Tyler Lydon will have a lot to prove as the Nuggets already have a crowded front court.
Tyler Lydon was perhaps one of the more head scratching moves of the 2017 NBA draft.
The Denver Nuggets traded their pick to the Utah Jazz for Trey Lyles and moved down in the draft and selected Syracuse’s own Tyler Lydon to add to their front court.
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In Summer League, Lydon did not make much noise and was already started to be labeled a bust by many Denver fans. This is a little bit premature in my opinion as Summer League is completely different from actual NBA action, but we will see what the kid brings to the table.
Coach Michael Malone has been trying to figure out how to best utilize the crowded front court and Tyler Lydon has shown rare sequences of solid play in his limited minutes. In the loss against the Oklahoma City Thunder, Lydon entered the game and was able to record a block almost instantly and sprinted down the court afterward for a nice offensive play which was a direct result from his defensive stop.
Now, if he can string sequences like this on a consistent basis, fans will be able to understand why the Nuggets were willing to trade down in the draft for the kid. And, I will be honest, I was not happy with the pick either, but we must give Connelly and the front office a little bit of the benefit of the doubt.
Their track record in the draft recently has shown them to be more successful than not. Tyler Lydon will have a lot to prove in his rookie season especially with other veteran power forwards he is competing with, but then again, stranger things have happened in the NBA.
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Let’s hope Lydon is the next draft steal.