Nuggets Power Rankings: No. 7, Randy Foye
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 throughout October, starting from No. 19 and finishing at No. 1.
Headed into his third season with the Nuggets, Randy Foye looks to make an impact in a reserve role. Coach Mike Malone will look to his shooting and veteran leadership to be a key contributor for Denver.
Who is Randy Foye?
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Foye is a 6’4” guard who was selected with the seventh overall pick in the 2006 NBA draft. After being drafted by the Boston Celtics, Foye was subsequently traded twice on draft night, first to the Portland Trail Blazers and eventually to the Minnesota Timberwolves, where he would go on to play for three seasons.
Foye’s best season was his third with the Wolves, when he started 61 games, scored 16.3 points and averaged 4.3 assists per contest, shooting 36 percent from three-point range.
After stops in Washington, Los Angeles (Clippers) and Utah, Foye is now entering his third season with Denver, where the first two years were a mild success. Starting 78 games in his first season with the Nuggets, Foye put up respectable numbers, with 13.2 points per game, 3.5 assists and shot 38% from deep. Last season, Foye also put up some decent numbers (mostly as a reserve), but was only able to play in 50 games due to injuries.
That leads us to this season, where the 32-year-old guard will look to be a key reserve on a growing Nuggets team. The combo guard should be able to do a solid job in place of Emmanuel Mudiay and Wilson Chandler when needed.
Strengths
Foye’s most notable strength has to be his three-point shooting. He is a career 38 percent shooter from deep, and his most accurate season with Utah saw him shoot 41 percent from deep. His ability to space the floor, but also be a threat to slash and keep the defense honest, will be a great help to the Nuggets offense.
Another Foye strength is his versatility. While he is best off the ball, Foye is perfectly capable of running the offense efficiently as a point guard when needed. While his assist numbers aren’t gaudy, his solid ball-handling and ability to limit turnovers make him a decent option to run the offense at times.
Weaknesses
Foye’s biggest weakness is defense. He’s never been a strong defender, as most of his worth comes on the other end of the court. He’s best when playing alongside a stronger stopper in the backcourt, so that player can cover up his defensive deficiencies, and Foye can do the same offensively.
Foye’s other big weakness is his low field-goal percentage. While Foye is a very capable scorer, he’s never been the most efficient at putting the ball in the hoop. His career average of 40 percent from the field is far from great, and last year it was particularly bad at 37 percent.
He’s a good shooter from deep but tends to force the issue relatively often.
2015-16 Outlook
Foye will see plenty of minutes for the Nuggets this season. He will most likely be their primary scorer off the bench, and due to his strong outside shooting, could easily see minutes playing alongside Emmanuel Mudiay as well.
The veteran will probably get around 20 minutes per game, and make an impact in a number of ways. His shooting ability, veteran leadership and versatility should lead him to a good season in this role.