5 Players That May Drop To The Nuggets

There is no question that this may be one of the deepest NBA Drafts in recent memory and there is a good chance that a good player drops to the Denver Nuggets with the 20th pick. Here are five that may fall into the Nuggets laps.

• JARED SULLINGER: Sullinger is one of the best players in college basketball, nearly averaging 20 points and 10 rebounds in both of his seasons at Ohio State. He was a force in the post for the Buckeyes, using his 268-pound frame to back defenders into the post and adding a jumper to his game. Comparisons are all over the board for Sullinger, but for him to be successful in the NBA he should watch Zach Randolph. Randolph has similar frame and athleticism, but has added range to his game that makes him a difficult player to guard. Sullinger was recently red-flagged by NBA scouts and doctors due to a hamstring injury which many said would hamper his NBA career. However, DeJuan Blair faced a similar issue around draft time which dropped him into the second round. While it isn’t likely that Sullinger, who is 20 years old, will drop to the second round. There is a good chance he drops to the Nuggets. He is a skilled big man with an old school game that is very coachable. He also is a beast on the glass. Denver is still searching for its star and Sullinger has all of the qualities of being a star at the next level.

• JOHN HENSON: Henson also is dealing with injuries, but not as severe. He is dealing with a minor ankle injury which impacted how he did at the draft combine. A lot of mock drafts have Henson going to the Detroit Pistons with the ninth pick, but with how fast Meyers Leonard’s stock is rising it would be surprising to see the Pistons draft Henson over Leonard. Leonard is bigger and has more potential. Henson’s biggest strength is his length (7-foot-5 wingspan, but his slim frame and limited offensive game could scare a few teams off. He is a poor man’s Anthony Davis, but would be a reach with the ninth pick. If Henson lands in Denver, it would be a dream come true for George Karl. Henson is a former Tar Heel and also has the length and versatility to defend all the frontcourt positions.

• KENDALL MARSHALL: Marshall is another Tar Heel dealing with an injury. He broke his wrist during the NCAA tournament and North Carolina faced an earlier than expected exit in the tournament. Marshall has great leadership and passing skills and should work his way into the starting lineup in the league some day. He lacks range on his jump shot and isn’t the most talented defensive player. Not to mention there are a lot of player with higher ceilings in the draft that could make Marshall drop come draft day. Marshall may not be happy being drafted by Denver and being Ty Lawson’s backup. But he could form a dynamic duo with Lawson.

• TERRENCE ROSS: Ross is an intriguing prospect. He has great athleticism, range and plays good defense. He just doesn’t have a polished game. It wouldn’t be surprising to see players like Moe Harkless, Jeremy Lamb and Evan Fournier be drafted above Ross on draft day. If so, he would easily fall right in the Nuggets laps at the 20th pick.

• TYLER ZELLER: Zeller is one of the few 7-footers in the draft and like his Tar Heel brethren could be a player that drops in the draft. He has great size, speed and basketball IQ. He also is 22-years-old and some scouts don’t think he’ll improve too much in the NBA. Some don’t even think he can start in the NBA. He is currently being projected to being drafted in the 12-16 range in the draft. However, with a lot of teams looking for top talent in the draft Zeller could see himself dropping come draft day.