NBA Summer League Watchability Rankings: Denver Nuggets vs Phoenix Suns, July 5

The Denver Nuggets 2019-20 NBA Summer League kicks off in Las Vegas on July 5. At Nugg Love we will be compiling watchability rankings for the four Nuggets summer league contests.

4. July 5 vs Phoenix Suns

The least exciting game on the 2019-20 Denver Nuggets NBA Summer League schedule is also their first, against the Phoenix Suns. You could take almost any summer league game and say it has the potential to be a high-scoring contest, and you would be right more times than not. But this game does have a chance to be the true “defense optional” matchup of NBA Summer League.

This game will give us a chance to see–hopefully matched up against one another–Nuggets 2018 No. 14 overall pick Michael Porter Jr. and 2019 Suns No. 11 overall pick Cameron Johnson face off.

Johnson is a 23-year old forward who certainly possess the size and elite 3-point shooting ability, whether it is coming off of screens or spotting up around the arc. Johnson, however, does not possess elite physical tools. With Porter getting his first playing time since recovery from his back injury, a significantly less athletic player like Johnson will be a good litmus test to see where Porter is in this current state of his recovery.

Assuming 2018 No. 1 overall pick Deandre Ayton plays, it will be another chance to see how much his defensive awareness has improved, with Porter sure to get a fair share of pick-and-roll possessions for the Nuggets. On the flip side, Ayton’s speed in the open court will force the Nuggets transition defense to be alert, and this will be a window to how helpful Jarred Vanderbilt can be in that capacity.

Freshly signed Nuggets summer league guards Jordan and Terence Davis (no relation) are both tough guards known for their physicality, ability to contribute on the boards and defensive potential at the NBA level. Phoenix has two extremely explosive guards in Jared Harper and Jalen Lecque, both players who can really be a problem in space.

Harper can fill it up in a hurry, averaging 25.2 points per 100 possessions for his NCAA career. Lecque is a very raw prospect who possesses a 43-inch max vertical leap.

Between those two and 2018 No. 31 overall pick Élie Okobo, it will be fascinating to see how the Nuggets guard on the perimeter in this one.

The July 5 Suns-Nuggets matchup won’t have the same level of prospects as some of the later matchups in summer league, but the personnel in this one leans towards this being quite the high-paced game. Either way, this will be a fun one for the simple reason that it is the official debut of Michael Porter Jr.