots it.
— Mike Schmitz (@Mike_Schmitz) June 23, 2017

It’s hard to take in this pick after the chaos of the first round, but the Nuggets did a Nugget-y thing here. Cancar is a 6’8 small forward with a 6’11 wingspan from Slovenia who played for Mega Bemax in Serbia. His best skill? Shooting. Cancar is currently shooting 40.7% from behind the 3-point line in the Adriatic league, consistently referred to as the second best league in the world to the NBA. Here are some clips of him playing:

Quick reel showing the good and bad of Nuggets draft and stash Vlatko Cancar. Shooting from the wing his best attribute. pic.twitter.com/0lw7sXIRCF
— Joshua Riddell (@Joshua_Riddell) June 23, 2017

With Vlatko Cancar, the Nuggets are playing the long game. They likely don’t think he will be stateside this year, and he may not be stateside for a couple of seasons. They are clearly taking an upside gamble on Cancar continuing to improve his shot to be a role player in the NBA. His defense is not where it needs to be at this point, and he doesn’t move well enough (yet) to make an impact on the less glamorous end at an NBA level. That said, a lot can change in two years.

There aren’t many other directions I would have gone with this pick other than an obscure Euro-stash prospect. Ike Anigbogu, Sindarius Thornwell, and Sterling Brown all went off the board right before Denver could pick, and I suspect that one of those guys would have been the selection. Devin Robinson was available, but given the number of power forwards the number just acquired, it’s hard to justify grabbing a third.

Either way Nuggets Nation, it’s not the pick many wanted to see, but this is Tim Connelly and Arturas Karnisovas we are talking about. They deserve the benefit of the doubt, at least on European selections.

Nuggets select Vlatko Cancar with 49th pick

2017-06-22T22:11:36-06:00

Classic Connelly pick

The Denver Nuggets have selected Vlatko Cancar from Slovenia with the 49th overall pick. Cancar will be this year’s draft and stash prospect in the same vein as Nikola Radicevic and Petr Cornelie who were drafted in 2015 and 2016 respectively. Cancar has botht eh same European agent as Nikola Jokic as well as also played for the same team in Europe (Mega Leks). HE profiles as a capable shooter and his length and energy give him significant upside on the defensive end.

Cancar is 20 years old so he has some time to still develop in Europe. If he follows the same path as Cornelie and Radicevic then Nuggets fans should expect him to be in attendance in Summer League, though no official word has been given by the team as to Cancar’s immediate plans. The benefit of the doubt though is due to this Nuggets front office, especially when it comes to European prospects. If Tim Connelly and Arturus Karnisovas can pull off another draft heist late in the second round then their reputation as Euro gurus will own grow.