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Denver Nuggets NBA Draft: Second round review

By Blake Holmes

LEXINGTON, KY - FEBRUARY 24: Jarred Vanderbilt #2 of the Kentucky Wildcats celebrates against the Missouri Tigers at Rupp Arena on February 24, 2018 in Lexington, Kentucky. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images)
LEXINGTON, KY - FEBRUARY 24: Jarred Vanderbilt #2 of the Kentucky Wildcats celebrates against the Missouri Tigers at Rupp Arena on February 24, 2018 in Lexington, Kentucky. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images) /
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The Denver Nuggets capped off a rather impressive draft with two second round picks.

The second round had begun, and the Nuggets had just got a potential top three talent at 14 with Michael Porter Jr. The thought was evident, how were they going to follow-up?

With the 43rd pick in the NBA Draft… the Denver Nuggets selected Justin Jackson from Maryland.

Wait, there was a trade? That’s right, the Nuggets made a deal with the Magic for the 41st pick, giving them the 43rd and a future second rounder. So who was the guy that they got in return?

Here comes Jarred Vanderbilt. Vanderbilt was really known as a rebounding specialist for the Wildcats, and a guy who took pride on the defensive side of the ball. He’s not a three-point shooter, and he didn’t try to do anything that was out of his comfort zone for Kentucky and his draft stock. The main issue with him, is actually the same issue with the first round pick, Michael Porter Jr, an injury that held him to limited playing time in his lone season.

If healthy, Vanderbilt brings a versatile and energetic presence off the bench. He has the body or athleticism to play either the three or the four for the Nuggets. As I stated before, he specialized with his defense, and that should bode well for him on a team that needed it.

Vanderbilt averaged just under eight rebounds and a block per game, but only with 17 minutes per game. (per SR) There are some risks, but I think it was a solid pick for the Denver Nuggets.

The Nuggets were not done in Brooklyn just yet, as they still had the 58th pick at their disposal. Let’s meet who that was.

Welcome to the Denver Nuggets, Thomas Welsh! Welsh was the opposite of the other two picks in this draft in their age. He spent all four years at UCLA. That’s right, Welsh was a member of the team that at one point had both Lonzo and LiAngelo Ball come through. That isn’t important to him specifically, but it’s fun to mention.

Anyways, Welsh is a seven-footer who can stretch the floor, and to me, a good pick-up for when he was picked. He didn’t light up the floor a ton in his career as a Bruin, but he was about as reliable as they came. In his senior season, Welsh had over ten rebounds, twelve points, and almost a block per game.

Remember how I said that he could stretch the floor? Well, he shot over 40 percent from deep in his senior season. (per SR) For a big man, the dude has some range.

Next: Top five dunkers in Nuggets' history

Well, that’s going to do it for me. This is pretty much the best possible draft that the Denver Nuggets could have had in my opinion. Even if both of these guys end up on two-way contracts, the team was able to fill some holes and help fix some issues with each pick. I can’t wait to see them in action, and I know the rest of Nuggets Nation is excited too.