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2019 NBA Draft: How it impacts the Denver Nuggets

By Michael Mannen

DENVER, CO - APRIL 10: The Denver Nuggets bench looks on during the game against the Minnesota Timberwolves on April 10, 2019 at the Pepsi Center in Denver, Colorado. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2019 NBAE (Photo by Garrett Ellwood/NBAE via Getty Images)
DENVER, CO - APRIL 10: The Denver Nuggets bench looks on during the game against the Minnesota Timberwolves on April 10, 2019 at the Pepsi Center in Denver, Colorado. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2019 NBAE (Photo by Garrett Ellwood/NBAE via Getty Images) /
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The Denver Nuggets will  definitely be impacted by the 2019 draft in the upcoming 2019-20 season.

The 2019 NBA draft lottery was completed last night and the Pelicans got the 1st overall pick will be able to draft Zion Williamson. 

The draft order from last nights lottery went as follows:

  1. Pelicans
  2. Grizzlies
  3. Knicks
  4. Lakers
  5. Cavaliers
  6. Suns
  7. Chicago Bulls
  8. Atlanta Hawks
  9. Washington Wizards
  10. Hawks
  11. Dallas Mavericks
  12. Hornetts
  13. Miami Heat
  14. Boston Celtics

The Nuggets do not own a 1st or 2nd pick in the 2019 draft because these picks were traded away. So they will not be able to draft any new players in 2019.

Despite the Pelicans selecting first in the draft, are definitely not a lottery team.  Despite their record, the Pelicans are not a bad team. In the  2018 playoffs, the Pelicans swept the Trail Blazers and made it to the Western Conference Semifinals.

And the Pelicans have the right parts to fit around an elite Power Forward like Zion. These include Jrue Holiday, Julius Randle, Elfrid Payton, and E’Twaun.

And Since the Pelicans will now have Zion at the PF position, they will likely not give Julius Randle an extension this summer. This move will enable the Denver Nuggets a chance to add him to their roster in the offseason.

Most of the other teams that selected in the top 14 in the draft are solid teams and are typically not lottery teams. The Hawks already have Trae Young, John Collins, and Alex Len. And now the Hawks have two more picks in the top 14 in the Draft.

The Mavericks, despite their record, have a solid roster with Luka Doncic, Tim Hardaway Jr, Dwight Powell, and Kristaps Porzingis.

The Lakers despite selecting fourth in the draft are not a bad team. At one point, they were fourth in the Western Conference. Plus the Lakers have  over cap space to add more players.

The Grizzlies have not performing playing well because of injuries and the transitions the team has been making the past two seasons. At one point in the 2018-19 regular season, the Grizzlies were in playoff contention. The Grizzlies on their roster have Mike Conley, Jonas Valančiūnas, Jaren Jackson Jr., Joakim Noah, Delon Wright, Avery Bradley, Justin Holiday, and Kyle Anderson. And now they have the 2nd pick in the first round.

The Suns despite their record have some great players on their team. The Suns have Devin Booker, Josh Jackson, DeAndre Ayton, Kelly Oubre Jr., Jamal Crawford, Mikal Bridges, and T.J. Warren. They will now select 6th in the draft.

Previously, the Nuggets traded away their first round pick to the Nets to get rid of Kenneth Faried.  And the Nuggets traded away their two second round picks to the Bucks  for Roy Hibbert and to Magics for Jarred Vanderbilt. 

The 2019 NBA draft can still impact the Denver Nuggets. And teams with new draft picks represent new competition for the Nuggets, especially teams with lottery picks in the Western Conference. The Mavericks, Lakers,  Grizzlies and possibly the Suns could be in playoff contention next season. Playing these teams will no longer be easy wins for the Denver Nuggets in the 2019-20 regular season. The Nuggets will have alter their game plan for these teams as result of their picks.

These new draft picks also represent new trading targets for the Nuggets as well. As these players can now be included in potential deals that the Nuggets may do with those teams. The Nuggets need more shooters and depth on their bench.

Players like Jarrett Culver, Coby White, and Cam Reddish may be good targets for the Nuggets in the future.

The Nuggets have Michael Porter Jr. coming back this season. However, despite his lack of playing time at Missouri, in the 2018 draft he was selected as the 14th overall pick by the Denver Nuggets. He fell from possibly going as the number one overall pick in the 2018 draft, or latest top 3,  to the 14th pick because of concerns about his health. Luckily because of the Nugget’s depth going into the season, Michael Porter Jr. was fortune  enough to be able to sit out for an entire season to get healthy.

Michael Porter Jr. if he returns healthy next year could very well be a candidate for Rookie of the year. He could potentially represent a top 3 pick for the Nuggets.

Either way the 2019 NBA draft definitely impacts the Denver Nuggets and the upcoming season.

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