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	<title>Nugg Love &#187; 2012 NBA Draft</title>
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		<title>Grading The Denver Nuggets Draft</title>
		<link>http://nugglove.com/2012/06/29/grading-the-denver-nuggets-draft/</link>
		<comments>http://nugglove.com/2012/06/29/grading-the-denver-nuggets-draft/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 29 Jun 2012 21:43:49 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Jonathan Maness</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Nuggets]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[2012 NBA Draft]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Andre Miller]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Carmelo Anthony]]></category>
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		<category><![CDATA[Evan Fournier]]></category>
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		<category><![CDATA[Izzet Turkyilmaz]]></category>
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		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://nugglove.com/?p=2878</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[<p>What did the Denver Nuggets need going into the NBA Draft? A superstar? A shooter? To get older? A backup center and point guard (in case JaVale McGee and Andre Miller leave)? All are fair considerations. However, Masai Ujiri and the Denver Nuggets did like they usually do and go the unconvential way. They did [...]</p><p><a href="http://nugglove.com/2012/06/29/grading-the-denver-nuggets-draft/">Grading The Denver Nuggets Draft</a> - <a href="http://nugglove.com">Nugg Love</a> - <a href="http://nugglove.com">Nugg Love - A Denver Nuggets Fan Site - News, Blogs, Opinion and More</a></p>]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><a href="http://cdn.fansided.com/wp-content/blogs.dir/78/files/2012/06/Evan-Fournier-adidas-Eurocamp-2012-Day-2.jpg"><img class="aligncenter size-medium wp-image-2879" title="adidas Eurocamp Day 2" src="http://cdn.fansided.com/wp-content/blogs.dir/78/files/2012/06/Evan-Fournier-adidas-Eurocamp-2012-Day-2-300x217.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="217" /></a>What did the Denver Nuggets need going into the NBA Draft?</p>
<p>A superstar? A shooter? To get older? A backup center and point guard (in case JaVale McGee and Andre Miller leave)?</p>
<p>All are fair considerations. However, Masai Ujiri and the Denver Nuggets did like they usually do and go the unconvential way.</p>
<p>They did the same thing in 2011 when they didn&#8217;t rush out and trade Carmelo Anthony, like many observers suggested they do. And it&#8217;s fair to say that panned out.</p>
<p>As well as in the last draft when they decided to stand pat and let a player like Kenneth Faried fall to them. And then trading for a player like Jordan Hamilton, who had a questionable attitude in college.</p>
<p>And again before last season, when they traded for Rudy Fernandez and Corey Brewer, despite being set at both positions.</p>
<p>And they did the same thing at the trade deadline when they traded veteran center Nene for a young, athletic and erratic center in JaVale McGee.</p>
<p>And it&#8217;s fair to say all those moves have panned out.</p>
<p>So what makes drafting Evan Fournier and Quincy Miller different?</p>
<p>Despite only being 19 years old, Fournier has not only succeeded but has dominated at a far higher level than the NCAA. He is considered the best prospect from France since Tony Parker. Even better than Nicolas Batum.</p>
<p>He also has a cockiness about him that this Nuggets team lacks. That cockiness has helped him become a dangerous player in the clutch and cooliness under pressure.</p>
<p>His size and athleticsm makes him an intriguing shooting guard prospect, one that has great ball handling skills and a jumper to match. Probably his biggest strength is getting the basket and he has a knack for creating contact and getting his shot up as soon as he feels the contact &#8211; which can be a good and bad thing.</p>
<p>The thought around many in the NBA is that the Nuggets are going to stash Fournier overseas for a year, which frees up a roster spot for this season.</p>
<p>Miller is another player that has a great combination of talent and size. He has a smooth jump shot and despite his lack of strength he has shown he isn&#8217;t afraid of battling near the basket. However, it is easy to see why he slipped to the second round. Many teams were scared off by his ACL injury, which hampered his freshman year at Baylor. He wasn&#8217;t able to show his full arsenal last season for the Bears. Miller still is a work in progress, he has a slow release on his jump shot and needs to bulk up. However, any time you get a player with his talent in the second round it is worth the gamble.</p>
<p>And Izzet Turkyilmaz, well he looks good<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X7XTZ8FZUrs"> on video</a>.</p>
<p><strong>NBA DRAFT GRADE: B- </strong></p>
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		<title>What Experts Are Saying About The Nuggets Draft</title>
		<link>http://nugglove.com/2012/06/29/what-experts-are-saying-about-the-nuggets-draft/</link>
		<comments>http://nugglove.com/2012/06/29/what-experts-are-saying-about-the-nuggets-draft/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 29 Jun 2012 19:29:46 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Jonathan Maness</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Nuggets]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[2012 NBA Draft]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Andre Miller]]></category>
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		<category><![CDATA[Evan Fournier]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Featured]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[IZZET TURKYLMAZ]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Jordan Hamilton]]></category>
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		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://nugglove.com/?p=2880</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[<p>&#160; Here is a what some people are saying about the Denver Nuggets&#8217; 2012 NBA Draft picks: ABOUT EVAN FOURNIER Chad Ford, ESPN: I&#8217;m not totally sold Fournier&#8217;s game will translate at the NBA level, and he might end up being a reach at No. 20. But he is an aggressive scorer who was productive [...]</p><p><a href="http://nugglove.com/2012/06/29/what-experts-are-saying-about-the-nuggets-draft/">What Experts Are Saying About The Nuggets Draft</a> - <a href="http://nugglove.com">Nugg Love</a> - <a href="http://nugglove.com">Nugg Love - A Denver Nuggets Fan Site - News, Blogs, Opinion and More</a></p>]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>&nbsp;</p>
<div id="attachment_2881" class="wp-caption aligncenter" style="width: 214px"><a href="http://cdn.fansided.com/wp-content/blogs.dir/78/files/2012/06/6131784.jpg"><img class="size-medium wp-image-2881" title="NCAA Basketball: Division I Championship-Baylor vs Kentucky" src="http://cdn.fansided.com/wp-content/blogs.dir/78/files/2012/06/6131784-204x300.jpg" alt="" width="204" height="300" /></a><p class="wp-caption-text">Mar 25, 2012; Atlanta, GA, USA; Baylor Bears forward Quincy Miller (30) shoots over Kentucky Wildcats forward Michael Kidd-Gilchrist (14) in the first half during the finals of the south region of the 2012 NCAA men</p></div>
Note: There is a poll embedded within this post, please visit the site to participate in this post's poll.
<p>Here is a what some people are saying about the Denver Nuggets&#8217; 2012 NBA Draft picks:</p>
<p><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>ABOUT EVAN FOURNIER </strong></span></p>
<p><a href="http://insider.espn.go.com/nba/draft2012/story?id=8108926&amp;_slug_=2012-nba-draft-grades-every-team"><strong>Chad Ford, ESPN</strong>: </a>I&#8217;m not totally sold Fournier&#8217;s game will translate at the NBA level, and he might end up being a reach at No. 20. But he is an aggressive scorer who was productive in Europe.</p>
<p><a href="http://nbadraft.net/2012-nba-draft-grades"><strong>Mike Misek, NBADraft.net</strong>: </a>Fournier is a crafty player off the dribble who has had a knack for scoring in bunches. He has a pretty looking shot, but his perimeter shooting numbers the past couple years have not been great. This past season he shot 28 percent from three, and in 2011 he shot 22 percent. For him to really succeed, he needs to improve his shooting from deep. And while young Denver GM Masai Ujiri is off to a tremendous start proving to be one of the sharpest minds in the business, we feel that this pick was a reach.</p>
<p><strong><a href="http://hoopshype.com/draft.htm">Hoopshype</a>: </strong>Coming to the NBA next season or developing in Europe for another year? Very good feel for the game. Quite a promising player.</p>
<p><strong><a href="http://basketball.realgm.com/article/221871/Great_Drafts_Bad_Drafts_And_All_Drafts_In_Between"><strong>Daniel Leroux, RealGM.com</strong>:</a> </strong>Evan Fournier should work well within their system and gives them a little flexibility in terms of when they bring him over. Solid but unspectacular pick.</p>
<p><strong><a href="http://content.usatoday.com/communities/gameon/post/2012/06/live-nba-draft-grades-pick-by-pick-analysis-as-it-happens/1#.T-4AWrWe5gs">Adi Joseph, USA Today</a>: </strong>Fournier may be the lone non-U.S. college player drafted in the first round this season. He played last season for Poitiers in the top French league, and he averaged 14 points a game against strong competition. He has high upside and hasn&#8217;t had his 20th birthday. He can play either wing position and should fit well in the Nuggets&#8217; system because of his slashing ability, though he&#8217;s not much of a shooter. As with many foreign players, he could be kept overseas until he&#8217;s ready to contribute. Grade: A-</p>
<p><strong><a href="http://walterfootball.com/nbaoffseason2012den.php">WalterFootball.com: </a></strong>This is quite the reach for a guy whom I had projected as an early-second-round pick. Denver does have its core pretty much intact for next season, so they can stash Fournier overseas for a year or two. I would have much rather seen the Nuggets take somebody like Marquis Teague since Andre Miller is a free agent.</p>
<p><strong><a href="http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2012/writers/sam_amick/06/29/nba-draft-grades/index.html">Sam Amick, CNNSI.com: </a></strong>Selecting French shooting guard Evan Fournier at No. 20 seemed fairly high based on what I&#8217;d been hearing. And with Andre Miller hitting free agency, why not take Marquis Teague to keep the 1-2 point guard punch concept going by pairing him with starter Ty Lawson? That being said, my intel on Fournier is limited and I&#8217;m curious to see him up close (he wasn&#8217;t at the Chicago draft combine earlier this month).</p>
<p><strong><a href="http://probasketballtalk.nbcsports.com/2012/06/29/nba-draft-grades-yes-new-orleans-gets-an-a/">Kurt Helin, Basketball Talk:</a></strong> I like the pick of Evan Fournier from France, he’s pretty athletic, has handles and does a lot of things well. Which is a good fit on that roster.</p>
<p><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">ABOUT QUINCY MILLER</span></strong></p>
<p><strong><a href="http://insider.espn.go.com/nba/draft2012/story?id=8108926&amp;_slug_=2012-nba-draft-grades-every-team">Chad Ford, ESPN: </a></strong>I love the Quincy Miller pick, however. He was ranked No. 17 on our Big Board and was a steal at 38. Teams had concerns about his surgically repaired knee and a so-so freshman season at Baylor. But the upside for Miller is pretty high if he gets totally healthy.</p>
<p><strong></strong> <a href="http://nbadraft.net/2012-nba-draft-grades"><strong>Mike Misek, NBADraft.net</strong>: </a>Quincy Miller on the other hand was a tremendous value pick where the Nuggets got him. If his knee can improve, he has considerable upside. He is likely to get the kind of pseudo-redshirt year that Jordan Hamilton got last year. It is hard to see him get much time with Gallinari, Chandler, and Hamilton already in the mix.</p>
<p><a href="http://basketball.realgm.com/article/221871/Great_Drafts_Bad_Drafts_And_All_Drafts_In_Between"><strong>Daniel Leroux, RealGM.com: </strong>I</a> really, really like taking Quincy Miller in the second- the right type of risk for Denver to take.</p>
<p><strong><a href="http://walterfootball.com/nbaoffseason2012den.php">WalterFootball.com:</a> </strong>Miller must be kicking himself for coming out after his freshman year considering he would have been a top-10 prospect in the 2013 Draft. This is an outstanding value pick for the Nuggets as Miller could eventually become a steal. He certainly won&#8217;t make an impact anytime soon though.</p>
<p><strong><a href="http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2012/writers/sam_amick/06/29/nba-draft-grades/index.html">Sam Amick, CNNSI.com: </a></strong>Getting Quincy Miller at No. 38 was good value.</p>
<p><strong><a href="http://content.usatoday.com/communities/gameon/post/2012/06/live-nba-draft-grades-pick-by-pick-analysis-as-it-happens/1#.T-4AWrWe5gs">Adi Joseph, USA Today</a>:</strong> The second Quincy from Baylor in a row has tremendous potential but a bevvy of injury issues. He left early because of knee problems, more than anything, after not quite reaching expectations last season as a freshman. But his upside is about as big as you&#8217;ll find at this point in the draft, and the Nuggets can afford the risk. The only knock: He does a lot of the same things as Fournier, Denver&#8217;s first-rounder. Grade: B+</p>
<p><strong>ABOUT IZZET TURKYLMAZ:</strong></p>
<p><strong><a href="http://walterfootball.com/nbaoffseason2012den.php">WalterFootball.com:</a> </strong>I&#8217;m not at all surprised that Denver took another foreign guy. I don&#8217;t know much about him, but he does have the sweetest name in the draft.</p>
<p><strong><a href="http://insider.espn.go.com/nba/draft2012/story?id=8108926&amp;_slug_=2012-nba-draft-grades-every-team">Chad Ford, ESPN</a>:</strong> Turkyilmaz is a project that the Nuggets will keep over in Europe for a few years. But there is some intriguing potential there.</p>
<p><strong><a href="http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2012/writers/sam_amick/06/29/nba-draft-grades/index.html">Sam Amick, CNNSI.com: </a></strong>The selection of 7-1, 212-pound forward-center Izzet Turkyilmaz at No. 50 makes sense because length like that can always come in handy.</p>
<p><a href="http://nbadraft.net/2012-nba-draft-grades"><strong>Mike Misek, NBADraft.net</strong>:</a> Türkyilmaz is a 7&#8217;1 small forward who has played sparingly with Banvit BK in Turkey this past season. His body appears extremely slight so it will take some major weight training for him to make it.</p>
<p><strong><a href="http://content.usatoday.com/communities/gameon/post/2012/06/live-nba-draft-grades-pick-by-pick-analysis-as-it-happens/1#.T-4AWrWe5gs">Adi Joseph, USA Today</a>:</strong> Turkyilmaz is one of those players who would have been picked in the first round a decade ago. He&#8217;s a 7-footer with skills to play on the wing. But he&#8217;s still very raw and may never play in the NBA. That type of risk is acceptable this late in the second round. <strong>Grade: B-</strong></p>
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