Nuggets Power Rankings: No. 8, Jameer Nelson
The Denver Nuggets’ preseason roster includes 19 players, and the team will try to figure out which 15 of them deserve a shot during the regular season throughout the team’s seven-game exhibition slate.
But, for now, how do these players stack up? We polled our staff writers and editor at Nugg Love to get a consensus power ranking of every player on the roster, and we’ll be releasing one player each day from October 5 to 23, starting from No. 19 and finishing at No. 1.
In a cathartic return for some fans (this guy!), point guard Jameer Nelson has re-signed with the Nuggets for $4.5 million per year and looks to be a locker-room leader and consistent contributor for the young team.
Who is Jameer Nelson?
Nelson was drafted by Denver in 2004 and subsequently traded to the Orlando Magic for a first=round pick in the next draft. His career has been pretty successful, with his best years coming in Orlando and his yearly player efficiency rating being a little above average.
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In his prime, Nelson had one of the quickest first steps in the NBA. He had an absolutely nasty step-back jump shot that was a precursor to the move James Harden and Stephen Curry now rely on to score. His one All-Star appearance came the same year that Orlando made the NBA Finals, and the 6’0″ floor general looked headed toward many more trips to the midseason classic.
Unfortunately, Nelson injured himself close to the end of the regular season and every playoff series that year until he played against the Lakers in the Finals. Nelson’s career has been plagued with injuries, never playing more than 79 games in his 11-year career and averaging 65 contests a season.
Now, at 33 years old and with a wealth of experiential knowledge to offer, Nelson is the perfect backup point guard for the Denver Nuggets.
Strengths
Nelson is still a legitimate threat as a backup at both guard positions because of his court awareness and ability to hit three-point shots above the break. While most players are developing the corner three and shots in the paint, Nelson has mastered the art of shooting from everywhere else on the court.
Later in their careers, NBA players must learn how to compensate with their bodies beginning to fail them, and Nelson is learning to do this. Last year, he played more at the shooting guard position than any year prior, which is perfect for Denver and new point guard Emmanuel Mudiay.
Weaknesses
Nelson was never a lockdown defender, and now that he has begun to lose a step, he will need to cover lesser offensive guards, or else Denver will suffer. This could be problematic when teams with big guards, like the Milwaukee Bucks, come into town.
The paint is not a productive place for Nelson anymore either. His percentage of his field-goal attempts that have come from behind the three-point line has gone up every year, eclipsing the 50 percent mark the past two seasons.
The reason for this is because he can’t finish at the rim anymore.
2015-16 Outlook
Jameer Nelson and Emmanuel Mudiay will get quite a bit of playing time together this year. Mudiay can run the point while Nelson will help him see the floor and can almost be a coach on the court.
Nelson will probably get around 20 minutes a game, but his locker-room presence will be the biggest asset he brings. Nelson is a winner, and will look to instill that mindset into a Nuggets roster that desperately needs it.
Note: All statistics are from RealGM unless otherwise indicated.